The Far Right and Health Care

The Far Right is using scare tactics like “Socialized Medicine”. Only the UK has Socialized Medicine, most of the other developed nations such as France and Germany who have the most successful single payer programs have “Socialized Health Insurance”. The UK is the only country that does not use private doctors. In addition, Europeans are able to purchase additional insurance through private carriers. Keep treatment decisions in the hands of private doctors not insurance companies. The “Far Right” has a major concern for any government program being successful as they know that once a program is successful the American people will embrace it, which will further erode the “Far Rights” power base. The real losers if health reform is passed will be Wall Street, Health Insurance Carriers, and the Drug Companies. If health reform is passed Americans will have less costly health care. The administrative costs for a private carrier is 22-25%, while Medicare’s admin. costs are just 2%. Before people make a judgment about single payer health care they should talk to Europeans and not listen to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, and the “Big Fear Spin” by the private health insurance industry. We already have socialized medical care it’s called: Medicare, Medical, Medicaid, VA Hospital, City and State sponsored programs. Lets just extend it to all people, squeeze the big profits out of the present system and benefit the majority of Americans. We are now paying out 15 to 16% of our GDP in health care, it’s time to Streamline the process, create uniformity and efficiency and get the “Fat Cats” out of health care. Do not renew the Bush tax cuts for the top 1%, which will give us the revenue needed for health care reform.

In the late 1940’s Harry Truman proposed health care reform and it was defeated by the AMA lobby and Southern Democrats who were concerned that a government program would require race integration in hospitals. Actually the FDR “New Deal” was a positive benefit to southerners as they were subsidized by the more affluent areas of the country. The Southerners have been so traditionally hung up on the race issue that the middle class has actually voted against its own self interest. The middle class American of today is still voting against their own self interest. It’s the tax payers in the top 1% of wealth who are the real winners in this “Right Wing” game to hoodwink the masses. The real purchasing power of the average American has decreased in the last 30 years primarily due to the successful PR Spin of the Far Right.

Starting with Reagan in the early 70’s the “Far Right” has been using “White Backlash”, homosexuality, union busting, abortion, and religious influence as a way of enticing the middle class away from its traditional progressive base and actually voting against its own self interest.

Unfortunately a lot of Americans are not that astute and can be influenced by: Fear, Sophisticated Public Relations, “Buzz Words”, and Advertising to make decisions that are not in their best interests. The Nazi’s were a consummate example of how brilliant “PR” can be used to fool the masses. The slogan “Things go better with Coke” are a good example of mass stupidity. Coke has relatively no food value and causes: tooth decay, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and digestive tract cancer. The purchase of cigarettes by the foolish public is another example of human ignorance. Fortunately through education the national smoking rate has dropped from 75 to 22%. Selling the “Sexiness” of clothing and automobiles to increase purchasing is another example of the “Sheeple Publics” gullibility and ignorance. The shrewd bankers have seductively enticed the guidable masses to take on credit card and mortgage debt that has created massive foreclosures and personal bankruptcies. How many people actually do the detailed homework to “Fact Find”, instead of listening to media sources that are not objective news, but are special interest “Spin Doctors” such Fox News, “Fair and Balanced”. People actually believe “Fair and Balanced”, and Rupert Murdoch is laughing all the way to the bank. George Carlin would probably say that “Fox News” is “Bullshit” at its finest.

Afro-American's for "Prop 8"

Beside the Catholic and Mormon church members, many Afro-Americans are being cited for being anti-gay. Many "A-A's" are also deeply religious, which may account for their somewhat intolerant views about certain social behaviors. I don't really believe that Afro-Americans tempered with equal demographic and educational levels are not on a par with any other ethnic group relating to their tolerance or lack there of. As a group, due to decades of segregation and lack of equal educational oportunities, some "A-A" may be homophobic, just as uneducated whites may be homophobic. In making a judgment about an ethnic group such as "A-A's" view of a social concept, one should draw conclusions based on equal measures of religiosity, education, urbanization, and familiarity so that enterpetation of the data can be objectively evaluated.

Film about Mormon Church & Prop 8

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/02/11/state/n113517S56.DTL&tsp=1

Most people are aware that the Mormon church and its followers had a pivotal role in getting “Prop 8” passed. The church claims that the movie has many inaccuracies, but has refused any interviews to talk about what they believe to be inaccurate. Could one conclude: (a) that the “Church” has no facts to refute what they say is inaccurate, (b) is arrogant and does not really care what people think, (c) does not want to be put in the “Limelight” even further about their egregious homophobia and secrecy.

