News of the Day

Monday newspapers are the slimest of papers of the week except for Saturday's paper, which often doesn't even line a bird cage. And the publishers have the audacity to charge $.75 to 2.00 for a copy. Those are the days I read the on-line version, and as long as they offer it for free, I'll oblige them.

I expect sometime in the future we'll have to pay for the daily on-line version. The ads don't generate the revenue to pay for the Web people and rights to redistribute the news of other papers and organizations (or I've read). So subscription services are the route they're going, like the Wall Street Journal does now and the New York Times has their reader service.

Anyway, for now it's free. And what is interesting?

For one, the health insurance, healthcare industry and drug companies are raising prices ahead of the healthcare reform legislation in Congress. Since the wrote much of the bill and many of the amendments for the members of Congress, they already know what's in it. So we get screwed now and we'll be screwed next year too.

Why doesn't this seem unusual? They've bought and they own Congress. They write the bills and amendments, supply the data, even provide the specialists to supprt their view. They write the speeches of the members of Congress (yes, noted in the NY Times Sunday they write portions of speeches which are used my many members of Congress - so much for original thought by our elected officials).

They know they can get away with this because no one will challenge them and we have little if any choice to find another healtcare provider and insurance company. In some states, a few providers insure most and some cases approaching all of the people of the state. It's borders on if not actually a monoply. But Congress isn't addressing that. They arguing the edges over immigrants and abortion.

They'd rather push aside the real issues and problems, and then propose and support real reform, and push the lesser, but poltiically hot issue of immigrants and abortion. These are important isssues, as we've seen the amendments to virtually eliminate health insurance for abortion under any plan. And the truth is, we still have to treat people, regardless of their status, so you can pay through premiums or pay through taxes and rates.

They, Congress, know they can't take on the industry and companies without risking losing their financial support and face the opposition the industry and companies would support in any election. They'd rather save their butt and job than the people of this country. How misplaced is that? They take an oath to uphold the Constitution and defend this nation, and all it seems they do is protect and promote corporations and industries.

Anyway, I don't know about you, but thinking through the healthcare issues, my brain is tired. And yes, I still read more news of the day, but these two prompted words of dismay and disgust. I'm ready to just bail on the healthcare reform and propose Congress just drop it. They won't solve the problem, and likely add to it, and they won't reduce costs or premiums, as we've already seen.

So, maybe it's time to set it aside for year or so and come back with a better plan, one which works than one which is political. But that's not going to happen as the Democrats want the bill for votes next year and the Republicans want it for votes next year too. One will pass it for votes and the other oppose it for votes.

That's Congress for you. Fuck the public and the people. Just get the votes to stay in power or get power back. And don't lose your lobby money from corporations and industries.

What do...

What do large format photographers looking through their cameras have in common with the politicians in Congress?

The both see the world upside down and backwards.

[Hint.--If you don't get the joke, when large format photographers view the images through the ground glass at the back of the camera, the image is upside down and backwards. It's the same for all cameras, as SLR, film and digital, cameras capture the image the same way but correct it to the viewfinder (prism) or LCD (software).]

So more? Or not.

So, what does the healthcare and health insurance reform bill in Congress and icing on a cake on half-baked cake have in common?

They both look good but the underneath nothing changes and both are still bad and expensive, one for your waist and the other for your wallet.

[Note.--All the healthcare reform bill will do is change the window dressing and still not address, let alone solve, the underlying problems and issues in our nation's healthcare and health insurance system. That requires a paradigm shift and a major restructure and reorganization, neither of which Congress has the balls to sell the American publc because it threatens the money all of them get from the health insurance lobby.]

What do facts and opinon from the mouths of pundits and talking heads have in common?

Nothing. They're mutually exclusive and never right.

[Note.--More often than not pundits mistake opinion for fact or assume incorrect or inaccurate facts to espouse an opinion. And yes, this is my opinion too.]