Politicians and Lawyers Suck

It's time to get on my soap box again. We just received our AARP MedicareComplete health plan. Now keep in mind that this is a plan for "seniors" - some of which aren't playing with a full deck. The plan information is a 8.5 X 11 inch booklet of 220 pages! Chapter 1 Section 1.3 is entitled "What if you are new to the Plan? It includes this bit of advise - "We encourage you to set aside some time to look through this Evidence of Coverage booklet." Since when is a booklet over 200 pages?

It is not NEWS that our health care system is a mess! The average per capita spending is nearly twice as high as that of the next closest industrialized nation, yet other developed countries have longer life expectacy and lower child mortality rates. How did we get to this point?

One problem as I see it, is not having a single payer system. When you have a mixture of private insurers, numerous government programs, and greedy drug companies and health care providers and throw into the mix lawyers and politicians it only gets worse. The thousands of pages of legislation called health care reform will only add to the mess. Every politician wanting to give a piece of the pie to the lobbyist that wined and dined him or her as well as the lawyers that want to be sure they can earn their part by suing everyone in sight - creates the 220 page booklets that clog our mailboxes and destroys our forests.

Every politician and lawyer should be forced to work at Wal-Mart as a greeter and have no medical insurance. Every lobbyist should have to flip burgers at minimum wage and go without insurance. Maybe then they would BEGIN to understand the mess they have created!

Mormons can't stay out of it!

This would be so funny if it wasn't so sad:

Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) has vowed to fight the new gay marriage law that passed in Washington, DC and is still subject to possible overturn by Congress. By his own words, he has admitted that it will be an uphill battle.

What is troubling, however, is that Rep. Chaffetz is the ranking Republican in the House subcommittee that oversees DC law. This means that he can draft a veto that may get more attention in Congress because of the subcommittee that he happens to sit on.

On trying to overturn the new law, he said “It’s going to be exceptionally difficult because Democrats have us outnumbered by large amounts. Nevertheless, we’re going to try.” He plans on introducing legislation in January, saying “If it were put up for a vote, traditional marriage would win. It would win with a congressional vote, and it would win with the residents of Washington, D.C.”

Ironically, Rep. Chaffetz made his fortune in skincare, which is touched upon in this video from CNN. The best line in the video is from Rep. Jarod Polis (D-CO), an openly gay Internet millionaire who says of his colleague “Well, I’m surprised to learn that Jason worked in skin care. That sounds more gay than anything I’ve ever done in my career.”

Kittens for lunch!

The mothering instinct is strong.

The License

What traditions are worth keeping - what ones need to be discarded?

Why Iowa won't go backwards on marriage rights

An interesting look at Iowa's history regarding civil rights and equality under the law. This State Legislator shares his opinion that Iowa won't succumb to the fear tactics used in California to introduce discrimination into their constitution.

Weathering the Storm (Response to NOM Gathering Storm)

The storm clouds are beginning to gather over Iowa!

History in the Heartland!

My hope is that the joy of this day will not be denied some months later like it was in California.