This event lasted for nearly four hours. I willingly attended this event, because I want to be informed on this issue. This issue is one of the most serious issues that our nation faces. There are no simple answers and there are no easy solutions. The people of our country are going to have to start taking care of their own health to the extent that they personally control.
People want to absolve themselves of responsibility. They want to drink, smoke, do drugs, and eat unhealthy foods in excess. All of these elements are input into your body and they have consequences. And then there are external environmental inputs that can have a negative consequence towards ones well being.
I will be up front with you in letting you know that this meeting made me angry in many ways. I thought that the presentations were professionally detailed and I believe during the forum that the businessmen asked appropriate questions pertaining to their specific industries. I realize that this was a Chamber Event and therefore it is tailored around business. What bothered me is that I really didn't feel like the average person was represented during this forum. They seem to have been forgotten during this discussion. I preface what I say below as a representative of the "Average Person" -- The Average Employee -- The Forgotten Man.
Lori Alala was the moderator of this forum, she is a partner with Carolina First Associates. She stated that their goal is to help businesses navigate the intracacies of Employee benefit plans. She stated that most of the regulations have not been written and so they weren't going to be able to answer many questions today. The legislation is evolutionary.
Many of the people in the room were associated with the Insurance industry. Mrs. Alala pointed out that these agents, brokers, and consultants are committed to their industry and making sure their clients are best served.
Peter Stein, who is a lobbyist with the National Association of Healthcare Underwriters went over the information for nearly 1 1/2 hours. Much of the subject was tedious and as Mrs. Alala stated, the regulations have not been written yet, so much of what Mr. Stein was addressing could be subjected to interpretation. When I boil it all down, it appears to me that the American people have two choices, the Republican's economic euthanasia plan or the Democrat's regulatory euthanasia plan.
Under the Republican plan, the average person isn't going to be able to afford catastrophic care and their premiums will continue to rise at their currently unfettered double-digit percentage rates. The Democrats on the other hand want to control your every move and choose whether you qualify for certain coverage and certain procedures and they want to play a cut and dried statistical game with your life.
It is really easy to break down a summary of what was presented at this forum and what construe the dynamics of this public discussion -
The Blame Game:
Doctors blame Lawyers, Government, Insurance, Big Pharma, and the people
Lawyers blame Doctors, Government, Insurance, Big Pharma, and the people
Government blames Lawyers, Doctors, Insurance, Big Pharma, and the people
Big Pharma blames Doctors, Lawyers, Government, Insurance, and the people
The People blame Lawyers, Government, Insurance, Big Pharma, and the Doctors
The truth is that it is all us. Paul wants Peter to pay his costs, but Peter is broke. The third party system is out of control and it benefits no one. The lawyers are looking to win the lottery through torte cases. Doctors enjoyed the fruits of this system in the beginning, but now the demographics are working against them. The Pharmaceutical companies will eventually be in the same boat as the doctors, but right now they are enjoying the fruits of their marketing efforts in relation to the public's unquenched desire to find magic cures. And the Insurance companies are part of the banking cabal. They have invested your premiums into investments that did not pan out. Now they want you to dig a little deeper and they have the government enforcing their wishes. They want to cut costs at all costs, which directly impacts the quality of care. Who will look out for the American people? Obviously the American People are going to have to look out for themselves.
2014 seems to be the magic date(year). That is the year when minimum amounts of coverage are mandated by the government. You will be forced to have an insurance policy by then or you will be fined. That is what really had frosted me. The attitudes and compartmentalized thought processes that I was hearing from Mrs. Alala, Mr. Stein, the Accountant Johnny Davidson, and the Blue Cross - Blue Shield representative Roy Watson really bothered me. There was no compassion for their real customer. They think that the company representatives are their customers, but the customers are the individual policy holders!
Many times they stated that the fines for not having health care insurance were not steep enough. God forbid, you might choose to not participate and accept the fine, instead of be racketeered into this new Insurance Extortion system, where it sure seems like participants are going to pay more premiums to receive reduced benefits. It honestly was making me sick to listen to these perverse attitudes. And I am not speaking of their character. I just don't think they understand the implications of this convoluted scheme and the effects it will have on small businesses and individuals, and thus the overall economy. I really don't want an Insurance Agent or representative to become an integral part of my life. That is what my doctor is for!
