Let's reboot the American Dream!
By Thom Hartmann A...
Three decades of Reaganomics has left half of our entire nation in poverty. Thanks to economic policies that only benefit the one percent, nearly one fifth of all Americans live below the federal poverty line, and another 32 percent are officially low-income. And, those statistics would be even worse if we weren't using an economic measure that is stuck in the 1950s. The federal poverty live was originally calculated based on the price of food six decades ago, but it hasn't kept up with real costs.
Just since Reagan took office, food prices have doubled, housing prices have gone up three-fold, medical expenses are six times higher, and college tuition costs eleven times what it did in the 1950s. According to the Economic Policy Institute, a family of three has to take in at least $48,000 dollars a year just to break even, but half of our country struggles to get by on far less than that. While those at the top rake in an ever-expanding share of all income, more than one third of our nation is working harder for less money. And, our out-dated poverty measure means that they aren't even eligible for a little financial assistance.
When we talk about making the rich pay their fair share, the right-wing screams of socialism and class warfare. Yet, they have no logical defense for an economic system that provides billions in tax breaks for the wealthy, but denies a living wage and a little help to the average working American. Reaganomics has devastated our middle class, stolen our retirements, and saddled our children with a trillion dollars in student loan debt. The only class warfare here is the one being waged by the rich against everyday Americans. The myth of trickle-down has been debunked, and the truth is that we need a new era of shared prosperity. It's time to take back our economy and reboot the American Dream.
Comments
#2
A Oink-oink here and-a oink-oink there; here an oink, there an oink, everywhere an oink-oink... right, Palin? How about a nice pork BBQ! - You-know-who
#3
I remember just turning 18 when Reagan was elected. I knew little about politics and less about Reaganomics. However, I do remember listening to the man's speeches and knowing that his approach would eventually destroy our economy. I was also shocked and amazed that an 18 year old still in High School could see so clearly what so many other so called political and economic experts were blinded to. I remember clearly having a dreaded premonition that this man would go down eventually as the worst President in the history of the United States; and, he would be responsible for ruining the country. How regretful it is to have such an accurate premonition. Undoing the damage this Administration has caused should be the top priority of every patriotic American.
#4
I would like today's newsletter to include a website where we can read the McCutcheon decision. I want to be able to quote it at people.
#5
Reagan is the tip of the iceberg, albeit a big tip!
Thom, please invite a researcher by the name of Freeman Fly as a guest to your show. He has recently co-authored a book, Weird Stuff, with his wife Jamie Hanshaw.
Freeman is an internationally- known award-winning TV producer, film maker, radio talk show host and lecturer.
He could speak at length about the under-current of our society, our history and most importantly what may be in store for us in the near future. Since you speak to these subjects daily, let’s have Freeman on the show for an hour to open up the conversation about where we’ve been as a people and where we are heading. Freeman Fly, in my opinion, is one of the great modern teachers of our time and it’s time for us to listen.
From his bio:
Freeman starts where Alex Jones leaves off. In the spirit of David Icke and James Redfield, Freeman illustrates a world that is both cosmic and miraculous. He presents hope displayed in the creative spirit of humanity.
Please contact him at freemantv.com
#6
SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
Syllabus
MCCUTCHEON ET AL. v. FEDERAL ELECTION
COMMISSION
APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
No. 12–536. Argued October 8, 2013—Decided April 2, 2014
#7
AIW: Well, I stopped eating pork a long time ago when I learned that my great great grandfather was a pig. Snort, snort! ;8)
#8
truthspringse...: Oh, my Flying Spaghetti Monster, here we go again!
