The 911 Health Bill now being discussed in Congress is loaded with innuendo, misinformation, abusive compassion, and opportunism.
Let's start with some realism.
911 Responders to the World Trade Center disaster and other less significant disasters, have special conditions under which they work. This is contrary to normal public employment, under which OSHA has said very specific rules for private employers. However, none 11 hazards are essentially little different from those to which our military are subjected. In both cases, those people performing hazardous work are volunteers. In volunteering, they automatically accepted the risks of the job.
This is not to say that we should not give our 911 responders and our military the reasonable best of safety equipment, health benefits, and life insurance. However, it is unreasonable to expect that the public should write a blank check for every claimant who comes down the pike.
In discussing the Twin Towers Disaster, there is much talk of toxic substances. The uninitiated public is generally fearful of any reference to toxic substances, which is why promoters of the present congressional bill use the term. However, we really need to define what the toxic substances are. Are they asbestos? Carbon monoxide gas? What other? How do we know they are toxic? We have experts who study toxicity of materials and generally compare death or illness from exposure with the similar distresses of the general public. The average doctor is not an expert in diagnosing mesothelioma or asbestosis. Yet, this is necessary for determining whether a particular claimant has a justification for his claim.
It was my understanding that the reason that the Twin Towers collapsed was because the steel structure was not adequately protected from fire. Asbestos had been previously used for this in skyscraper construction, but the EPA had radically exaggerated claims of asbestos toxicity, such that deficient materials was used in the Twin Towers construction. If this is true, what is the justifications for claims relating to asbestos toxicity?
There are a lot of similar questions that need to be answered before there is a general consideration of significant money handouts to claimants. It is obvious that a person who died from being hit by a falling beam has some right to compensation, but we are not talking about that. We are talking about people who are still alive and claiming to be disabled. This is not a new area for consideration. Insurance companies have been handling disability insurance for years and have much experience with rules in determining justifiable disability payments. We should be using this expertise.
The bottom line is that 911 responders and military should have special consideration over other government employees and the public in general, with respect to health and life insurance. Private companies have supplied this benefit for years for hazardous work.
For the bill now in Congress, it should be stalled. A commission of toxicity, health, accounting, and insurance experts should be set up to define the rules of providing health and life insurance for 911 Responders, and which will separate fact from innuendo. The rules should basically establish who qualifies, the reasons for compensation and the amount of compensation, within the limits of weeding out opportunists, non-performing volunteers, and the public in general. Subsequent payments should be made retroactive, within limits, and all of this under the recognition that 911 Responders are volunteers in their jobs and have accepted the job risks.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Friday, December 17, 2010
Why North Korea Does What It Does
EIN News says, "Deciphering Clues to North Korea's Mysteries. North Korea's Kim Jong Il may be using recent military incidents and the unveiling of a new nuclear facility to accelerate the transfer of power to his 26-year-old son and secure his own legacy by getting a peace treaty that cements North Korea's legitimacy, according to senior U.S. officials who closely follow the Hermit Kingdom. (msnbc.msn.com)".
That's a load of gobbledygook, which is typical of the imaginative thinking of the US State Department.
The more obvious likelihood is the scenario of the spoiled child, who in continually acting up, gets what he wants.
That's a load of gobbledygook, which is typical of the imaginative thinking of the US State Department.
The more obvious likelihood is the scenario of the spoiled child, who in continually acting up, gets what he wants.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Hooray for Private Enterprise Efficiency
EIN News says, "AGL Resources to Buy Nicor for $2.4 Billion. AGL Resources, a major natural gas distributor in the U.S. Southeast, said it will buy peer Nicor Inc for about $2.4 billion in cash and stock, nearly doubling its customers at a time of surging gas production in the country. (reuters.com)".
See how nicely private industry can react to opportunities, which will presumably benefit itself and customers. Organization and consolidation are the keys to efficiency. If you don't initially believe in this, look at the operation of most African countries and the Middle East, where tribal warfare prevails without any standard of living progress.
Notice that the purchase does not involve government assistance in any form. The only role the government needs to play in this is to be sure that the controlling industry does not create a monopoly which works to the disadvantage of the public. It is for this reason that we have antitrust laws. It is government's job to see that any significant monopoly is prosecuted. It should do so gone on the basis of anticipation, but rather when it sees an actual infraction of antitrust laws.
