Craig Daily Press / Jim Blevins: We all need health care

Archive for Saturday, September 12, 2009

September 12, 2009

To the editor:

"Now is the time to deliver on health care." While many Craig residents don't much agree with our president, they really should consider the truth of this assertion. I am one of the tens of millions of people in this great country who can't afford health insurance. That is not right in a country with America's traditional values. This is especially true when the people who run the health insurance companies have become obscenely rich.

Regardless of your views on other matters of politics, you should seriously consider whether we can further postpone granting your fellow citizens the basic right to health care.

Jim Blevins

12 September 2009 at 8:14 a.m.

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jasonbourne (John Kinkaid) says…

What if premium costs were brought down and coverage improved by allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines? Allow more competition. What if changing jobs didn't mean losing health insurance coverage? What if pre-existing conditions were not used to screen out new customers? How about some free market solutions?

Freedom, liberty and self-reliance are some of America's core values. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Not centralized government planning and rationing. Once you're a burden to society, good luck with that.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001…

Obamacare would put a screeching halt to health care innovation, research and development. What would be the incentive to discover new treatments? If you can't make a profit on your research and development, why bother?

What would be the incentive to take on massive student loans to go to medical school? What would be the incentive to become a doctor? More government paperwork and regulations. Why put up with the additional hassle? People will still go into medicine, but you will just be a faceless person to be processed through the system. You will also need an enormous amount of patience as you wait…….and wait and wait for…..mediocre care.

I think that a lot of people are getting tired of Obama's “community organizing” razzle dazzle. He does give a good speech, but that's about it. Isn't anyone concerned about the administration having 31 Tzars? Many of whom give new meaning to the word radical, like Cass Sunstein, the new regulatory Tzar. He believes that attorneys should be able to represent animals and be able to file suit against people on behalf of said animals. Some believe he is being groomed for the next Supreme Court justice opening. Why do we need a regulatory Tzar anyway? Isn't that why we have cabinet secretaries?

I can't find socialism in the Constitution. Maybe I just need to look harder.

Ask car dealers how Cash for Clunkers is going for them.

a 9/12 person

12 September 2009 at 10:50 a.m.

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dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

Almost 50 million US citizens without a way to pay for themselves or their families if they get sick. We really need to do something about that. The Senators and Representitives need to get the insurance industry out of their back pocket and start working together and come up with a plan to provide the american public with the assistance they need. Since it doesn't appear that the private sector is going to help out the public then the government has to get involved. I feel just like my neighbors and fellow citizens that we already have to much government involvement in our lives but in this instance we can no longer ignore the issue.

12 September 2009 at 11:10 a.m.

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dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

Uli Hacksell Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc

In 2008, Uli Hacksell Ph.D. raked in $983,745 in total compensation.* In the previous year the CEO of this company made $791,867. Total CEO compensation has increased by 24%.

Ronald A. Williams
Chief Executive Officer
Aetna Inc.
Insurance Health & Disability

In 2008, Ronald A. Williams raked in $18,608,778 in total compensation.* In the previous year the CEO of this company made $19,924,027. Total CEO compensation has decreased by 7%.

Daniel P. Amos
Chief Executive Officer
Aflac Incorporated
Insurance Health & Disability

In 2008, Daniel P. Amos raked in $10,783,232 in total compensation.* In the previous year the CEO of this company made $14,026,203. Total CEO compensation has decreased by 23%.

H. Edward Hanway
Chief Executive Officer
CIGNA Corporation
Insurance Health & Disability

In 2008, H. Edward Hanway raked in $12,236,740 in total compensation.* In the previous year the CEO of this company made $24,335,038. Total CEO compensation has decreased by 50%.

That is just a couple of examples of the Insurance and Pharmaceutical CEOs. I guess if there is any good news in this is that most have had to take a cut in pay from 2007. If you are wondering where this info came from here is the web address.

http://aflcio.org/corporatewatch/payw…

12 September 2009 at 5:27 p.m.

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jasonbourne (John Kinkaid) says…

Most AFL-CIO members have what would be considered by the government to be “cadillac” plans. I think that it was Obama himself who has been floating the idea of making “cadillac” plans taxable (30%?) to help pay for his plan.