What Makes Us Think and Do?

I find the irrational behavior of human beings quite perplexing. What forces come into play? Is it “Nature”, “Nurture, or the combination that shape our attitudes, opinions, and choices in our lives.
Here are some choices that come to mind:
• Do we see the world as abundant or scarce?
• How much does our education shape us?
• Do we feel only comfortable with people who are mostly like ourselves?
• Are new ideas and attitudes exciting or threatening?
• How is the influence and treatment by our parents come into play?
• If we have siblings, how do they influence who we are?
• As an American do you feel superior to other nationalities?
• Racially do feel superior to other races?
• If you practice your religion, is it the only true path to god?
• Do you feel men or women are superior to one another, in what ways if so?
• Would you rather be living today, or one hundred years ago and why?
• How does the event of growing up in a city or a small town effect us?
• Do we feel comfortable about our bodies, why yes or no?
• How was our relationship with our mother?
• How was our relationship with our father?
• Did we have the unique influence of a surrogate parent?
• Do we embrace change or find it threatening?
• How did our religious upbringing affect our present views of religion and our values?
• Did our mother have a comfortable or anxious pregnancy with us?
• Did we experience unconditional love and acceptance growing up?
• Do we enjoy other cultures or find them threatening?
• Do we have sex positive or sex negative attitudes?
• Did we have positive role models for relationships?
• Are we open and transparent about our sexual identity?
• Do we find vulnerability exciting or threatening?
• Do we like to hang onto traditions and/or superstitions, or find it more comfortable to shed them?
• Was your home violent or peaceful growing up ?
• If we are parents, how is our relationship with our children?
• When you were a child did the parent of the same sex hug you?
• Were you ever sexually violated by a relative or close friend?
• Did you feel that your gender identity is absolute, fluid, or androgynous?
• Do you believe that you are comfortable and skillful in conflict resolution without using physical violence?
• Do you feel that you have a difficult time being disciplined in achieving your goals?
• Do you believe that parents, teachers, doctors, clergyman, and governments always have our best interests in mind?
• Would you say you are an optimist or pessimist?
• Are you trusting or doubting?
• If you only had two choices, would you choose to have a doctor who has a great bed side manner and of average ability, or a doctor who has a cold personality and is a superior technician?
• Would you say that who you are today is mainly a factor of “Nature”, “Nurture”, both or mainly your own determination?
• Do you feel that you are mainly a victim of your surroundings, or that you are mainly the architect of your surroundings?

Observations about Religious Groups

I have made some observations over the years of most(not all) of the people that I have met from the following two groups:

Atheists, Agnostics, Pagans, Buddhists’, The Moderately Religious
• More tolerant of people who differ in gender, ethnicity, sexual preference
• Seem to advocate more for Non-Violent solutions to conflict resolution
• More Humanistic about caring for people who are different than they
• More open to new ideas and knowledge that may conflict with long valued myths and traditions
• Less controlling of people who have life styles that differ from their own
• Are more willing to challenge long established institutions that do not seem to support the common good of the majority
• See the world more in terms of “Grey” rather than “Black and White”

Orthodox and Established Old World Religious Adherents
• Behave more judgmentally about people who differ from them(gays, women, non-whites, free thinkers)
• Have the attitude that “Might Makes Right” and “My Country Right or Wrong”
• Want to control the behavior of others through religious influence in government legislation even though US was founded on the “Separation of Church and State”
• Are threatened by new ideas and science
• Want to keep their flock cloistered in their own communities for fear that new more realistic ideas may permeate their minds
• Have unrealistic ideas and unrealistic views about sexuality
• Seem to want to keep women in their “Old World” roles
• Are more easily lead by leaders that are dogmatic and closed minded to new scientifically provable ideas

I have tried to be careful not to demonize or label any of these groups by using words like: Fascist, Bigot, Homophobe, Xenophobe, Communist, Socialist, Bleeding Heart Liberal, War Monger, Racist, Pinko, Narrow Minded Pig, Wimp, Pussy, Neanderthal, or whatever other subjective non-productive labels that are found in society.

I am very open to your observations and input on the above.

