Sen. Ben Nelson’s hardly the only lawmaker extracting sweetheart deals out of the health care reform bill.

While the Nebraska Democrat got a particularly juicy concession in exchange for a “yes” vote on the 10-year, $871 billion package — permanent and full federal aid for his state’s expanded Medicaid population — support from a slew of other senators likewise came with a price.

Western states got more money for hospitals that serve Medicare patients. Louisiana got up to $300 million in Medicaid benefits. The list goes on.

Senate Republicans lined up Saturday to decry the latest deal targeted toward Nebraska, which was decried as the “cornhusker kickback.”

“Votes have been bought,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said.

But Senate Democrats said the payoffs are nothing unusual, and in fact typical.

“People fight for their own states. That’s the nature of a democracy,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said on “Fox News Sunday,” defending Nelson against withering attacks from the GOP.

“This is just part of the normal legislative process,” said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

As a measure of just how typical they are, a slew of payoffs and concessions have been struck over the past several months.

– Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., won between $100 million and $300 million in additional federal aid for her state’s Medicaid population. The deal, secured before she cast her critical vote in favor of bringing the health bill to the floor, was immediately dubbed the “Louisiana Purchase,”  though the actual Louisiana Purchase was considerably cheaper.

– Vermont and Massachusetts got $1.2 billion in Medicaid money — a change that was described as a correction to the current system which exempts those two states because they have robust health care systems. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also boasted Saturday that he requested and won an investment worth between $10 and $14 billion for community health centers.

– Western states secured higher federal reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals that serve Medicare patients. The provision covers the low-population “frontier” states and applies to Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming — the latter two states are both represented by two Republicans, but ended up as beneficiaries anyway since they qualify. The legislative language defines frontier states as states where at least 50 percent of the counties have fewer than six people per square mile. Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, defended the “special deal,” telling “Fox News Sunday” that those five states were getting an increase in reimbursements because they get the lowest amount in the country. “That doesn’t offend me at all,” he said. “It’s in fact, fair.”

– Florida, New York and Pennsylvania — where five of six senators are Democrats — will have their seniors’ Medicare Advantage benefits protected, even as the program sees massive cuts elsewhere.

– Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., reportedly secured expanded Medicare coverage for victims of asbestos exposure in a mine in Libby, Mont.

– One unknown state is receiving $100 million for a “health care facility” affiliated with an academic health center at a university that contains the state’s only “public academic medical and dental school.” It’s unclear for which state that language was written.

– Nebraska’s Nelson won permanent federal aid for his state’s expanded Medicaid population, a benefit worth up to $100 million over 10 years. Other states get the federal aid for three years, but Nebraska’s benefit is indefinite. His state also got an exemption for nonprofit insurance companies from a health insurance company tax. Many believe this was targeted at Mutual of Omaha, but senior Democratic aides would not confirm that.

Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman didn’t extract any payoffs for Connecticut. Rather, he succeeded in stripping the government-run insurance plan from the Senate health bill, along with a proposed expansion of Medicare that he recently said he opposes.

Fox News’ Trish Turner contributed to this report.

Despite the popular success of Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth with all it’s emotional scenes, the science is not confirmed.  See http://www.climatechangefacts.info/ from a respected former NOAA (National Oceanic/Atmospheric Association) official.  Research the “Climategate” hacked e-mails from the supposed scientists championing the human-global warming connection.  The question of whether our climate is changing any more or less than what it has done for thousands of years, and, if so, what is the cause, is not determined.

This is why I feel that the politicians, Hollywood and the media are, as usual, focusing in the wrong direction.  What we should be focusing on is the simple answers instead of the complex.

While our Industrial Age has helped mankind, particularly the United States, to develop more new products, chemicals and processes in the last 60 years than in all of the history of mankind combined, we have not taken a long term view of any of it.  Instead, we only looked at the short term – can we make money off this now.

