Affordable Health Care Act (a.k.a. ObamaCare) A Bill That Ignores So Much, while Accomplishing Even More

I have no delusions about the Affordable Health Care Act's ability to address the abomination our insurance industry has made of American medicine and the affordability of our care. It accomplishes little to nothing to correct this quagmire; this INSANE system, we have allowed to run-a-much for so many decades. And regardless of what it will or will not achieve towards putting these insurance company's in their place; there are the minimal establishments it offers which MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED OR UNDERESTIMATED.

I am merely hopeful and confident, an individual who has no other fair way, to step up to this table of bloated, "managed health care" non-sense; can at least, count on approaching the desperately needed attention and care they require when the time comes! But this bill goes far beyond this!!

http://youtu.be/3-Ilc5xK2_E

It will quite simply save the lives of countless citizens, while preventing bankruptcy for 10's of thousands of others. In addition, it will offer countless millions an the opportunity I mentioned above, to finally seek care they would have otherwise neglected. And perhaps the most "American", capitalistic, benefits, will be the opportunity for many of those who have felt shackled to a pathetic means of livelihood and income to finally feel compelled to pursue something much more befitting of their aspirations, talents and potential; without the fear they will be denied coverage elsewhere.

What is the point of trapping American's in situations where they fear adequate coverage will be unaffordable or completely denied, without a current (often dead-end) employers' continued involvement and medical policy related compensation? Our country was not built on such trappings.

Our insurance industry has architectured a system which assures your health care is un-affordability; unless, you pay them a monthly premium; which you also can't afford. And then by design, they are able to refuse, reduce and deny any portion of coverage and/or service cost they see fit.

In addition to this insanity, some voters act as if a fear of "socialism" is their impetus for avoiding government intervention. This is absurd given the hypocritical fact that no one can afford medical care without depending on insurance, and insurance in and of itself is a socialized, group participant, economy of scale. 

http://youtu.be/nXfGeMNnBsM

In many cases, our fellow citizens don't even have an employer capable of absorbing the $20,000 per year overhead in order to assure their family's premiums are covered; in addition to whatever generous salary they've been offered; (or in many cases, instead of offering them anything all that generous; take your pick.) The Affordable Care Act is additionally extremely sensitive to such costly challenges to small business owners and those individuals braving self-employment. Hence its' provision of tax cuts for small business to help offset the costs; and the aggressive, largest middle-class, tax cut for health care in history!

If government scares you; (and Cigna, Aetna, Hamanna, Blue Cross / Blue Shield, etc., inspires you;) in turn you don't feel systems chosen by the people for the people will ever, ultimately offer a better say or better control than purely trusting the board members of each of our 1/2 dozen, major health insurance companies; (as they only cater to shareholders;) which have bastardized our medical system for all of the years; then so be it. Vote for the continued inactivity which has been the only course of action the federal level of GOP" leadership" has bothered to convey on such matters for as long as any of us have been able to vote.

On the flip side, if you feel such lacking responses to one of our country's most pressing burdens, places to many families and individuals into perilous of a situation. And you feel such liabilities for so many can't help but place an additional stranglehold on the health and well being of not only our individual citizens, but also our country; then vote to lesson the priority of the insurance company's shareholders, (although they will still get paid handsomely given the embedded compromises,) and increase the ability of our citizens to survive a bit longer.

A voter is either naive to the challenges our health care presents to countless millions of families and individuals here in the U.S., or they feel it is high time the government get involved and provide a survivable alternative.

Affordable Health Care Act (a.k.a. ObamaCare) A Bill That Ignores So Much, while Accomplishing Even More

Forks over Knives & Sneakers over Recliners

Graduated to a vegetable based diet 5 weeks ago. The benefits are producing much more measurable and visible results now. Energy levels were increased within the first few days, but has taken a few more weeks to experience more profound results. (And yes, I do still cheat a bit; like weekend German pancakes at Ol'South, complete with cream in my coffee.)

The learning curve to changing your diet this dramatically can be a bit steep, but there were a few resources and inspirations which we heavily depended on to make this conversion relatively easy for us.

First I simply watched the "Forks over Knives" documentary via Netflix http://www.forksoverknives.com/ (The health benefits and long-term studies explained in this movie are exceptionally compelling.)

