Libertarians...

...the true "liberals" in political discourse.  Much of the argument in today's diners and coffeeshops is not really liberal vs. conservative.  Due to the aggressive push of the new administration, we are in a totalitarian vs. libertarian argument. 

Totalitarianism is where the government controls every aspect of your life - eating, working, health, death, housing, etc.  In a totalitarian state, people fear the government.  For instance, the new administration is trying to scare people right now with the new "enemies list".

Libertarianism believes that individuals make better decisions about these things than a big government.  In a free state, the government fears the people.

American's have a history of being for freedom and liberty.  We are unique.  We are not like the Europeans.  We left the governing of an European country when IT tried to control us - right?  Our founding fathers were not looking for all of their problems to be "solved" with more government.  The created a limited government.

Many other nations fear liberty.  Mainly their "leaders". 

Some in those nations have sought the comfort of a warm and fuzzy government which promises to magically take care of all of live's needs - and have suffered the consequences  -- humans simply mishandle power. 

Solution:  don't give us much power.  Don't invite us to become tyrants - limit government; keep power close to the people.  Our forefathers were smart about this.

Once people wake up in the US to this grab-the-power ("I think it is best for American if you give ME more power...") scam it will be over.  Mark Twain saw this - “I once sent a dozen of my friends a telegram saying “flee at once - all is discovered.” They all left town immediately.”

OK -- we are on to you - We have a top-notch health care system now.  Leave mine alone.

If we really wish the uninsured to have healthcare, that is easy - either
  a) ante up the premium money to buy insurance for them or
  b) get over this wish and move on. 
  c) A 3rd alternative would be to help the economy grow (lower taxes and    regulations)   so that everyone could go to work - and afford insurance.

dr. goodfellow -- for liberty

2.2% Profits "Obscene"?

The problem is not what we don't know; it's what we "know" that isn't so. - Will Rogers.

--"I'm very pleased that (Democratic leaders) will be talking, too, about the immoral profits being made by the insurance industry and how those profits have increased in the Bush years." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who also welcomed the attention being drawn to insurers' "obscene profits."

--"Health insurance companies are willing to let the bodies pile up as long as their profits are safe." A MoveOn.org ad.

FACT CHECK:

Health insurers posted a 2.2 percent profit margin last year, placing them 35th on the Fortune 500 list of top industries. As is typical, other health sectors did much better -- drugs and medical products and services were both in the top 10.

The railroads brought in a 12.6 percent profit margin. Leading the list: network and other communications equipment, at 20.4 percent.

HealthSpring, the best performer in the health insurance industry, posted 5.4 percent. That's a less profitable margin than was achieved by the makers of Tupperware, Clorox bleach and Molson and Coors beers.

The star among the health insurance companies did, however, nose out Jack in the Box restaurants, which only achieved a 4 percent margin.

The insurers may not have helped their case by commissioning a report that looked primarily at the elements of health care legislation that might drive consumer costs up while ignoring elements aimed at bringing costs down. Few in the debate seem interested in a true balance sheet.

In Tennessee the CBO-like estimate for public option was $1 billion - actual cost was $3 billion

This short video gives facts on how government healthcare estimates are off by a factor of as much as 100 times...

history-of-government-health-care-and-costs

Cartoon about America and fast-talking snake-oil salesmen selling "Ism" for your freedom

This cartoon seemed far-fetched in 1948  <--click here

NBA Faces Pay Cuts

Obama "Pay Czar,"  lawyer Kenneth R. Feinberg, former Chief of staff for Sen. Edward Kennedy, has expanded his personal regulation on pay in the US to the NBA.  On Face the Nation today, Czar Feinberg, did admit to making a "C" in an online Compensation 101 class this summer at the University of Phoenix. Czar Feinberg said "real change demands we regulate more than just a few CEOs."

The NBA has decided to reduce it's salaries since many make more than CEOs.  This blog has discovered that fewer and fewer poor people in the US are able to afford tickets to NBA games, which are played in cities which *receive federal tax money*.

