Dropped by the health care rally that the Obama organization (Organizing for America) put on today. Not a bad turnout, probably 800-1,000, although it was hard for me to tell since I strolled into the back and couldn't judge how many people were seated on the ground. I'm not a big fan of these rallies, as carrying signs and being led on inane chants don't really do it for me, but I felt people like in the Silent Thinking Majority need to get ourselves out there more. So let it begin with me, etc.
Rep. Gwen Moore gave a good speech in favor of reform, showing how health care costs cascade their way through a number of areas of our lives. I don't think the Dems have done a good enough job explaining that health care reform is a necessity to improve American business and fiscal competitiveness. Allowing the for-profit sector to continue to run this without the large-scale competitor that a government option would be means higher premiums for both employers and employees, with health care costs getting in the way of chances for growth and expansion, and probably more companies choosing not to cover, which pushes this burden onto the worker and the taxpayer.
We need to start drawing this debate as a matter of choice and competitiveness vs. the ever-increasing limitations of keeping the status quo. I think us on the lefT have grown tired of the ignorant anti-reform complaints and the lack of explanation of why this is so critical. And it's especially disappointing that we don't talk enough about how increasing health care costs are already driving up budgets to unsustainable levels, in covering government-paid jobs like police officers, fire fighters and teachers, and also how the private-sector contractors can increase what they charge for publicly-assisted coverage like Medicaid and Medicare Part D (showing to be the ridiculous corporate giveaway we feared it might be).
The next few weeks are critical, but one of the chants at the rally grabbed my attention. It was "Get it done." I think people are demanding ACTION, and woe be to the group that tries to block final action from occurring. If that is made clear, I think reality will sink for the Senate Blue Dogs, and something will get passed. It might not be enough for my taste, but getting something is preferable for 2009, because once the benefits become obvious, you'll see a lot more in 2011 and beyond. And that's exactly what the GOP is scared of, which is all the more reason to do it.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Quick update
Can I take back that Brewer take in early June? Not a fun year for the Brew Crew anymore. Yuck.
And my June points on health care still stand. In fact, if these health insurance companies have enough time and money to use all this effort lobbying against real reform, isn't that proof they have excessive profit? And that profit comes from Econ 101 lessons- monopoly of inelastic services = big opportunity to have your way.
If these companies can't compete with government using THEIR economies of scale, doesn't that mean they don't deserve to stay afloat? That sounds like the way capitalism should work to me: do your job well, or get beat by someone who can do it better. But these folks want feudalism, not capitalism, with us being the serfs. That's the REAL answer.
As I said earlier, Obama and the Senate Dems better go big and to the left, or else they will be the ones who pay the price for pussing out. Should be an interesting next month.
And my June points on health care still stand. In fact, if these health insurance companies have enough time and money to use all this effort lobbying against real reform, isn't that proof they have excessive profit? And that profit comes from Econ 101 lessons- monopoly of inelastic services = big opportunity to have your way.
If these companies can't compete with government using THEIR economies of scale, doesn't that mean they don't deserve to stay afloat? That sounds like the way capitalism should work to me: do your job well, or get beat by someone who can do it better. But these folks want feudalism, not capitalism, with us being the serfs. That's the REAL answer.
As I said earlier, Obama and the Senate Dems better go big and to the left, or else they will be the ones who pay the price for pussing out. Should be an interesting next month.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Logic and health care
It's truly laughable to me to hear some of these criticisms from people on health care reform. "Oooh, someone will choose your coverage and you'll have wait times." Someone chooses my coverage and I have wait times now. "Well, it'll hurt the insurance industry and they won;t be allowed to adjust to the market." If these folks were more concerned with serving the market over serving their executives, we wouldn't have this problem now would we?
Come on folks, this is common sense. If people understood how much they are taxed on their average paycheck due to deductions from their health care premiums (and I don't care if it goes to a corporation instead of the government, if it comes out of my paycheck, it's a TAX), combined with the extra taxes that are required to pay for the health care of police, fire, teachers, and other public employees, it becomes quite clear that public health care will SAVE MONEY. It also takes out the uncertainty of having coverage dropped or premiums jacked, which distorts business and consumer decisions. And oh yeah, it means elected officials are the ones accountable for how the health care ystem works, not for-profit corporations. When it comes to necessities, it's big government > big corporate any day of the week.
