Mathematical Proof: Single Payer = “Good”

There has been much debate in the last few months over the Health Care Bills in Congress.  Much of it, I’m afraid, has been more emotion and misconceptions than logic or truisms.  Few that have gotten through high school can dispute certain mathematical truths that were drilled into them ad nauseum.  One that we learn early on, is:

If A = B

and A = C,

Then B = C

Instead of ranting and raving illogically at various town hall meetings, let’s try using a little good old-fashioned logic (that we were all bored-to-death with in high school, but, let’s face it, can come in handy now and then).

Now consider the following statistics:

When asked in a new Harris Poll how strongly those polled support 14 different government services, five services receive strong, or a fair amount of support, from about three-fourths of all adults or more. The five most popular services are The National Parks Service (85% support), Crime-fighting and prevention services (77%) Medicare (76%), Social Security (76%), and Unemployment benefits (74%).

Medicare came in with a strong 76%, over 3 out of 4 people polled by Harris.  (REMINDER: Medicare is a “single payer” system, with the government as the payee).  I think it is safe to say that overall, Medicare is a success, and, if we can say that success is “good”,  it logically follows that:

Medicare (A) = Single-payer System (B)

Medicare (A) = “good” (C)

then, Single-Payer System (B) = “good” (C)

Now, that wasn’t so painful was it?

Most Americans Don’t Have “Health Insurance”

Today's crowded emergency room

At least 80% of Americans don’t really have any health care insurance.  This implies that,  given some unfortunate event, you will still have health care coverage.  What they do have,  those that are now fortunate enough to have a job, and less and less frequently, a job that also provides health insurance, is a “heath related benefit”.

According to Wikipedia, an “employee benefit” is defined as:

various non-wage compensations provided to employees in addition to their normal wages or salaries.   Where an employee exchanges (cash) wages for some other form of benefit, this is generally referred to as a ‘salary sacrifice’ arrangement.

The problem is, coverage is tied into whether or not you have such a job, and a job where your salary was negotiated to contain such a “benefit” (this is entirely up the the employer.  They are not mandated to provide you with a health care related benefit).

Many things can disrupt this tidy arrangement, such as:

Your company could drop its health plan. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the percentage of the population covered by employer-based health insurance has fallen every year since 2000, from 64.2% to 59.3%.

You could lose your job. I don’t think I need to tell anyone what the unemployment rate is these days.**

You could voluntarily leave your job, for example because you have to move to take care of an elderly relative.

You could get divorced from the spouse you depend on for health coverage.

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Cash for Clunkers, a Flawed System.

The Car Allowance Rebate System is a US federal program that helps US citizens to purchase a new, more fuel efficient vehicle when trading in a less fuel efficient vehicle.

Thousands of Americans are rushing out and trading in their old cars to receive a $3500 or $4500 discount towards the purchase of select new cars. This may sound great at first but there are many hidden facts the majority of the population may not be aware of.

• The program is designed to get old cars up to 25 years old with under 18 MPG off the road and replace them with brand new cars that have a higher MPG rating.
• Depending on the age of the vehicle you will ether qualify for $3500 or $4500 off of the purchase price of the new car.
• The old car must have been owned, registered, and insured for the past year.
• The dealer is required to disable the old cars engine by draining the oil and replacing with a water and silica solution, permanently destroying the engine.
• The old car must the crushed and the engine and drivetrain cannot be sold for parts, this prevents the sale of the car in the United States and elsewhere as a vehicle.

Many of the cars being turned in as “Clunkers” to this program are still perfectly fine and are being turned in just so the owner can get a new car, but because the car is required to be destroyed hundreds maybe even thousands of cars are being destroyed. But is this really the best way to get people to buy new cars? Why go to the effort to destroy perfectly fine cars that may only be 4-5 years old.

Let’s say all the cars that went to the program that were newer then say 1998 were taken into a low income car program, helping get the “real clunkers” off the road.

It could work as follows:

• The total household income is less then a certain level.
• Each household would qualify for only one vehicle trade.
• The traded vehicle must need more then $500 in repairs to qualify.
• The car must be less then 35 years old, but mileage does not matter.
• The car must be owned for the last year but is not required to be registered or smogged.

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Why “Trickle Down” Theory Doesn’t Work

The Republicans love their “trickle down” theory.  This theory, for the uninitiated, can be described as “terms of political rhetoric that refer to the policy of providing tax cuts or other benefits to businesses and rich individuals in the belief that this will indirectly benefit the broad population.”

Interesting idea, but why hasn’t it worked?  The answer is simple; Greed.    The majority of a corporations profits go to the top executives for allocation.  That part works fine.  But then, IT STAYS THERE!  NO WAY DOES IT “TRICKLE DOWN”!

It’s no secret about  the enormous salaries, bonus, and benefit packages received by the top guys and gals in major U.S. corporations.  Ex-Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina comes to mind.  She got a severance package worth about $21.4 million, but stood to get another $21 million after she was forced out by the company.  Nice pay for messing things up royally (consider the logic of such packages: the board hires a CEO, gives them an incredible golden parachute.  If they fail and are thrown out, they get rich.  If they succeed, they get rich.  What a Motivator!).