The only concern I have towards companies is that they need to realize that their most important asset is their human capital. The well-being of the employees should be imperative, it should not be an afterthought. Companies should work hard to ensure that their employees are properly taken care of. But honestly, I would like to see companies taken out of the equation when it comes to healthcare. It is too burdensome to strap companies down with all of these added regulations. It serves no ones interests other than the lawyers, the accountants, and the insurance companies. It is a way to turn companies into cash cows for these special interests and it has destroyed the American Job base.
We live in an age of a mobile workforce. People are constantly changing jobs. This scheme tries to shoehorn healthcare into an antiquated model that worked when healthcare insurance was cheap and when employees spent their careers with one company. In an age where I have seen people living on a mental edge because of COBRA payments, I say no way. Cut out the middle man. Simplify the system. Coverage should be between an individual and his provider.
Everyone understands that we should be looking at the underlying medical costs. At least the doctors on this panel were compassionate. My personal doctor is excellent and very compassionate. Many times the Bean counters and lobbyists get lost in the minutia and don't look at us as human beings and from the basic human needs angle. Life is precious. We should not be looked at as numbers in their game of Oligopoly. What if it is their life or a family member's life that is on the line? Are they going to be so cut and dried then?
One of the items that was reported is the fact that an individuals W-2 will now have the amount of Health Care Benefit paid on their behalf listed on their W-2. It was stated that this will not be reported for tax puposes (not taxable), but how long will it be until it does become taxable? And is that not how it always starts? More convoluted semantics and process. They really seem to think we are stupid or are they delusionally naive?
It was mentioned several times that research is being done to assess costs and look at the cost/benefit analysis of certain programs to make them more efficient. What will guarantee that research is not skewed towards corporate lobbying interests at a cost to Quality of Care or the Individual's personal welfare?
Free Choice vouchers are an example of this convoluted mess. Employers that offer coverage must provide a free choice voucher to employees with incomes less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level whose share of the premium exceeds 8 percent but is less than 9.8 percent of their income and who choose to enroll in a plan in the exchange. The voucher amount must be equal to what the employer would have paid to provide coverage to the employee under the employer’s plan. Employers providing free choice vouchers will not be subject to penalties for employees that receive premium credits in the exchange.
This is Junk Legislation. Should healthcare legislation cause companies to have to change the way that they operate. There are parts of this legislation, which will empirically cause businesses to decide not to grow, not to hire more full-time workers, reduce part-time workers, encourage seasonal hires, and constantly monitor their relationships with independent contractors (1099 workers).
The Insurance representatives were expressly supportive of penalties on small businesses and average Americans. The BCBS representative flat out stated that they pushed the individual mandate (forced purchasing of insurance). The lobbyists constantly touted the fact that they had a seat at the table, but didn't get everything they wanted. They kept mentioning that we needed to look at the IRS website and kept referring to the IRS website, as though it was sending a tingle down their leg. It was obvious that the insurance companies were instrumental in ramrodding this legislation through the Federal government.
The only thing they harped on not getting was torte reform and cost containment. Ummm-hmmm, blame the Doctors and the Lawyers. If they were honest, then they would admit that they got 90% of what they wanted. And torte-reform in the context of the current system will only pad the Insurance Syndicates pockets. If they were at the table, then they can surely accept the responsibility and consequences for this mess when it blows up.
This system is convoluted. It seems to create more problems than solutions. You don't straighten out a rope by tying it into more knots. The Health Finance system has a vested interest in insuring a continuation of the current contorted corporate structure in some form. They want to tie the system (and thus you) into more knots, so that you have to come to them to untie the knots and thus they continue to enhance their careers and make even more money.
I got the most out of this event during the last 45 minutes, when the audience was allowed to ask questions and Congressman Patrick McHenry spoke.