See how nicely private industry can react to opportunities, which will presumably benefit itself and customers. Organization and consolidation are the keys to efficiency. If you don't initially believe in this, look at the operation of most African countries and the Middle East, where tribal warfare prevails without any standard of living progress.
Notice that the purchase does not involve government assistance in any form. The only role the government needs to play in this is to be sure that the controlling industry does not create a monopoly which works to the disadvantage of the public. It is for this reason that we have antitrust laws. It is government's job to see that any significant monopoly is prosecuted. It should do so gone on the basis of anticipation, but rather when it sees an actual infraction of antitrust laws.
Advise Lame-Duck Democrats You Will Undo Their Recent Work in January
Open letter to Representative Neugebauer:
I have read your latest newsletter.
Tell your House Democratic Associates that they are wasting their time in the lame-duck session by passing things, with which you do not agree.
In January, when you have full control of the House, your first order of business will be to undo Communistic/Socialistic actions of the lame-duck session. You will simultaneously explain to the American public why you are doing so. For example, you will change the straight extension of unemployment benefits, to a sliding scale. You will explain that to the people as a change necessary to reduce free riders and to give added incentive to the legitimately unemployed to take available jobs, even though those jobs may not be up to the caliber of previous employment. The longer people are out of work, the less likely they are to find satisfactory employment..
I have read your latest newsletter.
Tell your House Democratic Associates that they are wasting their time in the lame-duck session by passing things, with which you do not agree.
In January, when you have full control of the House, your first order of business will be to undo Communistic/Socialistic actions of the lame-duck session. You will simultaneously explain to the American public why you are doing so. For example, you will change the straight extension of unemployment benefits, to a sliding scale. You will explain that to the people as a change necessary to reduce free riders and to give added incentive to the legitimately unemployed to take available jobs, even though those jobs may not be up to the caliber of previous employment. The longer people are out of work, the less likely they are to find satisfactory employment..
Anti-Socialists in Congress Need Better PR
Open letter to Representative Randy Neugebauer:
You anti-Communist/Socialists in Washington need better PR.
Why do you let the Communist/Socialists continue to get away with saying that they are opposed to tax cuts for the wealthy? This incites jealousy and obtains the support of many voters to the Communist/Socialist cause. They also build on this by saying that the country can't afford this additional debt of tax reduction to the rich.
As you well know, an extension of the Bush tax cuts is a maintenance of income taxes at recent levels. It is NOT a tax increase. Similarly, maintaining a non-increase to ALL Americans is an anticipated increase of tax revenues, through improvements in the economy. This has been historically shown to be accurate.
If you need a simplistic statement, say that you are extending a tax increase to those people and organizations who make jobs, which is the fundamental need of our society. Do not allow use of financial class distinction, such as people who have more than two pairs of shoes or cars newer than 2010, to cloud the vision of the general public.
You anti-Communist/Socialists in Washington need better PR.
Why do you let the Communist/Socialists continue to get away with saying that they are opposed to tax cuts for the wealthy? This incites jealousy and obtains the support of many voters to the Communist/Socialist cause. They also build on this by saying that the country can't afford this additional debt of tax reduction to the rich.
As you well know, an extension of the Bush tax cuts is a maintenance of income taxes at recent levels. It is NOT a tax increase. Similarly, maintaining a non-increase to ALL Americans is an anticipated increase of tax revenues, through improvements in the economy. This has been historically shown to be accurate.
If you need a simplistic statement, say that you are extending a tax increase to those people and organizations who make jobs, which is the fundamental need of our society. Do not allow use of financial class distinction, such as people who have more than two pairs of shoes or cars newer than 2010, to cloud the vision of the general public.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Kill the Dream Act
We all know that a dream is a fantasy. It has little basis in fact and in most cases an impossibility of realization. I dream that I am President of the United States. I also dream that I am standing at the top of Mount Everest. Does that mean that I should be making plans to fulfill those dreams? Should I expect that the taxpayers give me a grant so that I can organize a trip to the top of Mount Everest?
Forget the Dream Act. It's a ridiculous consideration brought about by super liberalism and compassion abuse. Every dollar that would be spent on fostering the education of an illegal person (child or adult) is a dollar out of the pocket of the public who would have no say on whether to make that contribution. There is plenty of room for private donations by people who could support this. Do not engage in the consistent socialistic principle of making laws to spend other people's money, whether they agree or not.
Kill the Dream Act. Make it dead, dead, dead. Children born in the US are citizens and have a right of opportunity. Children not born in the US have no basis for opportunity in this country and should not be considered for taxpayer grants.