Once I was fully inspired, I turned to the "Engine 2 Diet", (Also discussed in the movie -http://engine2diet.com/) in order to get very specific information as to what I needed to get rid of and throw away, which was currently in the kitchen; and what list of groceries to now take to the store.

Meal plans are now typed out out each week while commuting to work on the train and saved via Google Spreadsheets.  Here is a link to one of the monthly plans:http://goo.gl/oTkwl

Loving it so far! Which is quite the surprise given my status as a BBQ loving, Native Texan! But it truly feels much better to be "plant based" for so many reasons!

Diet and exercise! That's all it takes! :-) But it sure is hard for some folks to change or apply this simple message.

Seems "simple and sedentary" is a determination for a growing number of Americans; rather than conscientious and active. It is so sad when you consider the time that may be lost and the quality of life sacrificed, by not changing habits! :-(

A matter of changing ones lifestyle or literally loosing the life to style. Seems like common sense would take over, but lifestyle addiction and the perceived comforts of "simple and sedentary" seem to be winning instead. :-(

So many need to let go of the "loyalties" they have to both bad ideas and harmful belief sets. I always say, pride is a sneaky sin. It is good to also be reminded that "not being open to change" may be the final, fast approaching legacy for many of those folks finding purpose in making such mantra's the one's they live by.  Not a very impressive thing to be known for...

Such revelations should perhaps also be applied to our economy our leaderships or stewardship our religion and our foreign policies. Smart review of policies have given way perhaps to this culture of consumption rather than production. But I digress, I should have kept it simple.

To much thinking might require new knowledge and action. Yuck!

Not only are daily reminders to stay active and, unlearn how to eat badly, valuable; but much more important, is taking actions towards both goals NOW and each week there after!
So go for it! :-)

Make time to exercise now, or time to be sick later!

Forks over Knives & Sneakers over Recliners

Trusting Your Health to the Non-elected

It is one of this countries biggest shames that folks who might have something MUCH greater than just the opportunity to simply work at Wal-Mart or McDonanlds to contribute, often feel quickly driven or continually trapped to such legacies simply to find away to pay one of the six (6) insurance company's which control our health care opportunities in this country the exorbitant premiums they demand.

"Managed Health Care" has indeed transformed the way we all view our health when we are sick; and unfortunately for many the denial of such provision of health care to others when we are healthy.  I often ask folks who do not feel caring for our populations health as a "human right", if they do feel organizations like FEMA should respond when a community is devastated by a tornado, forest fire or flood? Or if they feel the coast guards should set out to rescues those capsized in a storm?  Most, even conservative folks do indeed feel such "Acts of God" yielding such unsuspecting, large scale tragedies should be approached as a collaborative, community wide response to those individuals and whole communities in need during such tragedies.

The irony comes when you ask them why they differentiate between the "Act of God" that decimates a community through that of an unsuspecting tornado, and the "Act of God" that devastates 1000's dying of breast cancer each year.  We are either a country capable of caring for our own or we are not.  We are either a country that prioritizes humanitarianism issues over that of endless nonstrategic exit strategy wars or we are not.  We can simply NOT have it both ways and claim to have a sensible moral compass in any of these matter.

In so far as simply maintaining a sensitivity for the "human experiences", I find it also ironic that most "conservatives" at this point would also claim to have a protestant Christian background, and yet I am simply not sure where being "Pro-war", "Anti-health care reform", "Pro Gun", "anti-human right for all Americans", etc...  Equals the grace-filled teaching of Jesus Christ.  Again, such duality of so called morality and principals will not be a legacy any of our children will see fit to respect, nor will have the luxury to follow.  Irony's such as these are signs of much deeper and greater problems than that of simply caring for the sick.

Many claim to feel adamant about avoiding trusting health care reform to our elected officials, and would instead continue to trust this insane, corrupt system to the six (6) company's which have a strangled hold on this industry.  I'm not sure why folks see fit to imagine that any groups of  share holder's opportunistic, financial  interest within a mere six (6) gargantuan firms are better suited to sway the nature of caring for all of our health, versus expecting the elected officials we have the power to remove and replace, in the matter of reforming such a VERY corrupt industry.  It seems we have truly lost sight of the power of a democracy.