Chamber President Danny Hearn asked what role the Insurance Companies played in the crafting of this bill? I (Thom Shell) stated that the debate is not over. Special Interests are represented, but not the average person, and the issue of affordability has not been addressed. Dr. Clare Gray spoke eloquently about who the doctors are supposed to represent. Are they supposed to represent the State (Government) or the People? Photos copyright: ©2010 Pat Appleson Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Used By Permission
Congressman McHenry stated during his remarks that he does not support the current reform and the debate is not over and he will fight to get healthcare reform fixed to address the availability, cost, and affordability issues.
I want to thank the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce for holding this event. It helped to open my eyes further to see what I described above.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tactical Edge - Ten Steps to restoring America
This is from a blog called the Tactical Edge. Maybe this is a little radical, but if the American Public continues to be pushed into a corner, what should you expect? What do you think?
My ten steps to save America - Tactical Edge - (August 27, 2010)
1. Every incumbent out on their (rear) in 2010. True independents are elected. No cleptocrats or republi-cons.
2. Two year moratorium on any new legislation while every unconstitutional bill, mandate, and executive order gets reviewed and rescinded. 2,000 pages of federal criminal code are burned.
3. The “federal” reserve system gets raided and all twelve banks’ hard assets are liberated.
The United States government cancels its debt to the IMF, Fed, and World Bank.
Federal reserve notes are burned in huge public ceremonies as gold and silver backed currencies are issued.
4. The military budget is slashed by half immediately. The d.o.d. handles nothing but defense. Other nations have to deal with their own problems. 5 year plan to phase out standing armies in favor of state sponsored militias. Navy remains under d.o.d..
5. All free trade agreements/job exportation bills are canceled. Import taxes are immediately raised by 500%. All businesses required to carry at least 80% US made goods. Steep fines for non-compliance (Wal-Mart). No more paying farmers not to grow food or private oil wells not to pump. Monsanto’s patents are immediately revoked. We rebuild our economy on goods and services.
6. Federal government budget is cut by 70%. All nonessential federal government agencies abolished (Homeland Security, FEMA, FDA, IRS, etc.). No more borrowing from private banks and other countries! 10th amendment becomes king! States handle their own business without selling their rights for federal money. Federal budget is made up of 10% contribution from each states’ budget forcing federal government to remain small and conservative.
7. Everyone at the SEC is fired! No more derivatives or mortgage backed securities. Stock market is for selling shares of legitimate businesses…NOTHING ELSE!
8. To kick-start the economy, the worlds largest construction project begins on the SOUTHERN BORDER WALL. 2,000 miles long, 25 feet high, 12 feet deep, 10 feet thick, topped with razor wire, and posted with “Keep Out” signs every 20 feet IN ENGLISH! ALL illegal immigrants are deported! Visa program rolled back to the way it was 75 years ago.
9. No more buying foreign oil. We use what we have (which is a whole lot in spite of what you’ve been told) while building wind turbines for electricity. Fleet vehicles are converted to run on natural gas. Alternative technologies encouraged without being crushed by oil companies. (hydrogen electrolysis, permanent magnet motors, steam, wood-gas, etc.)
10. Sit back and start enjoying our new found prosperity in under five years.
It all starts with step one. What other alternatives do we have? 20 years of civil war just to be reigned in by a monolithic government?
The Hound: I know this is radical, but the American people are being pushed into a corner. Feel free to comment on this. This is not my creation, but I honestly can't say that I disagree with much of it.
Are we really going to sit back and watch the demise of this country at the hands of the politicians and their corporate interests? The Founders intended for ordinary American people to take on the responsibility of leadership, not an inherited class of nobility. We were not meant to be subservient to a governmental class that has created a class system where, as George Orwell stated in Animal Farm, some animals are more equal than others.
We are all supposed to have equal opportunity and the government is supposed to serve the interests of all Americans. Let's work to get that ideal back!