#9
Gee Marc, you're just a baby. I was already thirty when that senile dirt bag got elected. I too was "shocked and amazed", for the same reason. With only a high school education, I had more on the ball than those so-called "experts" you mention. My predictions have all come true. Sadly, my most negative premonitions always seem to be the most accurate. While Ray-gun played a big part in ruining this country and paved the way for subsequent presidents to further the damage, I'm not so sure he's the worst in U.S. history. A stronger argument for that dubious distinction could have been made before Baby Bush stole the presidency in 2000. - Aliceinwonderland
#10
I eat pork only very rarely, usually in Chinese food. Remember that famous line from Fried Green Tomatoes? "The secret's in the sauce!" - AIW
#11
Bacteria are in a domain (i.e. kingdom) all their own.
The latest model that I know has 7 kingdoms: Protomonera, Monera (incl. bacteria), Protista (single-celled stock eukaryotes), Myxomycophyta (slime molds), Plantae (plants), Fungi (fungi), Animalia (animals).
Those last 5 are all in the superkingdom Eukaryotes (cells with nuclei and organelles). Monerans are in a superkingdom called Eubacteria (advanced prokaryotic single cell life), Protomonerans are in a superkingdom called Archaebacteriae (surviving archaic & anaerobic prokaryotic single cell life). And there are 2 extinct superkingdoms called Progenotes (earliest cells) and Urkaryotes (prokaryotic cells that became eukaryotes).
#12
Mathboy, you sound very educated. Please forgive me for sounding a little - eh - dense, but what's your point? Are you drawing a parallel between bacteria and oligarchs? If so... brilliant!! (But if not, please enlighten me.) Just in case my hunch is correct, would you consider Paul the Pipsqueak Ryan more akin to a slime mold or a fungi? - AIW
#13
The drum we are going to have to beat is I LOVE YOU and I do not want to hurt you. We need each other. We do not need billionaires or even millionaires....we need each other. If your house burns down, it is not billionaires who help you. It is your local radio station that is announcing that a family lost their home and everything they owned from a lifetime of 35 years, yes it happened to me. It was the neighbors and an old woman who had to give up her home and gave a whole household. But no millionaire offered anything nor do they care to hear about anyone elses kindness, instead demeaning the stupid person who did something for no other reason than it was a kindness for nothing but the feeling of being of value to someone else, not your money, not your power not even a pat on the back because a kindness is the most kind if it costs you something and if it does not get you praise, keep it to yourself as your own special thing you know about yourself. Once you tell someone else about your kindness it is devalued in your own mind because it is not your secret anymore. Let others praise your kindness, but not the one secret great kindness that is yours alone and each one that you keep to yourself is what gives you value to yourself and that is the only real important value there is and you can feel free everyday to love because you become more and more happy with yourself as your value goes up in your own mind. The more you like yourself for dong what is right even if it costs you, try it. And if your value is how much of an impression you make on how many people in your life. Do you want others to say they are glad you are gone because you were an absess on society? Do you want to be known for being greedy and pushy and hateful and causing a lot of pain because you wanted to teach a lesson painfully rather than to reason first? Or to squeeze every bit of life out of the populace every minute of every day? Any way the point is we are going to have to fight together to get the movement of the 50s and 60s that everyone born on this earth is valuable and you do not deserve it all. You are taking everything and telling us that we want too much if we want to eat and sleep and have a couples hours a day to be with family. Got off on a rant.
#14
I just loves my prokaryotes every mornin' fer breakfast...even though I know that Eukaryotes are better for me. And I make sure I take my daily probiotic pills, too! Can't get enough of that good bacteria into my gut.
#15
my oh my Palin, Freeman Fly is quite modest in comaprison to the radical Alex Jones who has been on the show. Thom has also said that he has tried to get David Icke on many times and Freeman does not speak of lizard people. Why must you assume the role of thought police, what are you afraid of?
#16
I lived in CA when he became governor I went there in 66, and he really messed up the state with his cuts here and everywhere. The city had really gone downhill by the time of the Rodney King incident. I was living on the streets by the time he became president. And shit got really tough for the poor after that. Some church people tried to make me vote for him the second time but I screwed around and got out of it.
#17
AIW -- You need to recall what Thom says about John Adams.