When we found oil and then developed the internal combustion engine (and the electric starter), it was cheap and could be sold to the masses at large profits.  How much research was done on the long-term effects of this?  Little or none.  Why?  Because that is not how Americans think.  Because no one then envisioned just how many millions of vehicles would be using these in the next 50 years, therefore, no one thought about the consequences.

So what is the answer?  It is two-fold: First we must begin to think longer term – we must wean ourselves of the instant gratification that has overtaken our society.  There is the story (I can not confirm if it is true) of the delegation of American business executives who visited Japan in the late 1960’s and had the then unique opportunity to ask questions of a senior Japanese business executive.  One question asked was what period of time does the Japanese business plan cover?  The answer, 300 years!  I know of no major American business that can think beyond the next dividend date (90 days).  If you remember, in the late 60’s and early 70’s, the Japanese started beating American businesses at their own games.

Second, we must adopt the Native American approach of revering and protecting “Mother Earth”.  Unfortunately, Americans, and most humans, only react to what they are able to see, touch, hear, feel, or smell.  When our rivers and lakes started to look bad and smell bad we reacted by enacting legislation to protect them – the key word being REACT.  We can’t sense CO2.  But intuitively we know that pumping millions of tons of what comes out of our tailpipes and smokestacks into our atmosphere is not a good thing. So why not adopt the Socratic Oath of “Do No Harm” when developing new products, chemicals, and processes?

If every company would do an Earth Impact Analysis (EIA) on every new product that looks at the total impact on the Earth from raw material acquisition through manufacturing and distribution to disposal for at least 50 years out, I believe our environment will last a lot longer.  I am a very strong proponent of electric vehicles.  But, has anyone looked at the Earth Impact of substituting lithium for oil?  Where does it come from?  What do we have to do to the earth to get it?  Is it recyclable?  If not, how will we dispose of it?

Take another example – hydrogen cars.  I spent 20 years in Minnesota.  Apparently no one working on this concept is north of the Mason-Dixon line, because the only by-product of a hydrogen car is water vapor!  Has anyone thought through the impact of putting thousands of gallons of water vapor on Minnesota roads in winter will be?

If every consumer makes their buying decisions based on the same approach, the pollutants will disappear.  However, this will require a massive cultural and educational change from our “Instant Gratification” culture of today.

If we can stop acting like Chicken Little, and start acting like responsible stewards of our air, land and water by looking at long term consequences, we can solve our environmental problems.  What would happen if each of us was required to bury all our non-recyclable trash in our own back yards?  If you parked all the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles in your city or town next to each other and turned them all on, would you stand in the middle and breathe the air?

We do not know all the causes of environmental change.  But, we do know that we can be better stewards of Mother Earth.

If it were not for Math and Science I could have been an “A” student all the way through college.  However, over the years I have learned some basics:

1. 1 + 1 = 2.  1 Billion + 1 Billion = 2 Billion.  1 Trillion + 1 Trillion = 2 Trillion.
2. Through my mistakes, I have learned that you can only spend as much money as you take home.  Anything more puts you in debt to someone else – you are beholding to them.
3. If you take on more debt than you can pay back, you will end up bankrupt.  That means your credit and good name are worthless for about 7 years.

The Merriam-Webster online definition of “Economy” is:

1 archaic : the management of household or private affairs and especially expenses
2 a : thrifty and efficient use of material resources : frugality in expenditures; also : an instance or a means of economizing : saving b : efficient and concise use of nonmaterial resources (as effort, language, or motion)
3 a : the arrangement or mode of operation of something : organization b : a system especially of interaction and exchange <an economy of information>
4 : the structure or conditions of economic life in a country, area, or period; also : an economic system

Apparently our elected Senators and Representatives, led by our President, have never learned any of the above – they apparently failed math.  They are in the process of passing a $1.1 Trillion spending bill for next year, not including the $626 Billion defense spending! According to the December 10, 2002, AARP Bulletin, there are 156 million wage earners in our country.   That means that it will cost each wage earner $11,064 next year!  The median wage in the U.S. is $27, 590.16.   That means a tax burden of 40% – $0.40 of every dollar you make will have to go to the government.