My ten steps to save America - Tactical Edge - (August 27, 2010)
1. Every incumbent out on their (rear) in 2010. True independents are elected. No cleptocrats or republi-cons.
2. Two year moratorium on any new legislation while every unconstitutional bill, mandate, and executive order gets reviewed and rescinded. 2,000 pages of federal criminal code are burned.
3. The “federal” reserve system gets raided and all twelve banks’ hard assets are liberated.
The United States government cancels its debt to the IMF, Fed, and World Bank.
Federal reserve notes are burned in huge public ceremonies as gold and silver backed currencies are issued.
4. The military budget is slashed by half immediately. The d.o.d. handles nothing but defense. Other nations have to deal with their own problems. 5 year plan to phase out standing armies in favor of state sponsored militias. Navy remains under d.o.d..
5. All free trade agreements/job exportation bills are canceled. Import taxes are immediately raised by 500%. All businesses required to carry at least 80% US made goods. Steep fines for non-compliance (Wal-Mart). No more paying farmers not to grow food or private oil wells not to pump. Monsanto’s patents are immediately revoked. We rebuild our economy on goods and services.
6. Federal government budget is cut by 70%. All nonessential federal government agencies abolished (Homeland Security, FEMA, FDA, IRS, etc.). No more borrowing from private banks and other countries! 10th amendment becomes king! States handle their own business without selling their rights for federal money. Federal budget is made up of 10% contribution from each states’ budget forcing federal government to remain small and conservative.
7. Everyone at the SEC is fired! No more derivatives or mortgage backed securities. Stock market is for selling shares of legitimate businesses…NOTHING ELSE!
8. To kick-start the economy, the worlds largest construction project begins on the SOUTHERN BORDER WALL. 2,000 miles long, 25 feet high, 12 feet deep, 10 feet thick, topped with razor wire, and posted with “Keep Out” signs every 20 feet IN ENGLISH! ALL illegal immigrants are deported! Visa program rolled back to the way it was 75 years ago.
9. No more buying foreign oil. We use what we have (which is a whole lot in spite of what you’ve been told) while building wind turbines for electricity. Fleet vehicles are converted to run on natural gas. Alternative technologies encouraged without being crushed by oil companies. (hydrogen electrolysis, permanent magnet motors, steam, wood-gas, etc.)
10. Sit back and start enjoying our new found prosperity in under five years.
It all starts with step one. What other alternatives do we have? 20 years of civil war just to be reigned in by a monolithic government?
The Hound: I know this is radical, but the American people are being pushed into a corner. Feel free to comment on this. This is not my creation, but I honestly can't say that I disagree with much of it.
Are we really going to sit back and watch the demise of this country at the hands of the politicians and their corporate interests? The Founders intended for ordinary American people to take on the responsibility of leadership, not an inherited class of nobility. We were not meant to be subservient to a governmental class that has created a class system where, as George Orwell stated in Animal Farm, some animals are more equal than others.
We are all supposed to have equal opportunity and the government is supposed to serve the interests of all Americans. Let's work to get that ideal back!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Hickory Hound's 2nd Anniversary - Happy Birthday
The Hound was launched on August 28, 2008. Since that time we have had 26,750 unique visitors. I have studied the issue and come up with an estimate that 1 out of 4 of those visitors resides in Hickory. That estimate would mean that 6,687 locals have looked at this blog.
Thanks for this contribution Jeff Lynn whose B-Day was yesterday:
Let's put that in perspective. That means that 1 out of every 6 people in Hickory have looked at this blog. That means that practically anywhere you go in this area, somebody knows about the Hickory Hound. We have a long way to go and a lot more work needs to be done. We have to shed the ambivalence that has taken over the area. We have to get our citizens to care about what happens in this area. They must understand that their lack of participation in our governance leads to leadership that will not tend to their needs.
People from all over the globe have looked at this blog and I think that is good for Hickory. Those visitors include people who were originally from here and want to check on home; people who reside here, but may be away at school, in the military, or some other venture; or people who might be researching the area to move here or possibly locate a business here. I have received messages from many different people who have happened upon this site and they are very much interested in our story.