#18
Like Jefferson said, sometimes we need a revolution
#19
Reaganomics / 1981 deregulation/ total 1986 amnesty with wide open borders / Iran contra did much damage to USA. Reagan admin made a deal with Iran to NOT release our hostages till Carter was out of power. But Clinton caved and passed NAFTA ALL the anti US job trade deals suck inc CAFTA & Korea Tell Obama now NO TPP NO Keystone Tar Sands pipeline NO more " Free " Trade deals. Be stronger ! Heal America first Obama took on worst crash / depression since 1929 - 2 long wars based on lies & fear tactics. . Demint Cantor Boehner GOP ' leaders' who vowed 5 yrs ago to ' Make Obama a one term Pres- do ALL they could to make him fail . That shows who and what this GOP values and its NOT Americans .GOP has lied, refused to bring bills up for a vote- GOP has blocked every damn thing even if its good for America . I no longer vote GOP
Most urgent now is Preventing another far right pro wealth Supreme Court judge on the bench - for LIFE .
WH comments 202 456 1111 M-F to 5 pm Speak out now and often www.whitehouse.gov www.congress.gov
#20
Or... speak out often Call demand e -mail Organize Protest Donate what you can Share facts Cesar Chavez did and accomplished so much Posting online is fine but we are preaching to the choir here . As thom says' Tag You're IT ACTION IS REQUIRED
#21
Agreed Thanks
#22
First we need to recognize that the real class war has been the middle class against the poor. The US shipped out a massive chunk of our working class jobs since the 1980s, and then told the poor to "drop dead."
#23
Note: The Clintons were the most effective right-wing pols we've ever had. Today, much of the media marketed to libs try to push VP Biden aside to promote Hillary Clinton for president. Hillary Clinton was a powerful lobbyist for NAFTA, causing so much job loss. Remember that Bill Clinton took the lead in dismantling the New Deal. People forget that what became known as AFDC was actually first written into FDR's Social Security Act. Bill Clinton not only wiped that out, but used the poor to create a super-cheap/no rights workfare replacement workforce, phasing out middle class jobs/wages. He still had enough time to begin targeting disabled workers on Social Securfity (policies that were finally reversed by President Obama). Through it all, liberal media (with very rare exception) has vigorously waved the Middle Class Only banner. This isn't the first time we've been in this mess. Each time in the past, the poor and middle class, workers and the jobless, ultimately united to push back, to everyone's benefit. That can't happen this time. We've been divided, apparently conquered.
#24
I'm old enough to remember the hostage crisis. We can also note that the US ran up unprecedented debt during the Bush administration, and that this debt was actually set off UNTIL after the end of Bush's term in office. In other words,the debt was sitting on the desk when Obama took office, and of course, he is blamed for it. Tragically, there can be no liberal/progressive backlash to the rather frightening conditions we have now. This generation looked at the policies and programs that were in place from FDR to Reagan, which took the US to its height of wealth AND productivity, and deliberately reversed course.
#25
We're in the midst of a decades-long class war, middle class vs. the poor. When Reagan was first elected, the US was rated at #1 in overall quality of life. By the time President Obama was elected, it was down to #34 as a direct result of our socioeconomic agenda. Virtually every positive proposal that Obama has submitted to Congress has been shot down by the Democrats. With the latest budget, 89 Democrats voted to cut basic food aid to the elderly, disabled and working poor. Again.
#26
Quote Aliceinwonderland:While Ray-gun played a big part in ruining this country and paved the way for subsequent presidents to further the damage, I'm not so sure he's the worst in U.S. history. A stronger argument for that dubious distinction could have been made before Baby Bush stole the presidency in 2000. - Aliceinwonderland
Aliceinwonderland ~ At face value I would certainly agree with you. However, considering the fact that Papa Bush road into the White House on the coat tails of (666) you know who, I think it is safe to conclude that both he and "Baby Bush" were a direct result of the Reagan Presidency; and, as such, just another legacy from that creepy and spooky administration. Don't forget the false prophet, Jerry Falwell--that's pronounced "Fall Well" folks (go figure)--and his "Moral Majority" who rallied the southern Evangelical "Christian" community to support these monsters. That evil coalition is still in force today; and, is just another legacy of Ronald Wilson (666) Reagan that we still have to deal with today. The corpse may be rotting away; but, the evil spirit is alive, well and active to this day...