Let us remember that the whole basis of our growth through immigration was to accept people who could immediately contribute to the economic growth of the country. In the main, they had already received their education abroad and were able to then use it for opportunities in the US. People without skills were not previously accepted. Yes, we can change that policy. We can now accept any poor person who can bum a ride to the United States or scale a wall in the Southwest. Would this be the way we want to expand the standard of living of our citizenry? It wouldn't work. It would be a national redistribution of wealth. All citizens would become poorer as they support Dream Act noncitizens.
I have a rule of thumb for my life. I first take care of myself. After that and through the strength which I have achieved, I've been able to help others. I have seen the weak try to help the weak. It doesn't work. They both go down the tube. My way can also work on a national basis.
Forget the Dream Act. It's a ridiculous consideration brought about by super liberalism and compassion abuse. Every dollar that would be spent on fostering the education of an illegal person (child or adult) is a dollar out of the pocket of the public who would have no say on whether to make that contribution. There is plenty of room for private donations by people who could support this. Do not engage in the consistent socialistic principle of making laws to spend other people's money, whether they agree or not.
Kill the Dream Act. Make it dead, dead, dead. Children born in the US are citizens and have a right of opportunity. Children not born in the US have no basis for opportunity in this country and should not be considered for taxpayer grants.
Let us remember that the whole basis of our growth through immigration was to accept people who could immediately contribute to the economic growth of the country. In the main, they had already received their education abroad and were able to then use it for opportunities in the US. People without skills were not previously accepted. Yes, we can change that policy. We can now accept any poor person who can bum a ride to the United States or scale a wall in the Southwest. Would this be the way we want to expand the standard of living of our citizenry? It wouldn't work. It would be a national redistribution of wealth. All citizens would become poorer as they support Dream Act noncitizens.
I have a rule of thumb for my life. I first take care of myself. After that and through the strength which I have achieved, I've been able to help others. I have seen the weak try to help the weak. It doesn't work. They both go down the tube. My way can also work on a national basis.
Can We Compete with China and Russia?
C&EN's quote of the week is, "We may just press the pause button here for several years. But China is pressing the fast-forward button."
I will now add to that. "We have been eating political cheese for years, and we are now constipated."
The opportunities for private enterprise are now in China and Russia. Not in the US or Western Europe.
The reason for this is that China and Russia never established impediments to private industry. In their recent history of Communism/Socialism, private industry did not exist and therefore did not require any restrictions. Private industry now has a clear field in those countries.
Contrarily in the United States, we have continued year after year to establish private industry restrictions and have now reached the constipation stage. If private industry wants to do anything fast, they do it in China or Russia. It can't be done in the United States.
This does not necessarily mean that we are doomed to become a third world country equivalent to West Africa. It only means that we have to work twice as hard as China and Russia, because we must first undo all of the damage that was done in past years. However, before we can start on such a program, we must first recognize the problem, in government and in the people. As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and they are us."
Government is always in the leadership position. If it maintains its policy, as we have continued for the last two administrations and even before, it will become doomsday. First need is for government to recognize the requirement to do an about-face. It is doubtful that this will occur through the Present Administration. Our only hope is to get some kind of immediate response by a strong Congress. There's always a possibility of a new Administration in 2012, but every day that we wait is to our disadvantage.
I will now add to that. "We have been eating political cheese for years, and we are now constipated."
The opportunities for private enterprise are now in China and Russia. Not in the US or Western Europe.
The reason for this is that China and Russia never established impediments to private industry. In their recent history of Communism/Socialism, private industry did not exist and therefore did not require any restrictions. Private industry now has a clear field in those countries.
Contrarily in the United States, we have continued year after year to establish private industry restrictions and have now reached the constipation stage. If private industry wants to do anything fast, they do it in China or Russia. It can't be done in the United States.
This does not necessarily mean that we are doomed to become a third world country equivalent to West Africa. It only means that we have to work twice as hard as China and Russia, because we must first undo all of the damage that was done in past years. However, before we can start on such a program, we must first recognize the problem, in government and in the people. As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and they are us."
Government is always in the leadership position. If it maintains its policy, as we have continued for the last two administrations and even before, it will become doomsday. First need is for government to recognize the requirement to do an about-face. It is doubtful that this will occur through the Present Administration. Our only hope is to get some kind of immediate response by a strong Congress. There's always a possibility of a new Administration in 2012, but every day that we wait is to our disadvantage.
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