This spending bill, which is 1,088 pages long, includes:

1. Spending increases of 10% to a number of programs under the control of Congress;
2. 5,224 pork barrel “earmarks” totaling $3.9 Billion, most of which have never seen the light of day in any kind of hearings;
3. A pay raise for federal workers; and
4. Has not been read by the majority of those voting on it.

On top of this, they also want to raise our debt ceiling – make it legal to borrow more money from China and other countries who will hold the “mortgage” on our country.  That will also increase our interest payments – on top of the above.

OK, I barely passed math, but even I can see that this does not add up.  Just how stupid do they think their constituents are?  Do they even care?

If this does not add up to you either, what can you do about it?  You can call your elected representatives and ask if they voted for this or not (or, if they even read it).  If they did, do you want them to continue in office?  If not, at a minimum, make sure you vote against that person the next time they run.  Or, do something like contribute time and/or money to their opponent (after making sure they pledge not to do the same thing).

“We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetters. We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.”

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended.. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone — not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be..

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing.. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes ..

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we’re just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won’t have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don’t care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from!

(Lastly…..)

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage. This country was founded on the belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!

If you agree, share this with a friend. No, you don’t have to, and nothing tragic will befall you if you don’t. I just think it’s about time common sense is allowed to flourish. Sensible people of the United States speak out because if you do not, who will?  If you can not live by this Preamble, there are 194 other countries in the world to choose from, good luck.

It is now time to hold a funeral for Common Sense in America.  Others have written their obituaries.  Here I would like to offer some real life examples and ask, Where Did Common Sense Go? Personally, I believe that the cause of death for Common Sense is lawyers – the fear of getting sued, liability, and the liberal push for “Political Correctness” has caused people to abandon their Common Sense.  I also agree with Dirk the Butcher in Shakespeare’s Henry IV when he says, “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers” (of course I do not mean this literally).

Please feel free to post your own examples of a lack of Common Sense.

1. During a school athletic event a 13 year old girl runs into a goal post resulting in a black eye, 2 broken teeth and she is knocked unconscious.  What does the school do?  They take her to the nurse’s office and call her parents, one of whom is on her way to work, the other is in the midst of serving a search warrant.  They refused to call an ambulance until a parent was there!
2. The following is the 2007 winning entry from an annual contest at
   Texas A&M University calling for the most appropriate definition of a
   contemporary term.  This year’s term was Political Correctness. The winner wrote,
   “Political Correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional,
   illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream
   media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible
   to pick up a turd by the clean end.”.

3.   Miriam Webster Dictionary definition: politically correct

Function: adjective. Date: 1936: conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated.

4        A six year old first grader was so excited about becoming a cub scout he wanted to take a camping tool that served as knife, fork, and spoon (all in one), so he could use it for his lunch. He faced 45 days in reform school!

5        A little girl’s grandmother sent her with a birthday cake to school and included a knife with which to cut it. The teacher used the knife first, then reported it, and the girl was expelled from school for an entire year.

6        Eighty year old perfectly normal looking women have been searched at airports, as has a ninety year old man who could barely walk with a cane (interestingly, they didn’t take his cane away from him).  But, searching middle-eastern looking males between 20 and 40 is “profiling”.  Of course it’s profiling – that’s how you find the bad guys!

7        We send our military men and women off to the Middle East to be maimed and killed by terrorists while protecting our interests in this vital oil region. But we fret over drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, because it might disturb the caribou.

8         Many supporters of Illegal Immigration are demanding that those who entered our country illegally now be called “undocumented immigrants”.

9        My father’s parents were Irish.  My mother’s parents were Irish and German.  Does this make me an Irish-German American (or, to be absolutely correct, an Irish, Irish, Irish German-American)?  Or am I the latest term, an AEO (American of European Origin)?  Or am I just an American?