Our country needs an Exorcism!
#27
Weird stuff. Alex Jones is a right-wing fanatic, Freeman Fly is, shall we say, disconnected from reality. Google it -- makes for an interesting read.
#28
Tom, what do you mean, "college tuition costs eleven times what it did in the 1950s"? I went to UCLA in 69/70, & tuition costs 20 TIMES more today!!!
I constantly shake my head at the complacency with which these astronomically obscene rate hikes have been accepted by students! If these kinds of increases (with their no-discharge loans) had occurred when I was in school, we would've taken to the streets, occuppied the administration building, and go on strikes... What's up with kids today, no real outcry, no demonstrations, and where's the protest music? Times today are at least as bad as the late 60s, if not worse...
“Find out just what any people will quietly submit to, and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.” . . . - Frederick Douglass
#29
To Mathboy
Hi. I saved these links from the Salon and Huffington Post. I'm not sure that the complete legal document is included in these articles.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mansur-gidfar/mccutcheon-supreme-court_b_5077459.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/02/supreme-court-mccutcheon_n_5076732.html
I just got this email:
#30
The students of your yesteryear are the ‘yous’ of now. So where are you protesting? Who are the role models today? Could you even hand out leaflets in the street raising awareness on any issue? How many young people are you brave enough to talk to about the world we are leaving for them? I have been learning about how environmental pillage, GMO’s, TPPA agrements, weather modification, vaccines, corporate control of politics, endless wars and economic uncertainty are effecting them, having conversations and hearing all about it. I encourage you to help each other join the dots and fill in the gaps enough to take meaningful actions together very soon.
Does Thom even read this blog? There never seems to be any replies from him. I do enjoy the read I get here though.
#31
Quote Aliceinwonderland:Gee Marc, you're just a baby. I was already thirty when that senile dirt bag got elected.
Aliceinwonderland ~ Whaaa! Whaaa! I want my Democracy back! Whaaa! Whaaa! Give it back; or, I'm going to hold my breath! HHHuuup!!!!
#32
Rather than leave multiple posts, I think I'll respond to whoever and whatever evokes a response from me, all in one post. And I'll start with Palindromedary.
Palin, you say your great-great grandfather was a pig. This has me kinda curious. How was he a pig? I don't often hear people describe their ancestors that way, altho I'm sure you've got your reasons. Anyway if you'd care to disclose the specifics, I'd be interested in "hearing" what they are.
Donna K, your #14 post makes for quite a debut. I love your philosophy and outlook. You sound like someone with a lot of hard-won wisdom. Your life story, what you've shared of it, is amazing. If more people had your values, what a different place our world would be. I so agree with your idea that the greatest reward for an act of kindness comes from within. And there is no deeper pleasure than that. What you've apologetically characterized as a "rant", I hear as a sermon; not a preachy, sanctimonious sermon, but one from the heart.
Your next post after that (#17) reveals your take on Reagan, which was very similar to both mine and Marc's. Like you, we both lived in California while he served as governor; also when he became president. I reckon we'll be feeling the effects from the damage Reagan inflicted on our country for a long time to come, maybe the rest of our lives. It nauseates me that people have named airports, etc. after him. He was such a scumbag.
By the way Donna, you sound like you're close to my age. I was a teenager in the mid-to-late sixties. And like you, I don't harbor any hang-ups about "dating" myself.
My next response is to Chuck (post #18). How about a memory boost? I honestly don't remember what Thom said about John Adams. From time to time he's spoken of the "founding fathers" and sometimes they blur together in my head. I'm also curious about the thoughts behind that statement, if you'd care to elaborate.