The Hound has over 300 people who are on the various e-mail or message lists including Google Groups, Facebook, and Twitter. There I notify my frequently returning visitors of any new articles. Since last year, nearly 400 articles have been introduced and I believe that I have been fair in those contributions. I have been chastised from all sides from time to time and I believe that says that the purpose is right on. Many times people have told me I am right on. Even when they tell me that they don't always agree with me, they say I have it right on most accounts. Hardly anyone has said that I don't have a clue.
Content wise, I have delved into many subjects. The main area of concern for this region is jobs. Since we went into this persistent 10%+ reported unemployment rate twenty months ago, it has looked as though there is no way out from underneath the predicament. That is the reason why the Hound constantly discusses the economy and economic development, because those issues should be at the forefront of all of our thoughts. You cannot create new jobs and industries without focused economic development.
I think that most of the people in this area stopped drinking the Kool-Aid long ago. The be happy and have a blindly positive outlook thing was not working. As I have stated before, you must honestly assess where you are in order to solve your problems. You can't put off solving your probelms to some time in the future. You must work towards solving them today. I believe that this blog has pried open the thought processes, albeit many times reluctantly, about ways that we should assess and solve problems. And although we aren't headed in the right direction, we have finally started the process of turning the ship around. And that momentous, in and of itself.
As we begin the third year of the Hound, the Hound will continue to evolve in its mission. In this age of constant and rapid change, we must remain nimble, while staying true to the principles of history. The Hound's intent is to always be accessible, more credible, and more integral to the needs of the people than other sources of information available involving the Hickory area. This Blog is only about me to the extent of my opinions. I will always try to separate the facts from the opinion and I hope I do a good enough job of expressing the difference.
Thank You Steve Fennell for pointing this out:
In the end, the Hickory Hound is about Hickory and its relationship to all of the people. It isn't just about Hickory's City Leadership or Hickory Proper's Citizens. It is about everyone who has a relationship with this city and this region and the effects that "Hickory" has on the world and the people based on Commerce, Governance, Politics, Action, and Quality of Life issues based upon "Hickory's" vitality, growth, and future. If you have never read The Objectives of the Hickory Hound, then I encourage you to do so. I believe we have adhered to these principles and this mission throughout the two years and we will continue to do so.
As we move forward, we will continue to gain more and more viewership, but I intend to have the same intent as day one. I am proud of how far we have come in the last year and we have already seen and expect to more saturation in the near term. My intent is not to ruffle feathers, it is to move this area forward. I hope that you will continue to participate and that this Blog will be a source that you can continue to rely on to get the information and depth of thought that just isn't available elsewhere. This is a community and I encourage you to participate and I appreciate any constructive comments you may offer.
Thank You,
James Thomas Shell
Thanks for this contribution Jeff Lynn whose B-Day was yesterday:
Let's put that in perspective. That means that 1 out of every 6 people in Hickory have looked at this blog. That means that practically anywhere you go in this area, somebody knows about the Hickory Hound. We have a long way to go and a lot more work needs to be done. We have to shed the ambivalence that has taken over the area. We have to get our citizens to care about what happens in this area. They must understand that their lack of participation in our governance leads to leadership that will not tend to their needs.
People from all over the globe have looked at this blog and I think that is good for Hickory. Those visitors include people who were originally from here and want to check on home; people who reside here, but may be away at school, in the military, or some other venture; or people who might be researching the area to move here or possibly locate a business here. I have received messages from many different people who have happened upon this site and they are very much interested in our story.
The Hound has over 300 people who are on the various e-mail or message lists including Google Groups, Facebook, and Twitter. There I notify my frequently returning visitors of any new articles. Since last year, nearly 400 articles have been introduced and I believe that I have been fair in those contributions. I have been chastised from all sides from time to time and I believe that says that the purpose is right on. Many times people have told me I am right on. Even when they tell me that they don't always agree with me, they say I have it right on most accounts. Hardly anyone has said that I don't have a clue.
