Health Care Reform Response

Tuesday, 30 March 2010 13:19

From:  Michael Watts

To:  Congressman Burgess (In response to a request for comment regarding the Health Care Reform bill.)

Sir,
 
I strongly support the health care bill. I also am also in favor of a system where we are no longer at the mercy of the private insurance companies. With this bill, despite its faults such as lack of a Public Option, I am hopeful that we are headed toward actual universal coverage for ALL of our citizens like our allies in England, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, and the recent host of the Winter Games: Canada.
 
For a change, let us put people before profits. Let us adhere to the Hippocratic Oath that both my mother, a nurse at Parkland Hospital in Dallas from 1992-2008, and you swore to uphold. Especially the part of: "To abstain from doing harm."
 
My friends and I got a kick out of the Parade of No's by your fellow Republican colleagues and yourself. Mr. Burgess, "No" is not a solution to the real problems facing Americans and especially your constituents in District 26.
 
Thank you.
 
Michael Watts
University of North Texas, Undergrad, Math Major, Political Science Minor
Texas Young Democrats, Veterans/Military Affairs Caucus Chair
US Navy Veteran, 2002-08 MM2 (SW/NUKE)

Health Care One More Time

Wednesday, 27 January 2010 13:06

I’m sure all of you Republicans realize that it was Republican President Theodore Roosevelt that proposed Universal Health Care in 1912. And I’m sure that all of your ancestors called Republican President Theodore Roosevelt a Communist.

No, the health care bill is not good; it has sweetheart deals, was written as much by lobbyists and insurance companies. It reminds me of the Republican Medicare Drug plan where Medicare could not bargain with drug companies.

Should the government be involved? Not in a perfect world. You guessed it, it’s not a perfect world. And apparently Republicans still want Americans to go on getting bankrupt even tho they have insurance.

Insurance companies pay out 66% of what they take in; Medicare pays out 97%. Think about that. You could send your insurance premium check to Medicare and knock 35% off the price.

Congressman Dennis Kucinich has, not a 2000 page plan, but 30 pages,  not for profit, covers everybody, saves ten tons of money. Sure beats a 66% payout.

 Can’t dissect it but the 15,000 member Physicians for a National Health Program  (not a group fighting to protect their greed) says we can save this country $400 billion annually with a Medicare for All program. Hard to believe but more believable than the tea party hatred.

Jim Stodola
Denton, TX

President Obama's Oslo speech accepting Peace Prize

Monday, 14 December 2009 23:34

The full text of President Obama’s Oslo speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize is available at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-acceptance-nobel-peace-prize 

.

"The Economist" of London looks at Bill White

Monday, 14 December 2009 22:23

The Texas governor's race

White v right

Dec 10th 2009 | AUSTIN
From The Economist print edition

HEAVY snow was falling on Houston when Bill White, the Democratic mayor, made his move. “I’ll be a governor who challenges Texans to lead, not leave, the United States,” he said on December 4th, announcing that he would run for governor in 2010. That was a shot at Rick Perry, the Republican incumbent, who got fired up at a tax protest this summer and suggested Texas might consider seceding rather than submit to Washington’s socialism. Observers expect a spirited campaign.

Mr White was expected to run. As a big-city mayor he has ample executive experience. But until last week he had focused on the Senate, as Texas will supposedly have an election for that job next year, too. The state’s senior senator, Kay Bailey Hutchison, is challenging Mr Perry for the Republican nomination for governor, and insists that she will leave her seat in 2010 either way.

Gibes at Mr Perry will not be enough. Democrats argue that Texas has lost ground on education and health care during Mr Perry’s nine-year tenure (he took over from George Bush when he was elected president in 2000). On the other hand, the state has avoided the worst of the recession, and voters may reckon there is no point changing horses in mid-stream. But Mr White has a real shot. He has built up an impressive record as mayor of Houston during these past six years, tackling traffic, bureaucracy, even polluters. He had a fine leadership moment in 2005, when the city welcomed 100,000 refugees after Hurricane Katrina.

Mrs Hutchison, meanwhile, is on the back foot. A Rasmussen poll on November 13th showed her trailing Mr Perry in the Republican primary by 46% to 35%. Previously she talked about building a big tent, in the hope that Democrats would vote for a moderate Republican. Now she has scuttled that line in favour of the argument that she is the only conservative who can win statewide. These appeals to electability work only if a candidate’s party is frightened of losing. So Mrs Hutchison has a curious task. She must build Mr White up and knock him down at the same time.

First, however, Mr White has to face the Democratic primary. One long-shot candidate could make things difficult. Farouk Shami is an immigrant from Palestine who came to the United States with nothing and has made a fortune in hair-care products. He has never held office, but he has gobs of money, and has already pledged to spend $10m on the race “to start with”. Mr White has $4m in his war-chest, but he would rather save that money for the general election. He will need it.

From the Hospital to Bankruptcy Court

Wednesday, 25 November 2009 16:02

By KEVIN SACK

New York Times

Published: November 24, 2009

NASHVILLE — Some of the debtors sitting forlornly in this city’s old stone bankruptcy court have lost a job or gotten divorced. Others have been summoned to face their creditors because they spent mindlessly beyond their means. But all too often these days, they are there merely because they, or their children, got sick.

Full story at:  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/health/policy/25bankruptcy.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Abuse of rights

Wednesday, 26 August 2009 16:34

Letter published in the Denton Record-Chronicle, August 25, 2009 

I own guns, have most of my life, used to hunt when I was a teenager on our family farm.

Recently, a man brought an assault rifle to a presidential speech, shouting anti-Obama slogans; he said he was exercising his right to bear arms.

I believe he was abusing the right to bear arms. Anybody who brings an assault rifle to a presidential speech is probably psychotic.

From CNN: “Secret service: Man considered no threat to president, who was nearby.”

I beg your damn pardon. This man was a threat to the president.

What’s more, I don’t believe any weapons should be allowed near the president. The Secret Service needs to come under review. What happened in previous administrations?

These are angry times. As Ron Reagan just said, “Guns and anger don’t mix.” Too many of our presidents have been killed or shot at. Weapons should never be allowed anywhere near the president.

Jim Stodola