"Elsenpie" (post #19), I agree with you and Jefferson.
"Dianhow" (post #20), I will never stop cursing the Clintons for NAFTA. It will be a freezing day in hell before I vote for Hillary. And I'm with you on that next Supreme Court appointee. By the way, I congratulate you for severing ties with the GOP.
DHFabian, you state that when Ray-gun first got elected, the U.S. was rated at #1 in overall quality of life. On what basis? I'm aware that our quality of life (for the majority of us anyway) was a lot better before "the Gipper" took the White House, but I question whether it was #1. Without universal healthcare? I don't think so. And that's just one example.
Marc, I hate to admit it but you make a strong argument in post #27. I humbly yield to your perspective on who gets the Worst President in U.S. History award. Reagan may not have hammered the first nails into democracy's coffin, but the ones he is credited for sure stuck. Like shit on wallpaper. (Now wasn't that poetic!)
SaxnFlutman - another musician! Cool. And I love your avatar photo. But aside from that, I wouldn't be too hard on this generation of young adults. We grew up during the so-called "Golden Age" for America's working & middle classes; they didn't. Our backgrounds instilled high expectations; theirs doesn't. And as I've observed, this generation has some awesome activists among them, particularly around global warming and freedom of information. Regarding the latter, Aaron Schwartz, Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowdon come to mind. Those guys deserve Nobel prizes, not jail sentences.
And "Liberalwoman", what a gorgeous avatar!! - Aliceinwonderland
#33
Marc, you crack me up.
#34
Aliceinwonderland: Well, that's what is written down in the family Burble...that's the holy book of the slurch (we call them slurches) of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. My great great grandmother always called him a pig because he ate too much. ;-} Actually, I'm just funnin' wich U. I have no idea whether any of my progenitors were pigs. Apes for sure! But no pigs.
#35
truthspringse...: Well, I went to that web site and got an impression right away what that guy is all about. I think DHBranski has pretty much hit it on the head...disconnected from reality! Those things are fun for some people and that's ok as long as you don't totally believe in ALL that stuff. And, I also believe that Alex Jones along with Jeff Rense and Art Bell and George Noory and their guests may be fun to sometimes listen too or read..but not to be taken too seriously. I don't totally dismiss everything totally but I generally have to have more proof for many of the claims these people tend to make. Like it's fun to go to the movies and watch science fiction but most people who do leave the theater knowing that it was just science FICTION. Same thing with horror movies dealing with supernatural forces..like the Exorcist...showing a young girl who rises up several feet above her bed or sits there and throws up green pea soup then her head rotates 360 degrees....although there are probably a lot more people who buy at least some of that stuff. Yes, I've read of the supposed "real life" exorcism's as well. But this stuff will rot your mind and get you to do things that you might regret...case in point...the people who killed their children doing exorcisms on them...thinking they were possessed.
#36
Okay.
#37
Quote Palindromedary:Yes, I've read of the supposed "real life" exorcism's as well. But this stuff will rot your mind and get you to do things that you might regret...case in point...the people who killed their children doing exorcisms on them...thinking they were possessed.
Palindromedary ~ I'm sorry my friend. I thought you might be aware of the history of successful protesting stunts. Perhaps the most successful of all time occurred during the Vietnam War when Abbie Hoffman, Allen Ginsberg, Ed Sanders and others staged the Exorcism of the Pentagon where several thousands of protesters took part in an attempt to levitate the Pentagon. Of course, this wasn't a serious attempt at Exorcism. What it was was a very serious and successful peaceful attempt to draw large scale attention, and change the course of the debate, on the Vietnam war. Whenever you are dealing with a superior enemy who out guns you, you have to be creative and innovative in order to have a hope of winning. As you probably already know, it worked. Time to call a spade a spade. Time for history to repeat itself.
