by Jason on March 7, 2010
This has been somewhat of a rough week. I’ve been battling the sinus infection/upper respiratory/cold/cough/flu that has been going around so much lately. Although the antibiotics perscribed by the doctor have not been helpful, I have been thinking a lot lately about those among us that must suffer in silence because they cannot afford to be seen by a doctor or other medical professional.
I have several objections to the health care reform bills passed by our Congress. Perhaps it is because I feel so sick right now that I don’t want to dealve into all if them at this time. But mainly it is due to my belief that we can wait no longer to act.
My personal empathy lies with the working poor. These are our mothers or fathers, our siblings, and our neighbors. These might be people that we rarely come into contact with as we sit isolated every weekend in our homes in the suburbs. These are the people that get up every day to go to a job in which they work forty hours or more a week for an employer that is too selfish to pay them a decent salary and provide even minimal health care benefits. Many times these hard-working people that play by the rules are not even paid a good enough salary to provide the basics for their families.
As someone that has many republican friends, and who is a former republican himself, I say to you that I am sick of hearing you argue that life is all about choices and personal responsibility. Should a mother have to choose between living in a neighborhood that is safe for her and her family and being able to get a mamogram that will one day save her life from breast cancer? Should she have gone to college and not had children whom she could not afford? Did I forget to mention that she is college educated and had those children before her husband left her? Should a fTher that works two jobs and never sees his children so that he may provide a very meager life for his family not be able to get a colonoscopy that will detect the cancer that will eventually rampage his body?
I am writing about the working poor. These are our friends and neighbors that go to work every day and make just above the poverty level to obtain government help. Would we rather them not work and get Medicaid?
The poorest of the poor among us do have access to basic health care although we could argue it’s standard of care. But there are far too many that have no access to anything. It often comes to the decision of pay the rent or go to the doctor; pay the rent or get the medication; pay the rent or file bankruptcy. If you don’t believe those stories than you truly are spending far too much time in your elitist worlds.
If this post sounds like I am angry..I am. I am no fan of Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi. I feel they are taking our party far too left. Do I wish we could find a way to fund this system? Are there programs that could be cut? Heck yeah.
by Jason on March 10, 2009
As I was in the car driving to work early this morning, the radio talkshow host, Bob Conners on 610 WTVN in Columbus was discussing the education plan that Obama is set to unveil today. I thought I’d read up on it a little bit during my free time today.
Let’s start with an Associated Press article in the Columbus Dispatch:
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is promoting tighter standards for teachers and a reduced dropout rate for students as part of an education plan that, at least for now, lacks any new legislative component.
Obama plans to call on Americans to educate themselves as well as their children during his appearance Tuesday at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. It is his first major speech devoted solely to education since taking office, but officials say he plans neither to detail any requirements to achieve his goals nor to change President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind program.
Those were the first two paragraphs of the article. Enough said. No reason to read any further. His plan includes nothing. He is not advocating any policy changes. So why have a “new plan”? I am beginning to think he just likes to see himself on TV.
by Jason on February 12, 2009
I think that it is fairly obvious that President Obama is trying to create the image that he is a kindred spirit of President Lincoln. It’s as if he thinks he was President Lincoln reincarnated. The AP states:
At a ceremony in the stately Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol marking the 16th president’s 200th birthday, Obama said he felt “a special gratitude” to the historical giant, who in many ways made his own story possible. On Thursday night, Obama, the nation’s first black president, will deliver the keynote address at the Abraham Lincoln Association’s annual banquet in Springfield, Ill.
I’m just so sick of all of this symbolism that he is trying to create. Enough already. Be yourself. That is what people elected.
by Jason on February 2, 2009
You may or may not have been surprised when you learned of yet another Obama nominee to have problems in the past paying their taxes. Unfortunately, I was not. That’s not to say that I was happy to read about it.
According to Associated Press:
In a letter to the Senate Finance Committee, President Barack Obama’s pick to oversee the new administration’s health initiatives sought to explain how he overlooked taxes on additional income for consulting work, the use of a car service and paperwork to support claims for charitable contributions.
Daschle recently filed amended tax returns to report $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest.
“I am deeply embarrassed and disappointed by the errors that required me to amend my tax returns,” said Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader. “I apologize for the errors and profoundly regret that you have had to devote time to them.”
I think that whether you are an Obama supporter or not, we would all agree that he is an intelligent man. What I want to know is who is doing the vetting for these nominees? How many times can you nominate someone to an important position and not know that they had issues paying their taxes? Its unbelievable. Whats even more unbelievable is that nobody seems to care.