Facts about the Death Penalty

Deterrent - The threat of execution at some future date is unlikely to enter the minds of those acting under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, those who are in the grip of fear or rage, those who are panicking while committing another crime (such as a robbery), or those who suffer from mental illness or mental retardation and do not fully understand the gravity of their crime.
States that have the DP have a murder rate that is approximately 30-50% greater than those that do not have the DP. One might conclude that there is a coincidence of more crime in DP states, which creates a need for the DP. A more realistic conclusion is that those states with the DP are more have an environment of violence perpetrated by the state that sends a message to potential murders to be more violent. Other support for non DP punishment is countries mainly in the European Union that have lower murder rates that have abolished the DP. Unfortunately the US has lagged many other developed nations in its ability to implement Human Rights progress.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/the-death-penalty-and-deterrence/page.do?id=1101085
Fairness - Racial and geographic disparities in who is sentenced to death. High costs of death penalty compared to life in prison. Under-funding of defense counsel for poor defendants. Juries that do not represent the community. 95% of death penalty cases are defended by Public Defenders, whereas someone like O.J. Simpson who had the financial clout to hire the best criminal attorneys. Those who are actually sentenced to the DP are predominately the poor who cannot afford thorough defenses. DP Juries are picked based on the fact that they cannot have a bias against the DP, so therefore are pro DP, which leans in the favor of granting the DP.
http://www.aclu-sc.org/news_stories/view/102750/
Innocent People - Since 1973, over 130 people have been released from death rows throughout the country due to evidence of their wrongful convictions. In 2003 alone, 10 wrongfully convicted defendants were released from death row. The above does not take into account those on death row who have not sought further proof that they are innocent. Execution unfortunately is not reversible and no money or reparations by the state can make an innocent executed person free or come back to life.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-and-innocence/page.do?id=1101086
Racist - In a 1990 report, the non-partisan U.S. General Accounting Office found "a pattern of evidence indicating racial disparities in the charging, sentencing, and imposition of the death penalty." The study concluded that a defendant was several times more likely to be sentenced to death if the murder victim was white. This has been confirmed by the findings of many other studies that, holding all other factors constant, the single most reliable predictor of whether someone will be sentenced to death is the race of the victim. On average a Black person is 4 to 5 times more likely to be executed than a Caucasian for committing murder. From initial charging decisions to plea bargaining to jury sentencing, African-Americans are treated more harshly when they are defendants, and their lives are accorded less value when they are victims. All-white or virtually all-white juries are still commonplace in many localities.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-and-race/page.do?id=1101091
 

Financial - Using conservative rough projections, the Commission estimates the annual costs of the present system ($137 million per year), the present system after implementation of the reforms ... ($232.7 million per year) ... and a system which imposes a maximum penalty of lifetime incarceration instead of the death penalty ($11.5 million. In California the current system costs $137 million per year; it would cost $11.5 million for a system without the death penalty.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/death-penalty/death-penalty-facts/death-penalty-cost/page.do?id=1101084
Vindication/Restitution – Executing the murderer will never bring back the life of the victim. If there is a possibility of giving restitution to the victim’s family from the accused, then executing the accused erases any possibility for the accused to make restitution to the victim’s family. What needs to be examined is our antiquated value system of an “Eye for an Eye” that has come out of an ancient book. Some of us have a defect in our emotional chemistry that somehow lets us believe that if we injure, or kill the perpetrator that another violent act against the perpetrator will heal the victim. This is not meant in any way to weaken the ability of a victim to defend them against a perpetrator. Some people have are confused about the value of “Forgiveness” and healthy physical and emotional “Boundaries”.
Conclusion – Based on what knowledge is available to present, there is no scientific data that supports the benefit of capital punishment to society over a lifetime of incarceration. The movement in most countries as well as states in the USA is the abolishment of capital punishment. The question is why are we so slow to abolish capital punishment even though there is volumes of supportable data that flies in the face of capital punishments benefit to society. Could it be both myths, traditions, and our emotional need for revenge.