THE EXORCISM OF THE PENTAGON - 1967, OCTOBER 21
LEVITATING THE PENTAGON - 1967 (PICTURES)
LEVITATING THE PENTAGON - JO FREEMAN PERSONAL PHOTOS 1967
EXORCISM AS POLITICS, POLITICS AS EXORCISM BY JOSEPH P. LAYCOCK BOSTON UNIVERSITY PDF
#38
Thom says, "Yet they have no logical defense for an economic system that provides billions in tax breaks for the wealthy, but denies a living wage and a little help to the average working American." They have no defense in part because the Corpse Media and most democratic adversaries never demand an explanation of their support for bald faced greed. The media is paid not to question and the Democrats are too busy playing defense themselves most of the time.
I've noticed when Thom interviews right wingers, they almost always evade response to presented facts.....truth that embarrassingly blows apart their right wing economic fairy tales. Thom most often quickly moves on.....usually in debate format. The saying that, "the best defense is to go on offense," is quite accurate, and the bilionaire party exploits this fully.
Economic policy that has left half the country in poverty, denies a living wage, and defines social programs as entitlements or "help," for the poor, pisses me off, unless the word help is being directed at those "helping themseles," to unjust wealth by not paying a fair wage to begin with. But we know the right wing definition of the word help means, helping out those who they perceive as lazy and undeserving.....helping a wealthy few attain entitlements via unfair tax policy and lawless economic deregulation doesn't register in their semantically speaking world as help.
Social programs in large part, redirect revenue back to it's origins... to those who worked to create it, but never received it in the form of pay or benefits like a god damn pension and affordable health insurance.
I say it's time to boot the billionaire dream......"The harder they come, the harder they fall," but lets not go down with them!...and we may well if a progressive economic revolution stalls much longer.
#39
So true, 10-K, so true... and so well stated. - AIW
#40
DAnneMarc: Well, they must not have done a very good job because when I was there, in the Pentagon, in the 70s, there were still a lot of spooks mulling around in the hall ways. And, of course, that also goes for the CIA in Langley, just down the road a piece from the Pentagon along the Patuxent River, where I had to go from time to time. Damn spooks everywhere!
I remember, whenever I had to go down to the basement level of the Pentagon...where the Air Farce computer room was located..there were rather large cracks in the floor next to the wall and these "things" would fly up out of the dark, dank netherworld. I could feel the wind blowing through the cracks and an eerie whistling sound..even despite the noise from the computer equipment. Evil spirits, no doubt! Some would call those winged creatures "bugs" but others might call them "demons".
In fact, I was there one night and heard this terrible racket coming from one electronic equipment cabinet. And when I shut it down to pull out what I thought was going to be a piece of paper but I felt this furry creature instead. It was a large mouse had gotten caught in a squirrel cage blower. The WAFs sure got freaked out over that little episode.
Ah, yes, those were the days where people would sneak in explosives and plant them inside the toilets inside the Pentagon. When someone said: "do not go in there...a bomb"! They were not always talking about the smell.
I was there once when they had a multiple gun salute (I don't know how many...forgot.. but it seemed like a lot). I watched it from the River Entrance. There was a visiting foreign head of state...very colorful...and loud! I've actually had to work in a number of departments within the Pentagon..War Room was one...most of all of the military branches...but I never had to go into the Joint Chiefs of Staff..which was on the left side as one entered the River Entrance.
One time I had to walk into a big safe, through a big heavy vault door, across a passage way, then through another vault door to get to the enclosed area where I had to work. Funny, with so much security, they always seemed to be more concerned about what went out of the Pentagon than what went in. They were always checking brief cases and tool boxes when we left but usually not always when we went in. A lot of typewriters, and maybe classified material?.. went missing. I was even cleared to go through one of the main entrances (River Entrance) by using my Carte Blanche, or maybe it was my American Express card, which sort of resembled the DOD ID cards. Of course, one time I was called on it and so I had to show them my DOD card. Mostly, then, we just flashed our cards and they waved us through. They may have a more secure method now...I don't know.