Content wise, I have delved into many subjects. The main area of concern for this region is jobs. Since we went into this persistent 10%+ reported unemployment rate twenty months ago, it has looked as though there is no way out from underneath the predicament. That is the reason why the Hound constantly discusses the economy and economic development, because those issues should be at the forefront of all of our thoughts. You cannot create new jobs and industries without focused economic development.
I think that most of the people in this area stopped drinking the Kool-Aid long ago. The be happy and have a blindly positive outlook thing was not working. As I have stated before, you must honestly assess where you are in order to solve your problems. You can't put off solving your probelms to some time in the future. You must work towards solving them today. I believe that this blog has pried open the thought processes, albeit many times reluctantly, about ways that we should assess and solve problems. And although we aren't headed in the right direction, we have finally started the process of turning the ship around. And that momentous, in and of itself.
As we begin the third year of the Hound, the Hound will continue to evolve in its mission. In this age of constant and rapid change, we must remain nimble, while staying true to the principles of history. The Hound's intent is to always be accessible, more credible, and more integral to the needs of the people than other sources of information available involving the Hickory area. This Blog is only about me to the extent of my opinions. I will always try to separate the facts from the opinion and I hope I do a good enough job of expressing the difference.
Thank You Steve Fennell for pointing this out:
In the end, the Hickory Hound is about Hickory and its relationship to all of the people. It isn't just about Hickory's City Leadership or Hickory Proper's Citizens. It is about everyone who has a relationship with this city and this region and the effects that "Hickory" has on the world and the people based on Commerce, Governance, Politics, Action, and Quality of Life issues based upon "Hickory's" vitality, growth, and future. If you have never read The Objectives of the Hickory Hound, then I encourage you to do so. I believe we have adhered to these principles and this mission throughout the two years and we will continue to do so.
As we move forward, we will continue to gain more and more viewership, but I intend to have the same intent as day one. I am proud of how far we have come in the last year and we have already seen and expect to more saturation in the near term. My intent is not to ruffle feathers, it is to move this area forward. I hope that you will continue to participate and that this Blog will be a source that you can continue to rely on to get the information and depth of thought that just isn't available elsewhere. This is a community and I encourage you to participate and I appreciate any constructive comments you may offer.
Thank You,
James Thomas Shell
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Future Economy Council Meeting #17 - (August 20, 2010)
Link to this meeting at the Project 3P site.
VisionAire Aviation was a major part of this meeting. I wrote about VisionAire on August 13th in the article - The VisionAire Vantage - Aerospace Industry beginning a future in Catawba County
Mr. Rice answered questions pertaining to VisionAire after his presentation to the Future Economy Council.
VisionAire Aviation was a major part of this meeting. I wrote about VisionAire on August 13th in the article - The VisionAire Vantage - Aerospace Industry beginning a future in Catawba County
Mr. Rice answered questions pertaining to VisionAire after his presentation to the Future Economy Council.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
"12 Books" Project - Increasing Child Literacy
This was sent to me by my friend, and friend of our community, Anthony Aldi. He is a teacher/professor of literature and he has a true passion for education and knowledge. He sent me a link to this creation that he is a part of. If you have any books that you no longer want as part of your library, please help.
12 Books Mission: (Facebook Page)
Because kids who own books look at them, we want kids to have books, to own, to read, to flip through, to demolish. Research consistently shows that there is correlation between the number of books a child has access to and his/her literacy. Mission:To increase literacy everywhere. Basically, literacy world domination.
So give us your age-appropriate books to give to kids in Longview Elementary.
Longview Elementary School
Attn: Jackie Welge
2430 2nd Avenue SW
Hickory, NC 28602
Phone: 828-327-2070
Map to School
12 Books Mission: (Facebook Page)
Because kids who own books look at them, we want kids to have books, to own, to read, to flip through, to demolish. Research consistently shows that there is correlation between the number of books a child has access to and his/her literacy. Mission:To increase literacy everywhere. Basically, literacy world domination.
So give us your age-appropriate books to give to kids in Longview Elementary.
Longview Elementary School
Attn: Jackie Welge
2430 2nd Avenue SW
Hickory, NC 28602
Phone: 828-327-2070
Map to School
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