I keep imagining this loss of vision and purpose must have simply died along with all other qualities of education within our country.  Perhaps less time should be spent following our favorite sports teams and more time understanding the purposes of our votes and the power of the people for the people.

The question of allowing our government to actively pursue "health care reform" might best be elevated to something the average public could make more since of, by simply asking the following:  Trusting your health to a board you neither elect nor own stock in; does this demonstrate wisdom or stupidity?  Even if so many "conservatives" continue to ignore the strangle hold this insurance industry has now placed on our country through it's insanely disproportionate financial burden, one might simply take some time to consider the stupidity involved in selling our HEALTH out to the share holders of six (6) unaccountable companies.  This isn't just the quality or value of an iPod or iPhone we're talking about! It is our lives! And our livelihood, and thanks to a burden 2nd only to our mortgages, it is a structure and a system of being taken advantage of the American public can no longer maintain.

It is amusing to think of all those folks who like to believe we are doomed financially in this country due to the diabolical, ingenious nature of "poor folks"; all those "lazy", "welfare mongols" who refuse to work, yet are so smart they have learned so well how to "work over the system", that they are indeed to blame for the bulk of our corruption and burdens within this country.  But the same folks crying about this poor, lazy but brilliant wolf, don't for a moment think the real problem are those who are actually educated and paid to consider on a daily basis, first and foremost, the profits received by their shareholders over all other considerations of public interest. Really?

How do we remind the voters, the leadership within any U.S. corporation within the U.S. are bound and driven by our current laws to make higher profits paramount before all other considerations.  We are after all talking about "managed health care" which while it has "health care" in the name, it should not be confused with true medical decisions. This is simply the insurance industry, nothing more.  Driven strictly by profits, nothing more!  Their decisions are NEVER weighed by anything as lofty as the Hippocratic oath, nor are the value of services they deem fit to pay for ever about the amounts we as American can afford of most need.  Why would a person EVER defend this system as if it has any one's best interest in mind where related to our health?

Have we truly forgotten the purpose for this democracy?
One created by the people, for the people...
Not by the people for Wellpoint, Cigna, Aetna, Human, United, Bluecross / Blueshield

Trusting Your Health to the Non-elected

Our Duties and Responsibilities in Education

If we lead with contradictions we miss-lead. We must speak, act and vote from a perspective of each of our own individual testimony's; guided by the core desire to improve life for all Americans. When it comes to educating and raising our children, being influenced by the contradictory manipulations of a political campaigning machine; built to sway groups of voting lemmings; can not enter in to the sensibilities required to update an aging and failing education system which has not significantly changed it's method of educating in over 50 years.

A friend of mine, whom I respect a great deal, recently announced he was running for a position within his local school board.

"By state legislative enactment, local school boards are delegated power and authority to develop policies, rules, and regulations to control the operation of the schools, including system organization, school site location, school finance, equipment purchase, staffing, attendance, curriculum, extracurricular activities, and other functions essential to the day-to-day operation of schools within the district's boundaries. Boards may also be authorized by the state legislature to levy taxes, invest resources, initiate eminent domain proceedings, acquire land, and assume bonded indebtedness." - education.com

Duties and Responsibilities ( http://www.education.com/reference/article/school-boards-duties-responsibilities-decision/?page=2 )

"In most states, it is the local board that is fully charged with the responsibility to establish and maintain a basic organizational structure for the local school system, develop curriculum, meet federal and state mandates for public schools, appoint a superintendent and key members of the central office staff, adopt an annual budget, and create a climate that promotes educational excellence. Consequently, school boards initiate educational policies at the local level and have a responsibility for implementing a variety of state and federal policies. These boards provide important administrative oversight relative to the educational policies and programs they institute; play a central role in establishing systems and processes to ensure the school system's fiscal, programmatic, and outcome accountability; and undertake broad human resource functions that include making crucial decisions regarding the district's top-level leadership and key staff. Finally, school boards provide leadership for the local school system, adopting a unifying vision and mission, soliciting and balancing the participation and input of members of the community, and advocating on behalf of the educational needs of children at the local, state, and national levels."

Impacting the future of education in this state and around the country is an incredibly difficult challenge, one that is hard to even find a starting point for.