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Repubs: Dump “Mr. Sunlamp”

Geez, I never thought I’d have to resort to being an “image consultant”, but the republicans are becoming soo retarded in that respect that I just have to jump in.  Take a look at the picture on the right.  You probably know that you’ve seen him somewhere.  You might think he’s one of those Wall Street guys, you know, the one that sold investors those flaky financial instruments that have brought down the worlds economy?  Or, you might think he’s top sales guy for a men’s hair cream, or perhaps some activity director from a Cancun resort.  Either way, your initial reaction to his looks is probably not a good one.   We collectively hate Wall Street right now, the wet hair look is way out of date, and none of us can afford a trip to Cancun anymore.  Also check out his suit.  What would you guess, a $5k “outift”.  Meanwhile we’re sewing patches on our jeans.

Introducing Republican Minority Leader John Boehner.  Now here’s an example of what NOT to look like in 21st century America.  You republican dudes would be way better off with some badly dressed geeky looking person as your spokesperson.

Sorry John, I’m not available right now to help you update your image.

By the way, when he speaks, he sounds as dumb as he looks.

Right Wingers: Lose Your Angry God

Christian Conservative Right, would you like to get back in the game? Maybe win a few elections? Have some significant influence over frail humans? Then you need to change your mindset. The recent presidential election shows us that most Americans are tired of fear, intimidation, and most of all, anger. We don’t want it anymore. It is destructive, and ultimately self-defeating. In other words, it is a waste of time, and time is what we are beginning to run out of.

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NeoCons: Bush Huge Success

Over 75% of Americans see the Bush years as a disaster. However, to the NeoCons, he has been a huge success, and has advanced their long-term agenda significantly. The organization that embodies the NeoCon movement is called “The Project for the New American Century” and their agenda can be summarized as follows:
1) Increase an already enormous military at the expense of domestic social programs
2) Toppling of regimes resistant to our corporate interests
3) Forcing democracy at the barrel of a gun in regions that have no history of the democratic process

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McCain Would Continue NeoCon Agenda

If “Joe the Plumber” only knew that the Republicans he so admires really hold him in disdain. His only value to them is good old reliable fodder to fuel their war chests. He’s a believer OK, and a fool.

If their exists any doubt that the Republican party is dominated by the NeoCon philosophy, John Dean, in his new book, “Broken Government: How Republican Rule Destroyed the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Branches” puts it to rest. In a recent web article Dean remarks:

Republicans’ authoritarian rule can also be characterized by its striking incivility and intolerance toward those who do not view the world as Republicans do. Their insufferable attitude is not dangerous in itself, but it is employed to accomplish what they want, which it to take care of themselves and those who work to keep them in power.

The NeoCon primary directive is to “rape and pillage”, figuratively if not literally (although some of the literal does take place as “collateral damage” to their agenda, i.e., endless war). The organization that embodies the NeoCon movement is called “The Project for the New American Century” and their agenda can be summarized as follows:
1) Increase an already enormous military budget at the expense of domestic social programs
2) Toppling of regimes resistant to our corporate interests
3) Forcing democracy at the barrel of a gun in regions that have no history of the democratic process
4) Replacing the UN’s role of preserving and extending international order

Their exists a mentality amongst certain people who are terrified of choice, they consciously or subconsciously want life choices made for them. Many prisoners are or become like this, and would rather stay in prison than have to face an existence in the outside world. Are the majority of Americans of this frame of mind? How about you “Joe the Plumber”? We’ll find out in a few days if Americans want control of their lives, or to be controlled by an increasingly authoritarian government.

Maybe “Joe the Plumber” Should Become “Joe the Solar Guy”

In a recent commentary on CNN, by Carl Schramm, president and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation, he suggests that we need to support people like “Joe the Plumber”, and provide the climate in which such entrepreneurial ventures can grow and prosper. Although he doesn’t say so directly in his commentary, I suppose this is an indirect attack on Obama’s tax plan. He also advocates supporting “employer based health insurance” (which is a huge mystery to me. What about all the people that work for themselves, or are out of work altogether? Where are they in such a plan? Answer: without health insurance at all. Aren’t people running a one-person operation “entrepreneurs? My understanding is they wouldn’t qualify for health insurance, or it would remain prohibitively expensive .) But if Joe were smart, he would not only vote for Obama, but he could easily capitalize on some of Obama’s initiatives.

if Obama is elected President, he would funnel needed support to “green” business, such as solar, clean coal, and other companies that will do their best to get us out of our OIl Habit. Maybe a better move for Joe the Plumber would be to reinvent himself, and become “Joe the Solar Guy”. I should think plumbing skills would transfer nicely to such businesses. We don’t need another plumbing business, we DO need something that will help Joe as well as help get America out of the Oil Ditch. With Obama’s plan Joe would likely get the “tax break” everyone is so excited about, AND probably some low-cost federal “start up” funding to boot.

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‘Socialism’ – Boola, Boola!

If you want to scare the H__ out of everyone this Holloween, dress up like “A Socialist”! For some reason, this seems to terrorize Americans like few words do. McCain is now using this as his new “scare” tactic, accusing Obama of “socialism”.

I have two words for McCain: “Who Cares!!”? A number of third countries, the majority being allies of the U.S., including Canada, France, and England, have what most would consider “socialist” programs. And guess what, they work, they work well, and they have worked well for decades.

The obvious example is Health Care. While our health care system is coming apart at the seams, the countries sited have a reasonably smooth running, decent quality, and relatively inexpensive health care program. If you don’t believe it, ask their citizens. Better yet, ask an American that has been living in one of those countries for a number of years. In interviews I’ve seen, they of course miss America, but they LOVE the ability to get good local quality health care without having to hoc the house. Our system isn’t working. Theirs is. It’s a no brainer.

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