By Linda Wisnh-Bolard
I am among those who were fooled by the politicians and their helpers into believing that we now have a health care "reform". Temporarily fooled.
This "reform" serves only what the politicians wanted for themselves- they cannot be kicked off their insurance, their adult kids stay on it and the co-payment for major problems is cut down. It's paid for by increasing the burden of working people beyond what they can pay.
Perhaps it is best demonstrated by the Medicaid reform (widely opposed by the governors of many states who wrote a letter asking it be downsized).
We are told that people between 100-400 federal poverty level would be covered by this new Medicaid (about $16,000 would be allowed for a single person and a little over $29,000 for family of four). We are not told that to become for this largess, all people have to qualify as having no assets. No savings, retirement, property , nothing that could not be sold.
There is a limit of value of car and the estates of those who dies on combined Medicare- Medicaid would be ceased to pay the actual cost Medicaid accrued. Sham, not reform.
We are told that a "financial reform" is taking place.
The so called reform leaves the banks intact, the lending largely unchanged (financial sector lending), hedge funds largely unchanged and where it prohibits by "oversight" (that really works with oil industry too, right?), trading, it makes it difficult not to trade derivatives, it limits the trading on commercial banks only, but only on “high risks??” derivatives, but to provide loans to small business and home mortgages. It also allows charging new and higher fee.
It comes down to no protection of working Americans from being overcharged for everything they have to do(buy health care insurance, have to have paycheck directly deposited, have to car insurance….)- but it lets the big guys go free.
That is what the Republicans are supposed to be for.
I am sick and tired of subsidizing irresponsible mortgage loans that let people stay in homes they cannot afford.
I am cut to the quick by the recent proposal that would not even punish people who can afford to pay their mortgages but walk away from home they deem not worth it. It keeps housing out of reach of first time, responsible buyers who also no longer have any renter's protection. It gives free rein to thieves.
I am offended by paying off spoiled brats to get new cars replacing old Mercedes (13 miles out of gallon) under the “Old Clunker” scheme while driving up prices for all; even those who always bought fuel efficient vehicles that they cannot afford to replace.
I am fed up with media such as Los Angeles Time that reported in their business section on the new Hyundai Sonata describing it as a patriotic buy because the car is made in Alabama.
Alabama is non-union state, the auto workers there make about half of what their colleagues make in Michigan and there is something nearly obscene in the fact that it is cheaper for the Koreans to make cars in Alabama than in Korea. In Korea they have to pay medical insurance, pensions, sick day and vacation to all their workers. In Alabama, US, they don’t. Grow up, media, report on the cost to American economy and working people.
I am sick of being taxed to pay the largest transfer of private loans to public domain where I pay for the goodies Sachs gives to their CEO. Since we own them , why not seize all their earnings and apply the money to the deficit and payroll of those companies who shorten their working week and hire new people? Why not tax every bonus to 98% and use the money to help Main Street?
Because neither party cares.
Add to it student loans: my generation was regularly scammed by combined effort of schools and banks, we were overcharged. Even though I am an acknowledged victim, I did not get even a dime back. It will go to the kids of those who stole from me. Those kids will benefit from lower interest rates, limited payments and forgiveness of loans. None of it applies to me.
I hate to say it, but that's an insult added to injury.
Of course, there are the cuts in Social Security that will apply to me - I will only get 75% of what the thieves, being older, get. I will have to work longer, even though the average life is only a year more than in 60s. Of course, more of my earnings were and will be taxed- someone has to pay the retirees of today, and it's not the corporations.
Than there are the pensions that have gone for my generation but that have to be paid to the previous generations and we are taxed to pay them. Of course, the involuntary 401K I had to pay as part of university teaching staff is gone- after all, we had a financial meltdown and my 401K as well my partner’s saving have to subside the TARP-corporations will not do that either.
Why not cut all pension to $50,000 at the most? Why not require that no government worker would make more than 10% over the average pay in the area where he/she lives?
Why not institute that no manager in state /federal/county/city institution will make no more that 3 times of what the average salary in the area is?
In the UC/ California State University system it can save about 50 millions- and hence there is no need for tuition rise.
Wanna know who makes the most at the UC system? A coach. Over $2,5 million. Second? A coach, over $1,5 million.
When did the public signed on subsidizing of games?
Cut it. If the universities want to run training centers for the major league, let them raise the money through outside foundations while not contributing space, scholarships or teaching to anyone whose goal is to make money kicking ball. That’s not education.
You know what? We, the people whose money disappeared in the meltdown and whose prospect at having a home vanished, deserve the same bailout as those homeowners, banks, schools and corporations. More than they do, we did nothing wrong.
Put shortly- anytime I tried to achieve something there was the US government backed by the corporations making sure that I could not.
I can pay for my education and be really good at it- but all the better jobs in all governments are only open for internal hire- including those at public universities with the exception of teaching. The lower jobs require only high school diploma and a sugar daddy. I missed on one of those.
I want all jobs open to all and all resumes posted online. I want all the names of all the people involved in hiring posted there as well. I want all the votes cast for the hired person public. I am so tired of nepotism.
I am required to pay for my health care but the provider is free to deny me any and all care and falsify my medical records. That's fine. The head of California Medical Board overseeing those actions had accepted a job in private health care industry as will the current one- after all, they do not see the injured and dead bodies.
Indeed, were you to try to deposit one such body within their sight, you will commit a crime and believe me, trespass, littering or mishandling anything on the property of the rich is prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
It is a hanging offense to kill anyone on the street but no crime at all killing thousands by denying them the care they paid for. That is what ERISA is for- and federal employees are exempt making sure that your un-friendly politician can sue should he/she be unhappy with the care he/she receives.
We, the little people, cannot. CEOs responsible for this massive killing field get invitations to the White House (after suitable campaign donation is paid).
I want equality, get rid of ERISA or submit yourself to it.
It is a crime to steal a loaf of bread but to defraud millions of people of their saving is perfectly fine; the Supreme Court will obligingly overturn any nasty convictions, as it ruled that honest service is no longer legally required.
I take it, I have to be paid but I do not have to work. Work is providing this intangible honest service value for the pay. If Eron’s managers are free to award themselves any pay and any bonus out of investments while riding the company down, so am I. We all are. We can sue as well, right?
I was going to suggest that readers join me in the crusade of changing the election process and shortening the working week, but a view of the latest "spy" ring ( can you describe anyone as a spy if there are no charges of espionage involved? ) whose activities involved writing a critical column of the US government’s deals in South America as well as walking down the street with a baguette and bunch of daffodils ( no, I do not know which is worse: flowers or bread), I guess it might not be safe.