"A host of contemporary concerns present challenges to the local school board's pivotal role in the governance structure in American public education. These challenges include declining public confidence in public schools; limited financial and operational support; changing demographics; perceived drops in student achievement and performance; persistent student attrition or dropouts; reports of crime and violence in the school setting; and adversarial relationships with employee groups." - education.com

I am frustrated by the notion that running for a position on any school board in this state or country is unlikely to yield on opportunity which it is "all about the kids". It is after all an elected position on a large governing body. Therefore, it is very similar to those groups many of us have seen within even large religious organizations. As most of us have inevitable witnessed, they often seem to be less about God and more about the elevation of man's ego.

There are over 7,000 elected school board members in Texas. Out of a total of 1,068 school boards in Texas, 1,062 boards are members of TASB.

Given all the current budget short falls which are being published around the state, the latest slogan every school board is expected to follow is, "Do more with less". Reminds me of a similar slogan NASA adopted years ago in the face of it's federal budget cuts, "Faster, cheaper, Smarter". In their case they truly acted and made the most of this new set of philosophies, yielding some of the most compelling and effective space and research missions their field had ever scene.

"Given the variety of policy considerations for school boards, the decision-making process of the board will vary depending upon the issues addressed, the parties involved, and the organizational interests, operational procedures, time constraints, and personal values of the decision makers. School boards are political organizations with members elected to serve a broad constituency. Decision-making in this environment is a highly political process in which coalition building, bargaining, competition, and adaptation are common." - education.com

Any elected forum at the helm of large institutions often tends to eventually serve the egos of those who council from it. Assuming this natural human tendency of serving one's own ego could be avoided; and each vote cast by individual board members was able to avoid posturing, hidden agendas, stagnant thinking, or any stubbornness brought on by those really just trying to protect their current position, here are many of the approaches and resources I would encourage anyone entering any such opportunity or position to consider.

"As with most organizations, it cannot be assumed that school board members are unified actors, and studies of school board decision-making show that individual role interests and social roles often serve as analytical constructs to explain decision-making processes. Local boards typically consist of members who possess divergent individual agendas and a limited set of mutually shared values or beliefs. Nevertheless, existing school board policies, extant procedures, and regularized customs and practices create and then enforce a unifying culture within the school board that is designed to maintain the status quo and has a relatively conservative perspective." - education.com

Align with the most empowered greatest thinkers in American education.

Adopt their guiding principals:
Study the values presented within well researched organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (They summarize many key principals within the "College Ready education plan".)
Go to page 6 of their education plan to read key bullets on:
Focus on success at a higher level
Empower excellent teachers
Innovate to support and engage students

Follow the wisdom and consider membership in renowned organizations:
Students First .ORG http://www.studentsfirst.org/
Kahn Academy .ORG http://www.khanacademy.org/

Learn as much as possible about the technologies at our disposal today - and how cheaply and easily they can be implemented:
http://themichaelhulmeproject.blogspot.com/2008/11/where-or-when-will-your-kids-go-to.html

"The work of board members is seldom self-selected and is more likely to be defined for them by the superintendent, other professional educators, community leaders, interest groups, or state and federal actors. Despite the importance of policy making, board members report that day-to-day responsibilities consume most of their time and complain that they seldom have time for reflection, brainstorming, and long-term planning. Despite concerns for educational equity and quality, boards more often address matters of financial accountability, which tends to enforce a role as steward of the public purse and a perspective of fiscal conservatism." - education.com

When people tell you "no" find out "why". Teach them "yes" and explain "how".

Always keep in mind that the brain and body requires healthy food, nutrition and exercise. Therefor our system of socialized education will fail without it:
http://themichaelhulmeproject.blogspot.com/2010/02/our-childrens-health-is-to-important.html
http://www.jamieoliver.com/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/
http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/school-food

Any decent education in this world must depend on the latest tools. And the greatest tool available to us in this day and age is information. However our current education system was formulated during an industrial revolution not an information revolution. Therefor the concentration on memorization and fact finding versus comprehension, execution and implementation has got to change.