10    Working for a major police department, I understand that there are times when a person’s skin color or ethnicity do matter.  If I just took a call that a child has been shot, the first question I ask is, “”Is the subject who did this Black, White, Hispanic, Asian or Native?”  I then go on to ask the subject’s age, height, weight, facial hair, and clothing description.  Anyone who has a problem with this, well, as Ron White says, “You can’t fix stupid.”

The United States is 12 and 2 when it comes to wars – we lost the Viet Nam war and just have not had the guts to admit we have lost the 40-year “War On Drugs”.  So what do we do about Afghanistan?

First, we need to study history.  Since the 1300’s no one has succeeded in conquering, much less controlling, Afghanistan.  This includes Genghis Kahn, Alexander the Great, the British (three times) and the Russians (a 10-year war).  Why?  Because of the terrain and the fierce independence of the Afghani people.

Why did America lose two wars?  Because we did not have clear objectives.  In Viet Nam we never had an objective like we had in previous wars.  We still do not know why we have the drug problem in our country that we do, and since we don’t know the cause, we have no hope of finding a solution, we are just treating the symptoms.

So, given that no one else in hundreds of years has been able to defeat the Afghanis, what makes us think we can “win”.  What is our definition of “win” – what is our objective, what is our goal?

Originally, in 2001, we went into Afghanistan to get those responsible for 9/11.  Who was that?  The Afghani people, the Afghani army, the Taliban, al Qaida? If it was either of the first two we could fight like we did in World Wars I and II, but they are not the enemy, so that won’t work.  Is it the Taliban?  The Taliban is a fundamentalist religious Muslim organization that took over the country after the Russians failed and they were removed from power with the help of the U.S. because the Afghanis did not like what their brand of fundamentalism did to their country.  Some of them are sympathetic with al Qaida.  Is the enemy al Qaida?  This is the extremist Muslim group that believes the west (primarily embodied by the U.S. and Israel) are “infidels” that the Koran tells them should be eliminated.  These are the ones responsible for the 9/11 attack on the United States.

OK, now we know just who the enemy is, al Qaida and their sympathizers .  So, as one walks through Afghanistan, how do you tell who is al Qaida and who is not?  You can’t.  Does this sound a lot like Viet Nam?  Who was North Vietnamese (Viet Cong) and who was South Vietnamese?  The only way to tell was when they started firing on us.  That puts our men and women in uniform in a totally defensive position, which is no way to fight a war and win.

In addition, al Qaida does not have any geographical boundaries.  They are based in Afghanistan and Pakistan, hence the term Af-Pak.  In particular, they are based in the worst of the incredibly difficult terrain of that area, so difficult that the U.S. military has had to develop replacements for the Humvee just to be able to get around.  The conditions are so bad that even with our incredible equipment and technology, getting support, supplies or medical help to our soldiers in combat sometimes takes hours – is this what we want to send our men and women into?  Does this sound “winnable”?

Knowing who the enemy is, what is our objective?  Is it to establish a “democratic” central government in a country that has been run by tribal “warlords”, or governors, of various regions, or states, for thousands of years and are willing to fight anyone who tries to take that system and power away from them?   When the word “power” comes into play, the best approach to solving the problem is to FOLLOW THE MONEY.

These warlords, governors, or whatever you want to call them, are in power because they provide what security they can for their people.  They will generally work with anyone who offers them the opportunity to improve the lot of the people, particularly economically.  That is why they grow the world’s highest percentage of poppies – because al Qaida pays them well (by their standards) so al Qaida can use the drug money to support their cause.

Given the history, who the enemy is, and the battle conditions, should we send in 150,000 American men and women to fight a war with no clear objective, where we do not know who the enemy is until they fire on us, where the rules of engagement tie the hands of our men and women in uniform, in an incredibly hostile terrain, where we are seen by the majority of Afghanis as just another invader, especially when we destroy their poppy fields – their only means of support?