What would that mean to people like me? My insurance coverage has been getting better. More things are being covered. Deductables have been staying down and so have the premiums.
So…under Obama's plan I pay more (due to the tax) and get less. My insurance company and I get penalized? It's redistribution of wealth.

The head of the New York state AFL-CIO and Jeffrey Immelt, CEO of General Electric (NBC) have both been appointed to the board of the New York Federal Reserve. Administration paybacks.

Yes, I too, have a problem with executive salaries. Average shareholders should have more of a say.

12 September 2009 at 6:32 p.m.

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wickedstepmother (Anonymous) says…

Due to a lack of insurance and not receiving an annual physical people will suffer easily curable illnesses and even death costing taxpayers more overall. I am now diasabled with arthritis that I have had since I was a teenager. If my widowed father had available affordable health insurance maybe the arthritis could have been treated and I would be able to work instead of suffering irreversible spine and joint damage. I grew up in a low income single parent home and the lasting effect of not having insurance or regular physical exams changed the course of my life. I want my now adult children to have everything I never did from being able to go to college to getting healthcare without going bankrupt for it. I have filed bankruptcy twice in my life already and now have a zero credit rating due to medical bills I cannot pay even though I had insurance the copays and deductables equalled thousands. A change in our nations healthcare system is not only welcomed but necessary. To live healthy is a right, it should not cost everything, Sometimes not being able to pay will cost your life.

12 September 2009 at 10:41 p.m.

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dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

Jeffrey R. Immelt
General Electric Company Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey R. Immelt $9,280,935 in total compensation
Heres a thought JasonBorne, maybe with the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act there will be more union members so the taxes on the “cadillac” plans will be divided over a bigger chunk of the pie. Call your Senators and Representitives and tell them to support the EFCA. and put middle america back on track and the economy of the United States on the upward slide.

13 September 2009 at 5:14 a.m.

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jasonbourne (John Kinkaid) says…

The government is printing money as fast as it can.
The Chinese don't want to buy our debt anymore, because they think that we are not going to be good for it. I tend to think that they are right in this instance.
Our elected officials don't even read the thousand plus page bills anymore.
The Social Security Trust Fund has already been raided to pay for other things. The money is no longer there.
I'm a baby boomer and there is no money for my Social Security, when the time comes. No Medicare money, either.
There is no more money.
The economy will collapse even more. There will be no incentive for people to go into business. Too many additional regulations and taxes. Small businesses create most jobs.
a 9/12 person

13 September 2009 at 6:31 a.m.

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als362 (Anonymous) says…

I can sympathize with those that don't have insurance. But at the same time I get very tired of paying for every illegal in the country, that should in jail at hard labor. Instead we are forced to pay for every service possible so they can stay here and make the fat cats rich on cheap labor. I do not want to be forced to pay more and get less because I have to pay for more services for these people while making the politicians that have their hands out for more pork, get richer, and have totally free health care that we pay for through taxes. When all the politicians give up the health care they have now, and sign up for this Osama/Obama care, then I will reconsider.

13 September 2009 at 7:15 a.m.

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jasonbourne (John Kinkaid) says…

Bigger government is not the same as better government.

13 September 2009 at 7:16 a.m.

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taxslave (Anonymous) says…

There is another option….called prayer. Jesus healed all but the god of this world and prince of the air has deceived.

You don't need health care…you need more of Jesus.

13 September 2009 at 7:28 a.m.

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jasonbourne (John Kinkaid) says…

You won't see this on NBC.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/world…

13 September 2009 at 2:53 p.m.

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taxslave (Anonymous) says…

Over 2 million at protest in DC….not on MSM (main stream media) + stupid tv.

jason, I see you found it too

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Find-F…

13 September 2009 at 9:11 p.m.

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taxslave (Anonymous) says…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOAEsn…

The Matrix….you are in it….one world government

17 September 2009 at 5:55 p.m.

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jasonbourne (John Kinkaid) says…

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnaly…

45% of physicians may retire early. That will vastly improve the quality of health care in the United States?!?!

If 45% of current physicians retire do to socializing medicine, then we actually will have a genuine health crisis.

Hope the link above works. It's from Investors Business Daily.