Didn't they teach this to these free marketers about how people and firms make decisions. You know, some time around week 3 of Econ 101?
Obama was elected because he took liberal positions on war, corporations and inequality, and religious fundamentalism. Listening to those who won't work with you is not the way to go, and if he stays on this route, he will lose folks like me, which he needs a lot more than any back-stabbing corporate.
Come on folks, this is common sense. If people understood how much they are taxed on their average paycheck due to deductions from their health care premiums (and I don't care if it goes to a corporation instead of the government, if it comes out of my paycheck, it's a TAX), combined with the extra taxes that are required to pay for the health care of police, fire, teachers, and other public employees, it becomes quite clear that public health care will SAVE MONEY. It also takes out the uncertainty of having coverage dropped or premiums jacked, which distorts business and consumer decisions. And oh yeah, it means elected officials are the ones accountable for how the health care ystem works, not for-profit corporations. When it comes to necessities, it's big government > big corporate any day of the week.
Didn't they teach this to these free marketers about how people and firms make decisions. You know, some time around week 3 of Econ 101?
Obama was elected because he took liberal positions on war, corporations and inequality, and religious fundamentalism. Listening to those who won't work with you is not the way to go, and if he stays on this route, he will lose folks like me, which he needs a lot more than any back-stabbing corporate.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Visit to the Rust Belt
Went to a fun wedding last weekend in Hammond/ Whiting, Indiana. It's always nice to see good people get the celebration they deserve.
It was quite remarkable to drive along Highway 41 in Hammond. Seemed like the land that time forgot. Most of the signs were from 20-25 years ago, with no real changes in sight. The relics of the past, with the small lawns and tight streets, are very intriguing, and reminiscent of parts of Milwaukee. Reminds you that a lot of these problems didn't just start when Bear Stearns died, and it makes me wonder if we ever get any version of it back. Having a society based on consumption ain't such a good thing when there's no income and future prospects to consume.
I've been getting this wary feeling that these "green shoots" will be short-lived, and that people get impatient that a long-term problem hasn't been solved in a few months. This country's dumb enough not to see the big picture that an economy based on Ponzi schemes and other bullshit takes a long time to dig out from. If this country does have the sack to take it, we'll come out a lot better, but if we go for the cheap laugh, we are jacked.
Maybe it's the prospects that I see in our state and local budgets, but the second punch is coming in the form of lost services and the needed raise in taxes. Again, maybe it makes things leaner and meaner by 2012, but will the average doofus have the patience to get it.
Then again, I will take one comparison with the last time this country had double-digit unemployment- a killer year from the Milwaukee Brewers. Obviously it's still early, but I like this start, and if J.J Hardy and Corey Hart start hitting, or another starter can get added, this could be a lot of fun. And a lot more interesting and entertaining than some other things that I waste too much time on.
It was quite remarkable to drive along Highway 41 in Hammond. Seemed like the land that time forgot. Most of the signs were from 20-25 years ago, with no real changes in sight. The relics of the past, with the small lawns and tight streets, are very intriguing, and reminiscent of parts of Milwaukee. Reminds you that a lot of these problems didn't just start when Bear Stearns died, and it makes me wonder if we ever get any version of it back. Having a society based on consumption ain't such a good thing when there's no income and future prospects to consume.
I've been getting this wary feeling that these "green shoots" will be short-lived, and that people get impatient that a long-term problem hasn't been solved in a few months. This country's dumb enough not to see the big picture that an economy based on Ponzi schemes and other bullshit takes a long time to dig out from. If this country does have the sack to take it, we'll come out a lot better, but if we go for the cheap laugh, we are jacked.
Maybe it's the prospects that I see in our state and local budgets, but the second punch is coming in the form of lost services and the needed raise in taxes. Again, maybe it makes things leaner and meaner by 2012, but will the average doofus have the patience to get it.