Or, should we send in 150,000 soccer balls, 150,000 tons of seeds for planting cash crops other than poppies, 1,500 consultants and funding to help start local construction businesses, along with 20,000 troops to train Afghani police and security and focus our technical and intelligence combat efforts on finding and destroying al Qaida leaders and followers.

We must accept that Afghanistan will not become a “democratic” country like the U.S. for at least another generation or two.  We must recognize their tribal system and work with it, not against it.  By providing them with an alternative to supporting al Qaida, demonstrating that America cares about the future of the Afghani people and their history and customs, by helping them improve their own security, over time they will become an important friend to America and will help us destroy al Qaida.

World War II was fought against Germany and Japan.  We defeated them with traditional warfare methods.  Those methods will not work in this situation for all the reasons above.  What kept Germany and Japan from not only fighting us again but becoming powerful allies is how we helped them recover and rebuild.  We won their hearts and minds by demonstrating we cared and providing them the means to economic security.  I believe that this is the only “winnable” strategy in Afghanistan.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND MAY GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM AND THEIR FAMILIES

I would postulate that the current practice of Professional Politicians has not only proven to be ineffective, but it is also the most expensive of the two options (paying more for less result). According to most studies and polls of members of Congress, once elected, they spend at least 1/3^rd of their waking time on fund raising for their reelection! According to the Gallup Polls, our confidence in the current system has not existed in over a quarter century, and is dropping from there (Democrats or Republicans).

Confidence in Congress

The “Professional Politicians” have created their own retirement system that is unequaled in private business – they are set for life after 1 term. Our budgets and deficits and costs of living rise every year while our standard of living and our life expectancy decline compared to the rest of the world.

I would recommend a return to our Founding Fathers’ concept of the Citizen Legislator where (“Congress” meaning the Senate and the House of Representatives):

1. Elections are paid for through taxes. The amounts spent per candidate are fixed by law, no other contributions may be made or accepted in any manner. This would effectively eliminate the influence of lobbyists, people who are only concerned with their own interests, not those of the American people.
2. Terms are limited to 2 consecutive terms. An individual may run again only after leaving office for a minimum of one full term. This would eliminate the Professional Politician and return us to the Citizen Legislator, yet, permit good, effective legislators to serve.
3. Members of Congress will be paid what they were earning in the position they left to serve in Congress, plus or minus any “Cost of Living” adjustments for living part time in Washington. Their normal and customary expenses of serving (office, staff, etc.) will be paid for by their constituents in their Congressional district. The overriding principle shall be that a member of Congress shall neither directly gain nor lose financially by being a member of Congress.
4. All benefits afforded members of Congress will be identical to those afforded to our military – health benefits, private sector job protection benefits, retirement benefits, educational benefits, pay raises, etc., nothing more, nothing less. After all, “serving” in Congress should be no different than “serving” in the military (except that one might be slightly safer).
5. Any member of Congress who switches their party affiliation while in elected office will automatically immediately forfeit that position and the Governor of that state will appoint a replacement to fill out the elected term.

Understand that this will only happen if we elect a majority to both the House and Senate who sign a “Term Limit Pledge” stating they will work for and will vote for bills containing the above. Until we elect a majority of these – and hold them to it – the incumbents have too much to lose. If you agree, please ask your candidates to publicly sign the Pledge below.

TERM ELECTIONS PLEDGE

I, _______________________________, candidate for Congressman or Senator from District ____, in the State of _____________________, do hereby Pledge to Author or Support and Vote For an Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limiting the terms of Congressional Representatives and Senators to two (2) consecutive terms during my first term in office. Should I fail to meet this Pledge, I promise not to run for elected office again.

Signed __________________________ Date _____________________

This great country was founded by immigrants. With the exception of our Native Americans, ALL THE REST OF US are descended from immigrants. Three generations ago my family was immigrants. I am 1/2 German-American and 1/2 Irish-American. That adds up to One Whole American (not German American or Irish American, just American!).