This blog also discovered that last year the following players - for teams that had results and some teams that did not even make the playoffs  - make over $15,000,000: from the almost $25 million per year paid to 1) Kevin Garnett (Boston), 2)Jason Kidd (Dallas), 3)Jermaine O'Neal (Toronto), 4) Kobe Bryant (LA Lakers), 5) Shaquille O'Neal (Phoenix), 6)Allen Iverson (Detroit), 7)Stephon Marbury (New York), 8) Tim Duncan (San Antonio), 9) Tracy McGrady (Houston), 10) Ray Allen (Boston), 11) Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas), 12) Paul Pierce (Boston), 13) Shawn Marion (Miami), 14) Rashard Lewis (Orlando), 15) Michael Redd (Milwaukee), 16)Pau Gasol (LA Lakers), 17)Andrei Kirilenko (Utah), 18)Amare Stoudemire (Pho.), to the $15 million paid to 19)Yao Ming (Houston).

CAPTION: Koby Bryant defiantly showing his number 24 which represents the nearly $24 million dollar salary he made last year playing basketball just a few months per year.  Many service workers, working 12 months per year, make well under $30,000 per year.

The teams are taking different staffing approaches to comply with the new standards - that NBA players be paid salaries similar to Service Worker union employees (about $40,000/year).  The LA Lakers, for instance, are dumping Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol - who have been drawing salaries today considered "unAmerican" and worse, capitalistic.  The new, progressive Lakers are recruiting older Americans to play.


73 year old Ken Mink, (right) who is the oldest person to play college basketball, has been hired to replace Gasol as center.  Phil "Crazy Legs" Coats (right below) will replace Bryant.  Both will work for $40,000 per year and will receive the "public option" for their medical insurance.

Other teams are trying to come into compliance with the Czar's orders and lowering ticket prices by hiring younger people to fill the roster.

The Celtics are releasing the greedy Kevin Garnett and replacing him with "more youthful" players from the Central Warren Youth Basketball league.  "Change is what we need in the NBA" according to the Pay Czar.  Reporters on CBS Good Morning America were certain that fans will be glad to cheer on players and teams with more enlightened pay policies.  A CNN reporter said, "a chill ran up my spine when I heard about my dream coming true - fair pay and ticket prices I will be able to afford."

U.S. to Order Pay Cuts at Firms That Got Most Aid

By STEPHEN LABATON
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/business/22pay.html   Published: October 21, 2009

WASHINGTON — Responding to the furor over executive pay at companies bailed out with taxpayer money, the Obama administration will order the firms that received the most aid to slash compensation to their highest-paid employees, an official involved in the decision said on Wednesday. The plan, for the 25 top earners at seven companies that received exceptional help, will on average cut total compensation this year by about 50 percent. The companies are Citigroup, Bank of America, American International Group, General Motors, Chrysler and the financing arms of the two automakers...
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Citibank Announces New Executive
By Dr. Herbert Goodfellow
Published 10-25-09

In response to paycuts from 50% up to a reported 90% demanded by President Obama's "Pay Czar," several major companies are announcing new "low pay" executives.

Citigroup was the first to follow the lead of the Czar by hiring the lowest bidder to run the financial company employing over 300,000 employees. Lucious Pemmaster, recently released from Arkansas State (Penitentary) entered Citigroup's "How Little Salary Do You Need" contest to become Citigroup's new VP of Finance.  Some employees did voice some concern for their future job security.

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GM and AIG Follow Pay Cut Lead of Citigroup

When failing companies "too big to fail" were handed money without any responsibilities they did not expect to later have requirements added to the bailout.  Changing the terms of contract after the contract is made will be the subject of the new to be named "Ethics Czar" at some later date.

The new bailout contract terms demand that executive pay pass whatever the current "smell test" is posed by ABC, CBS, and NBC News (soon to be merged into ACN News) morning shows.  Citigroup was first to follow the lead by paying a reported $19,000 per year to its new VP of Finance.  General Motors and AIG today reported their new executives to meet the new contract bailout terms. Dingus L. Neettles (left) will serve as the new CEO of GM.  His son, Paul "Psycho" Nettles (right) will run AIG beginning next week.  Dingus and Paul were recruited based upon their winning postcards.  Both said the thought CEO pay in the US is "way too high" and that spending less on leadership is bound to help these huge companies rebound. 

Neither had any particular ideas to turn around these companies, but were sure that the savings in salaries alone would probably solve all the problems at GM and AIG.