Then again, I will take one comparison with the last time this country had double-digit unemployment- a killer year from the Milwaukee Brewers. Obviously it's still early, but I like this start, and if J.J Hardy and Corey Hart start hitting, or another starter can get added, this could be a lot of fun. And a lot more interesting and entertaining than some other things that I waste too much time on.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Green shoot? Try still shot
Sorry, but for all the happy talk from the Wall Street douches on TYV, I remain unconvinced that renewed prosperity is just around the corner. Since when is 605,000 more jobs lost (including revisions of previous months) a good thing? Because it's not 700,000? Get this down below 500,000, and maybe I'll start thinking that things might be bottoming. Everything else is cosmetic window-dressing, but indicative of the biggest "change" that Obama has installed- hope that things might get better, instead of remain rigged and destroyed.
And I don't believe for a second that banks are all solid- how can they be when debtors still aren't getting paid, and defaults and job losses continuing. I'll still stay tuned.
Given Wisconsin's budget problems, I'll gladly accept all the FIBs coming up to Miller Park on a non-holiday weekend. Sadly, I don't think it'll be enough to help things in the near future, although if we can pick and choose our furlough dates for the rest of the year, I can make do with it. particularly if it can fall during some midweek Brewer day game in August :P.
And I don't believe for a second that banks are all solid- how can they be when debtors still aren't getting paid, and defaults and job losses continuing. I'll still stay tuned.
Given Wisconsin's budget problems, I'll gladly accept all the FIBs coming up to Miller Park on a non-holiday weekend. Sadly, I don't think it'll be enough to help things in the near future, although if we can pick and choose our furlough dates for the rest of the year, I can make do with it. particularly if it can fall during some midweek Brewer day game in August :P.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Not out of the Woods
Am I the only one who isn't exactly thrilled to see the panic go away from our current situation. Oh, I believe the crazy freefall has stopped and that we aren't heading for ruin. But I still don't see enough stabilization in the banks, because while they are being propped up for the time being, the lack of borrowing capaibilities and bank balances still seem to be around. And while the drops may be slowing, the rebounds aren't happening, and so we're crawling around on the floor.
Yes, we've gone a in a good way from where we were at the start of this year, but half-measures and flatline numbers won't get people their jobs abck. And we're not even adding the mess that state and local finances will still have after this one-time assistance from the stimulus package. If national health care, entitlement reform, or some other big change in handling future liabilities is not addressed, this will continue to be a big albatross for government and allocation of tax resources. It's worth keeping an eye on.
And I see no reason for any near-term growth in the real world until job losses drop to something less than 300- 400,000 a month, and fewer than 100,000 mew jobless claims being filed a day. That hasn't come close to happening yet. And until it does, don't fall for the irrational exuberance, and keep playing it safe and smart.
At least you got 70-degree weather coming by the end of the week, so I'll be taking the small victories when I can, and taking advantage of that $2 "any beer you want" Happy Hour at Bar Louie.
Yes, we've gone a in a good way from where we were at the start of this year, but half-measures and flatline numbers won't get people their jobs abck. And we're not even adding the mess that state and local finances will still have after this one-time assistance from the stimulus package. If national health care, entitlement reform, or some other big change in handling future liabilities is not addressed, this will continue to be a big albatross for government and allocation of tax resources. It's worth keeping an eye on.
And I see no reason for any near-term growth in the real world until job losses drop to something less than 300- 400,000 a month, and fewer than 100,000 mew jobless claims being filed a day. That hasn't come close to happening yet. And until it does, don't fall for the irrational exuberance, and keep playing it safe and smart.
At least you got 70-degree weather coming by the end of the week, so I'll be taking the small victories when I can, and taking advantage of that $2 "any beer you want" Happy Hour at Bar Louie.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Kick em back
Just a quick note on how the bitter white male crowd is trying to take down Obama and blunt all the enthusiasm around his presidency (a lot of which is media-generated because they're lazy and it's an easy subject to deal with. I was in Vegas last weekend and was glad not to have to care about it).