However, one important difference between most of our ancestors and today’s ILLEGAL immigrants, is that once our country set up laws, the majority of our immigrants were LEGAL immigrants. They followed the laws and regulations and entered our country legally. It is way past high time to call a “spade a spade”, to cut out this abject stupidity of denying reality by miss-naming something it is not, or trying to hide reality under a different name – ILLEGAL immigrants are called ILLEGAL immigrants because they entered our country ILLEGALLY, period, end of story! Calling them “undocumented workers”, or any other term, is just an effort to hide the facts (can you say “lawyer” or “politician”?).

That being said, the other reality is that both Republican and Democratic administrations and Congresses of our country for generations have failed the American public by failing to protect our borders. And why is this? Because we Americans wanted it to happen because we wanted the least expensive produce, landscaping, construction, fast food, etc., etc., etc. we could buy and we were willing to look the other way to get it. How else could we end up with 11 or 12 million ILLEGAL immigrants, some of whom have been here 15 years or more?

So here we are, the land where our most famous landmark proclaims “Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses…”, all up in arms about our Latin American neighbors doing just that. So what can be done about it that makes sense?

1. Recognize The Realities

- The reality is we let it happen, we even made it happen.

- The reality is we can not deport 11 or 12 million people for less than $1,000 per person. (Can our government do anything for less than $1,000?) That is $11 or $12 BILLION more that we do not have! Plus, how would we look to the rest of the world?

- The reality is that building a wall around our country (and if we built it on the south, we would have to do it on the north also) is too expensive and would make us look like communist Germany before the fall of the Wall.

2. PROTECT OUR BORDERS

- Utilize a combination of people and technology to make our borders less porous.

- Establish and enforce reasonable foreign worker visa programs that can be accomplished in reasonable amounts of time so our companies can get the help they need to succeed when they need it.

- Make the penalties for hiring those ILLEGAL immigrants not in the Program to Earn Legal Status (PELS – see #3 below) SERIOUS for those businesses involved.

- Provide the authority and resources for our local, county and state police to enforce immigration laws. ICE would focus on the borders and provide support to the other law enforcement agencies (which I think is why they exist anyway).

- Prohibit the practice of “catch and release” starting today. If caught entering our country illegally, you go to jail and then are deported from there.

3. Provide a means for productive ILLEGAL immigrants to EARN legal status (PELS, Program to Earn Legal Status)).

- Do background checks. If you are convicted of any crime, out you go. If you commit a crime during your effort to Earn Legal Status, out you go.

- Require they learn English (they can still speak Spanish when they want, just like our ancestors did, they just need to be able to speak our language too).

- Fine them $1,000 each for having come in illegally, payable in installments over 2 years. This would mean we would take in about $9-10 BILLION (assuming 10% get deported).

- Require payment of back taxes as much as is possible. Any Social Security benefits allowed would be based on the wages that were taxed ONLY. Approximate take, $1 BILLION.

- Require that they have sufficient jobs to provide for their families. We do not let people into this country just so we can support them.

- Provide documentation for those ILLEGAL immigrants who are actively participating in the Program to Earn Legal Status.

- Those who can not meet the above criteria within a reasonable time (2-3 years) get deported.

- Apply the Dream Act only to children of families enrolled in the PELS program.

- Those who serve in the U.S. military and are discharged Honorably move to the head of the line.

I believe this program will recognize the efforts and contributions of those hard working immigrants who are trying to become good American citizens like out forefathers and mothers while working to eliminate the ILLEGAL immigrant problem. Isn’t that what we all want?

The screaming from both sides of the spectrum on health care reform is hurting my ears, and my heart. Is this how we solve problems in America now? I don’t think so, Scooter. Can’t we try a little reasoned, common sense approach?

Do we really have the best health care system in the world?