I wonder how many DOD cards they handed out to all those evil spirits...I guess they don't need one to get in...just sneak in through the basement cracks.
#41
I have friends in California who signed up for Covered California and chose Blue Shield of California. They tell me that they just got some very confusing invoices from them for the couple of times they went in to the doctors. They paid their co-pays and now their invoices claim that they only paid half of what they actually paid. I'm just wondering if there isn't a bit of deliberate confusion-making here on the part of Blue Shield or the insurance companies.
They also told me that it is very difficult to even get through to Blue Shield on the phone to even make an appointment...you have to wait for an hour or so sometimes listening to that recorded message saying they are very busy. And if you need to see a specialist, after the doctor's referral, the same thing...wait listening to recordings and then you can't get an appointment for over a month or two.
.
#42
Please explain reality!
#43
Palin,
First, I am talking only about Freeman's research here, and having him on to speak about his research.
Second, do you wait for "proof" or do you spend anytime researching these claims for yourself? And if you agree with DHB then I will ask you the same question, what is reality?
#44
I am always excused of not bringing facts with my statements. I have warned you about public health care. I am lucky enough to live in one of the richest countries in the world and we can't afford to keep up to what the true costs of health care are. Please see attached I hope I did it right I am not good at this stuff. This was on the front page of my local paper.
Please note the "STARS" ad at the begining. Our air ambulance is 100% privately funded and ran. It is the best in the country. Mostly funded by the lottery but huge donations from private companies. Mostly oil companies here as many accidents are industrial and very remote. My point is if a community comes together very good things can happen, as Donna mentioned earlier.
#45
Quote Palindromedary:I have friends in California who signed up for Covered California and chose Blue Shield of California. They tell me that they just got some very confusing invoices from them for the couple of times they went in to the doctors.
Palindromedary ~ I can identify with that. Although we live in California our insurance for many years up to 2014 was with Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Starting a year or so ago we started getting confusing reports--not invoices--through them as well. They would list charges for a visit, the co-pay, and then some gibberish about the balance that they refused to pay for some reason or another. They then stated that this was not a bill and the provider would bill me separately. Some of these reports were outrageous. Yet, to date, only one of them was followed up by a bill. To tell you the truth, I don't get it either. However, If some of those reports ended up with bills I would certainly raise hell.
As far as wait times are concerned to see specialists, I have no idea what situation your friends in California have, however, in my experience any time I've needed a specialist my doctor wrote a referral so I could make an appointment. When I got in the office--sometimes you can do this online--I had to show my insurance card and fill out some paper work. The office of the specialist always contacted the insurance company for me and let me know if there are any out-of-pocket issues involved before I saw the Doctor. In some cases--like my recent Colonoscopy--the out of pocket had to be paid, by me, before services were provided. I have never had to contact my insurance company myself except when there was an error with my insurance information and the claim bounced back into my mail box. All it takes is a typo in your insurance ID number or an incorrect billing address. That only happened twice that I can recall. I don't remember any substantial wait time or problems correcting such issues. Maybe Blue Shield of California is a little bit more difficult. How ironic considering the problems befall California citizens? Do your friends have a personal or family Doctor to make the referral; or, are they contacting specialists themselves? That might be their problem.
#46
Quote Palindromedary:DAnneMarc: Well, they must not have done a very good job because when I was there, in the Pentagon, in the 70s, there were still a lot of spooks mulling around in the hall ways.
Palindromedary ~ Interesting... The 70's you say... Sounds like Ozzie Osbourne's experience in Black Sabbath that he relates in the song, "War Pigs"
WAR PIGS by Black SabbathQuote From the Album Paranoid:Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds... Oh Lord yeah!Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor, yeahTime will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'till their Judgment day comes, yeah!Now in darkness, world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs of the power
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of Judgment, God is calling
On their knees the war pigs crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
Oh Lord yeah!
WAR PIGS LIVE PERFORMANCE ON YOUTUBE
"An Oink Oink here and an Oink Oink there..."