"Models of decision-making emphasize inventing, developing, and analyzing possible solutions before selecting a particular course of action. Selecting a possible course of action is informed by the judgment of the decision maker, the analyses of the alternatives on a logical or systematic basis, and the political bargaining process. A major criticism of decision-making in the context of local school boards is that adequate alternative solutions are not always considered in the decision-making process prior to drafting policies." - education.com

On a very personal and potentially touchy political note: I tend to think most people actively involved in careers supported by or in support of the American education system, should reconsider any positions which are outspoken about claims towards anti-socialism; since it would indeed be chatter of utter hypocrisy. Our entire education system is in fact a socialized response to not only educating our children, but in many cases raising them. In other words; a person's mere involvement or dependency for income through such institutions, is directly demonstrating support for one of our countries most crucial and blatant dependencies on "socialism". (At least as it is defined and criticized within the realm of manipulative political rhetoric.)

An early lessons all of our children should understand is their actions speak even louder than their words. Let's not pretend to be polarized by politicized rhetoric while openly depending on social systems and political machines to administer and guide the most important parental and educational areas of American living.

Our Duties and Responsibilities in Education

Our children's health is too important & Rupert Murdoch has enough cash!

A friend of mine recently left the following quote and information about a recent Hannity broadcast on my home page. (Unfortunately, I couldn't find any transcripts or online broadcast of this particular recent show via any of the typical Hannity's resources, if you know where I can read more about my friends context please let me know?)

"What blew my mind yesterday was Hannity going off on Michelle Obama about her new healthier lifestyle agenda for kids. It seems they are going to start enforcing healthier meals at schools and making set times for kids to engage in physical activity. Hannity was blowing a gasket that this was just one more inch that the government was gaining on a full take over and we can't let it happen.

Then he said parents know how to be healthy, kids know they shouldnt drink ten sodas. It's not the governments place. And all I could think was, "But they do it anyways! And we have some of the fattest (if not the fattest) kids in the world here! I'm all for the government stepping in and making people eat healthier food and step away from their sedentary lifestyles!" Ugh.."

Sounds like the Hannity's critique also fails to sensibly examine any of the facts involving the school menus' largest nutritional blows, due to the ridiculous, outdated government subsidies (for corn, etc.) established decades ago. While necessary at the time to support the dying and now dead breed of mom and pop farming, it's time has come when our children are now paying the price.

Hopefully with the First Lady's attention focused on the matter, effective changes and updates can finally be made which truly improve the school program's nutrition and consequential priorities effecting our children's health and future.
View the First Lady's duscussion with Larry King on the Topic here: http://youtu.be/ZMU-6HU1tvs

Can you imagine being a person responsible for a show or programing that flies in the face of any consideration for the actual wellbeing and productive future of this country. All in the name of your bloated salary. Truly shameful!

Baffles the mind how there are actual markets for repeat viewership, feeding this destructive frenzy of reckless moronic criticisms! A trend I wish our society had the wisdom to avoid, but it isn't looking good...

I guess we are all either part of the solution or part of the problem. (Pot "S" or Pot "P" - I call it) We each vote with the shows and positions we chose to support... Hannity and other, ignorant, vanity based, profiteering, blow-heart commentary like his are definitely Part of the Problem in my book! Our country doesn't have the luxury of the time necessary to feed the egos and pockets of men or networks like that. Rupert Murdoch has enough cash, time for all of us to lesson his impact in our lives, for the sake of all of our futures...

For information on school lunches and nutrition from a person who actually knows what they are talking about; specifically in the area of School Lunches and our children's health, view this presentation from Ann Cooper originally shown at TED.ORG.

Nice testimony of a private school managing to adopt an effective and healthy change in the daily diet of their students for only $3 per day per student.

Viewer Question about School lunch budgets: Michelle Obama on Larry King, - She has introduced a recognition program. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YWITNoezU8

I certainly hope the First Lady's inspiration and influence is an initiative which might actually inspire the reformation of this catastrophic area of American life; one which is so evidently influenced and corrupted by greed and corporate influences; as she is also a mother of two, grade school age children.

We must all do our part to encourage the dismantling of a corrupted system which now predicates this deadly school lunch program.
(Updated 2/17/10)

***I hate to add one more video to the collection within this blog entry, however! Ironically, since I wrote and posted this blog entry a new award has been granted to Jamie Oliver, a noted chef from the U.K.! TED.COM ended up awarding him the coveted TED Prize for 2010.
http://www.tedprize.org/jamie-oliver/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIwrV5e6fMY

Our children's health is too important & Rupert Murdoch has enough cash!