1. Costs are rising faster than any other country, faster than inflation, faster than our incomes;
2. Infant mortality in the U.S. is now 28^th in the world (there are 27 other countries who have better infant mortality rates than our 6.37/1000 births);
3. Life expectancy in the U.S. is declining – we are now #42 in the world. That means that people live longer in 41 other countries;
4. Graduating from college, changing or losing a job (which happened to how many millions in the last 2 years) can mean losing health care coverage.
5. There are 40-50 million people in the U.S. with no health care coverage.

From this I believe that we can conclude that while we once had the best health care system in the world, we have lost that ranking and have some problems to solve.

The first step in solving a problem is to identify the cause(s) of the problem.

CAUSES

#1. WHY are the costs of health care in America skyrocketing?

1. Malpractice. The fear of malpractice lawsuits causes doctors to prescribe more tests than might be necessary just to protect their butts. It is also why we have so few General Practitioners (GP’s) coming out of medical schools – they need to be specialists to be able to afford the premiums. In addition, according to the October, 2009, issue of Scientific American, we are now down to 5 companies that manufacture vaccines of all kinds from the 25 that existed in the 1970′s due to liability concerns. Why is there nothing in either the House or Senate bills addressing tort reform?
2. Medical Training. Medical students in America are, for the most part, trained as human Maytag repairmen and women. They are mechanics, trained to repair you, not to keep you healthy. This is where the GP’s used to fit in as the ones trying to keep you healthy when they were not busy fixing someone.
3. Insurance Reimbursement Programs. Insurance plans pay doctors and hospitals for procedures performed. The more procedures performed, the more they get paid. This is also tied to the malpractice issue because the doctors will put you through procedures you may not need in order to protect their butts from liability, and, they get paid more for doing it. This same system supports the “fix you – not keep you well” approach to medicine. Doctors and hospitals don’t make money if you don’t need to be fixed.
4. Drugs. The U.S. has the highest prescription drug prices in the world. About 10 million U.S. citizens bring in medications from other countries annually. Drugs that are over-the-counter in other countries are prescription here (= more expensive) because U.S. patents last 20 years and the pharmaceutical companies have found loopholes to extend those patents even longer.
5. Paperwork. One average-sized hospital in Phoenix, AZ, has over 300 people on their payroll JUST TO PROCESS INSURANCE AND BILLING PAPERWORK!
6. Fraud. Drug runners have traded that business for fraudulent medicare treatment and supply companies because it is easier to make more money!.  Estimates are that we are paying $47 to 60  Billion per year!

#2. WHY are we 28^th in the world in infant mortality?

1. The main reason for the high rate is pre-term delivery, and there was a 10 percent increase in such births from 2000 to 2006, according to recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The cause(s) for this are unknown.
2. I would suggest that the fact that 25% of the children born this year will be born to single, stressed mothers may have something to do with it. I have no facts to support this, but, the medical profession has no better suggestions.

#3. WHY are we now 42^nd in life expectancy?

1. High uninsured rate among the population (people are not getting help until it is too late);
2. Rising obesity rates;
3. Racial disparities in life expectancy. Black U.S. residents have a shorter life span, at 73.3 years, than whites;
4. The U.S. also has a high infant mortality rate compared with other industrialized nations, with 40 countries having lower infant mortality rates than the U.S. in 2004.

#4. WHY are 40-50 million people in America without health care coverage?

1. They are unemployed – 6.2 million. Those who lost their jobs or have just graduated college and are unable to find a job with health care benefits.
2. They are underemployed – 12 million who work for minimum wages for companies that either do not provide healthcare, or, it is so expensive the employee can not afford it.
3. They are illegal – 10-12 million
4. They are children of the un- or underemployed – 12-14 million