#47
Kend: Thanks for the link to that article. You did it right! I always click on my own links just to check to see if they work ok.
I don't think I agree with the premise, as expressed in that article, that more serious, perhaps more life threatening diseases should not be bumped up to the head of the waiting line. Obviously, more life-threatening cases should be bumped up to the head of the line or more people will needlessly die. That article seems to be making the case for those richer and willing to pay more should take precedence over those who are less fortunate.
Those Canadians who have gone down to Florida for those operations on their Thyroids only had to pay $11,000? There are many other operations that would cost way more than that here in the US. Some USians even go on medical vacations to Mexico or even India in order to avoid paying the exorbitant costs of operations here. Those operations are far cheaper over there than over here.
I get it that when you increase the number of people in the system, all competing for medical needs, it is going to slow things down quite a bit. We're all just going to have to live with that. It really is better to have a slow system than no system of health care at all. I empathize with the problems my friends in California are having. And I may, one day, feel that I need medical attention myself and will be frustrated at the clogged up system. I would really hate it though if I had a life threatening problem that needed urgent medical care but had to wait my turn in line for somebody to have his sore finger looked at. I think most of what is clogging up the system right now is that so many people have not had medical care in such a long time...they are rushing in to get it.
One thing that article didn't say was that a lot of USians are going to either Mexico or Canada to get cheaper medicines. And I'd bet that there are a lot of Canadians who can't even afford to go down to Florida to pay $11,000 for such an operation...they have to stay in Canada and wait. Rich people can usually always get what they want but poorer people have to get what they can within the system. It's pretty selfish of them to think they deserve medicare over less fortunate people.
#48
eisenpie -- We had a revolution in 2001. You need to be more specific.
#49
Quote DAnneMarc:Starting a year or so ago we started getting confusing reports--not invoices--through them as well. They would list charges for a visit, the co-pay, and then some gibberish about the balance that they refused to pay for some reason or another. They then stated that this was not a bill and the provider would bill me separately.
That sounds more like what my friend told me. Lots of gibberish about what the provider charged and what the insurance covered and what was the responsibility of the patient. The copays that he actually made was double what the paperwork said he paid. And it looked like the patient was going to owe big bucks...but the actual bill was only for $10. Weird! But he is sure happy that it was only $10. And that the patient had something like 30 days to pay or the amount would go up periodically, every 30 days...or something like that.
My friend mentioned that he needed routine colonoscopy. And I think he said that the doctor left making the appointment up to him (the patient)...so now he is trying to get in touch with them but can't get through.
I read an article that the colonoscopy doctors are all ticked off with the insurance companies because they are not paying what the doctors want. And they are being swamped with patients right now. I also found a list of the average cost of a colonoscopy from Blue Shield of California cost averages $2750..but that they do anywhere between 0-500 colonoscopies a year...but some of the others do a lot more per year...and a couple of others go up to about $7000 or $8000. Of course, that is the average cost...if they find a polyp they have to remove..they may charge more. And so my friend, who is about to get on medicare in a few months may just wait till he gets on medicare because his cost would be about 20% of the bill verses the 30% of his current Blue Shield costs. Only about $250-$300 savings. That's a lot of Pabst and Mac as I think Dowdotica might have said. But my friend may eat Macaroni but I know he doesn't drink beer.
#50
DHBranski -- I do not disagree that NAFTA and CAFTA were awful. I just find it interesting that those trade deals had little effect until Dubya changed the tax code to accomodate them (per Thom).
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Thom, based on yesterday's Big Picture, please develop a graphic, listing when/where the minimum wage was raised and the impact on the economy, say a year or two later. Tell your conservative guests that you will show your graphic and whatever graphic they can provide on the same topic (i.e.) where the economy did worse. If they fail to come up with anything, state that you will point out their missed opportunity. Give enough lead time so that time can't be used as an excuse. Repeat ad nauseam! Conservatives are really good about not dealing with the question asked.