A “Proud American” Male
I was thinking about the meaning of some “Labels” that we use in our society such as: Patriotism, Proud American, Courage, Loyal, Real American, Real Man, etc. What came up for me was that our society uses the above words not always as a sincere compliment, but as a convenient method of: vilifying, demonizing, manipulating, approving of, controlling, motivating, patronizing, and judging others.
As a “Proud American” male I prefer to think of myself in the model of: hard work, self reliance, compassion, fairness, integrity, service to others, generosity, kindness, and forgiveness. It would be difficult for me to be to feel “Proud” if I modeled myself on: selfishness, narcissism, apathy, intolerance, arrogance, insolence, blind allegiance to any government or religion.
Definition of “Proud” in Webster’s Dictionary- feeling or showing pride; having or displaying excessive self esteem; much pleased; having self respect.
Synonyms for “Proud” – arrogant; haughty; lordly; insolent; overbearing; supercilious; disdainful.
I am trying very hard to cast myself as a consistent “Proud American” male, but through a review of our history, I come up against resistance based on the following examples:
• Denial of a women’s right to vote for 150 years up until 1920.
• Enslavement of Afro-Americans for 80 years after the Declaration of Independence, and then complicity with racist ignorant members of our population to continue to hold back opportunities in education, housing, jobs, military, and social integration.
• The systematic murder, brutalization and outright theft of land belonging to Native Americans.
• Long history of pollution, raping of the land, and general disregard for the moral stewardship of our countries land.
• We call a man a “Pussy” or “Wimp” for acting compassionately, sensitive, or non-violent. I will choose “Pussy” over war mongering, racist, homophobic, violent pig any day. But then again we don’t have a great track record for respecting the power and rights of women, ergo “Pussy”.
• Major Racism and Ignorance until the Supreme Court decision that overturned the will of the people in 1970 to make Inter-Racial Marriage illegal.
• Internment of over 100,000 loyal Japanese Americans during WWII, but no incarceration for German and Italian Americans whose native countries were also our enemies during that time period. Could this be our inherent racism and inability to accept people who did not look like us of European extraction?
• That we are one of last developed nations who is finally starting to create a structure for affordable and accessible health care. Should health care be a basic human right not included in our Capitalistic system to create profit based on human suffering? The right to be healthy should be on a level of have enough to eat, having clean air to breathe, and clean water to drink. Health care even trumps the right to housing and social human rights(not to diminish human rights).
• We have a demonstrable history of putting “Profit” and “Greed” above human rights, basic health care, a clean environment, non-warring dispute resolution.
• We are a nation of some “Narcissistic Behaviors” coupled with “Excessive Consumption”.
• The “Silent Majority” has not actively protested against the Vietnam War and the latest Iraq invasion.
• We are not enlightened enough to understand that “Gay Marriage” will not interfere with anyone else’s marriage, or that we need to stand up to repressive religious leaders, and that there is no scientific data that demonstrates that Gay Marriage will harm society. A just and non-biased Supreme Court will ultimately overturn “Prop 8”, as it justly turned down the repressive doctrine of “Separate but Equal” (Plessy v…. ) in the rightful case of Brown v. Board of Education.
• “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is dishonest, hypocritical and a shameful compromise to placate some ignorant homophobic members of the military and congress.
• An attitude of “Nationalism” or as some use the word “Patriotism” that’s lets us delude ourselves into thinking that we are superior to all other nations.
• A concern that if we are too critical of our “National Behavior” that we are not true “Patriots” or “Proud Americans”. General Motors did not embark upon a focused objective program of inner criticism and as a result would be out of business if it were not for the “Bailout”. Hubris and Arrogance ultimately lead to decay, and not progress and self improvement.
• Those who say, “Love it or Leave It” is not a positive solution to growth and progress, only an “Arrogant” and “Haughty” negative retort.

I find the above examples shameful, embarrassing, and sad; and that we as a supposed “Rightful and Proud” nation conduct ourselves so inhumanely and selfishly.
A few examples of American’s we should be really proud of are:
• Dwight Eisenhower, a Republican president and military leader who had the courage and integrity to challenge the military establishment and said, “Beware of the Military Industrial Complex”.
• Martin Luther King Jr. who selflessly championed for equal rights and peace through “Non Violent Demonstrations” and ultimately lost his life due to fear and bigotry that he tried to erase.
• Thurgood Marshall who was a brilliant jurist and vocal civil rights lawyer, who could have selfishly chosen to make a lot more money doing corporate law, but chose to champion the rights of the less powerful and disadvantaged.
• Those people who championed for human rights, and as a result were vilified as “Communists” during the McCarthy era.
• Abraham Lincoln, Bobby Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson who went against the political tide to champion for human rights and freedom.
• The “Minority” of Americans on all strata’s of the political and social spectrum who non-violently protested, because they cared and understood that the biggest threat to a democracy was not the Politicians, but the “Silent Uninformed Majority”.
• Those American’s who volunteer their time and/or money giving free service to improve: education, health, and alleviate human suffering.
• Those who see that we have an “Abundant Universe” and conduct themselves accordingly.

There also a great deal of wonderful attributes that the people of our country possess:

Positive thinking, resolve, hard work, focus, creativity, courage, compassion, tolerance, diversity, generosity, and forgiveness

Through “Constructive Self Criticism” we can build on the wonderful attributes of America, and leave the “Repressive Dysfunctional Old World Traditions and Thinking” behind us.