SOLUTIONS

1. Tort Reform – Limit liability awards to reasonable levels.
2. Focus on keeping people healthy
   1. Train medical professionals how to keep people healthy as opposed to fixing them (they will still have to learn how to fix people, it’s just the emphasis shift)
   2. Pay for health – reimburse doctors and hospitals for keeping people healthy
   3. Charge higher premiums for unhealthy life choices like smoking, illegal drug use, obesity, etc., but no more exclusions of pre-existing medical conditions.
   4. Reimburse for successful outcomes resulting from the team approach where a primary physician works together with specialists to get a patient healthy quicker.
3. Reduce the number of children born to single mothers.
4. Subsidize drug research in return for reducing drug prices to levels consistent with other countries.
5. Provide affordable portability. If you lose your job, the COBRA option is normally too expensive for anyone. There must be a means to maintain the same coverage during the gap between old and new employment.
6. Automate medical and insurance record keeping

I would like to offer an “out of the box” proposal for discussion.

We are all paying for medical coverage for all of America.  We are not just paying for our own coverage.  When we buy anything, a car, insurance, clothing, food, anything, somewhere between 10 and 20% of what we pay goes to pay for the benefits for the employees at the company that sold us the product.  Where do you think the money your employer kicks in for your health insurance comes from?  The premium you pay, comes out of your salary that your employer pays you.  They have to pay you enough to cover that with some left over or no one would work there.  They set the prices for whatever they sell based in part on your wages.

The premiums we are charged, and the prices at hospitals, are based on their costs, plus, the costs of providing care to the uninsured – it has to be paid for somehow.  So, the average annual premiums for a family of four of $13,400 (according to the National Coalition on Health Care www.nchc.org//facts/cost) are really paying for everyone – you just get to decide which doctors you go to.

My proposal is a MIDDLE position between the current system that clearly has faults and the possibility of  “national health care”.

How about letting the people who should be most interested in our health other than ourselves – the doctors – be in charge?

Recognizing that we need some kind of organization to manage this, I propose that we remake the current major health insurance companies into state-by-state companies governed by a board of directors that must have a majority of licensed medical practitioners.  The reason for the state-by-state division is to account for the differences in health care needs by areas of the country – the facts show that health care needs are not the same across the country.  These companies may affiliate with each other for economies of scale, but, their charter is to see to the care of the citizens of their state.

All premiums and co-pays, just as they are today – no changes – would go to these entities.  These companies  would then pay the medical providers as follows:

1. Pay doctors a flat fee per registered patient per month.  You register with whatever doctor you want.  He/she is paid a flat fee every month in return for being in charge of your health care.  (The bean counters would have to figure out the fees.)

2.  Pay hospitals a flat fee per Emergency Room patient seen and for patients admitted per day.  (Again, the bean counters, which insurance companies have armies of, would determine the figure.)

3.  Both providers would be paid “bonuses” for keeping people healthy and penalties for negative outcomes (such as hospital re-admittances for the same ailment or infections obtained while in the hospital).

In terms of the currently uninsured, we are already paying the highest possible prices for what health care they get, because they wait until they have to go to an emergency room that can not deny them treatment.  Suppose we take the same approach to this that we take with education.

Nowhere in the Constitution does it say our kids are entitled to a free education (free of course excludes taxes), but we do it anyway.  But, those who have worked hard and are able to afford to send their children to private schools can do so.  My proposal includes taking a portion of the premiums brought in, along with current state health care dollars, and providing a minimum level of health care to all Americans – immunizations, checkups, basic medical services – in order to keep them from jamming the ER’s when they are extremely ill.  The doctors would receive separate payments for caring for them.

I know that there are a million details that would have to be worked out, but, something along these lines would provide:

A.  Choice

B.  Portability

C.  Health incentives vs. repair incentives

D.  Health care dollars staying in the state

I welcome calm reasoned discussion on this topic.

REQUIREMENTS

1. The health care reform package that is finally voted on must include the members of Congress and the White House and their staffs. No more “elite programs” for the “Lords and Ladies”.
2. Related to #1, all federal workers will be enrolled in the Social Security system, again, no more “elite programs” for the upper class.
3. If this is “the most important legislation of our time” then implementation  will begin within 12 months of it being signed into law – not after the next elections.