Hey losers. We're not the ones who think of Obama as the Messiah- you do, because you're so shallow that you think we view "our guy" as an idol. But that's what separates us from you. We recognize greatness and achievement, but do not get blinded by it. We can sense when things will turn around for the better (as they did once Dubya jumped on that helicopter and got the fuck out of my government), but we also know that we can't wait for it to happen. And we recognize that nothing will turn around economically in the near future, because corporate a-holes have wrecked it beyond recognition right now, and it'll take a lot of work to even get us back to sustainability, let alone steady growth.
Obama has already stepped up strong by renouncing the Bush's Administration SOP and told the world that we're going to be better than the neocon bastards that represented our country. Then backed it up through closing Gitmo, suspending all Bush-imposed regulations, and removing the gag rule. These are layups, to be sure, but the fact that the obvious was done is alreadfy an improvement over what we had.
Now, let's get to the stimulus package. A bit too heavy on highways over transit and aid to local governments, both of which would help roads because transit will reduce their usage and because local governments are broke and need the money to deal with delayed road maintenance. But it's geared toward spending and work, instead of the GOPpers' tired call of "tax cuts". Are GOPpers so stupid to think that the failed strategy of trusting businesses and rich folks to do anything other than helping themselves will somehow change when their already-low giveaways...ERRR...tax rates are lowered even more? People need work and wages, two things that they haven't been getting recently, and I don't think care if they get 72cents of that last dollar, or 75.
Lots of work to do, but a decent start for the new president. And what the jealous Viagra addicts don't understand is that the "Change" Obama represents is a change back to making solutions based out of reality, a change back to competence being a requirement of getting a job in government instead of ideological affirmative action. It also means a culture of respect and desire to achieve, instead of the laziness, selfishness and division the characterized the mid-2000s. Forget the economy, those items in themselves are change we all should believe in.
Oh, and to paraphrase Road House, the Dems need to know when it's time not to be nice, and kick back when the children start complaining (as no doubt they will). Make these whiners know their place, and maybe they'll recognize that they'll have to try being an adult to solve problems. Or they'll be marginalized into the insignificant shriveldicks that most already recognize them to be. Either way, it's a big win for the country.
Hey losers. We're not the ones who think of Obama as the Messiah- you do, because you're so shallow that you think we view "our guy" as an idol. But that's what separates us from you. We recognize greatness and achievement, but do not get blinded by it. We can sense when things will turn around for the better (as they did once Dubya jumped on that helicopter and got the fuck out of my government), but we also know that we can't wait for it to happen. And we recognize that nothing will turn around economically in the near future, because corporate a-holes have wrecked it beyond recognition right now, and it'll take a lot of work to even get us back to sustainability, let alone steady growth.
Obama has already stepped up strong by renouncing the Bush's Administration SOP and told the world that we're going to be better than the neocon bastards that represented our country. Then backed it up through closing Gitmo, suspending all Bush-imposed regulations, and removing the gag rule. These are layups, to be sure, but the fact that the obvious was done is alreadfy an improvement over what we had.
Now, let's get to the stimulus package. A bit too heavy on highways over transit and aid to local governments, both of which would help roads because transit will reduce their usage and because local governments are broke and need the money to deal with delayed road maintenance. But it's geared toward spending and work, instead of the GOPpers' tired call of "tax cuts". Are GOPpers so stupid to think that the failed strategy of trusting businesses and rich folks to do anything other than helping themselves will somehow change when their already-low giveaways...ERRR...tax rates are lowered even more? People need work and wages, two things that they haven't been getting recently, and I don't think care if they get 72cents of that last dollar, or 75.
Lots of work to do, but a decent start for the new president. And what the jealous Viagra addicts don't understand is that the "Change" Obama represents is a change back to making solutions based out of reality, a change back to competence being a requirement of getting a job in government instead of ideological affirmative action. It also means a culture of respect and desire to achieve, instead of the laziness, selfishness and division the characterized the mid-2000s. Forget the economy, those items in themselves are change we all should believe in.
Oh, and to paraphrase Road House, the Dems need to know when it's time not to be nice, and kick back when the children start complaining (as no doubt they will). Make these whiners know their place, and maybe they'll recognize that they'll have to try being an adult to solve problems. Or they'll be marginalized into the insignificant shriveldicks that most already recognize them to be. Either way, it's a big win for the country.
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