Jobs for all if we get out of Afgghanistan?
David Sweet is a former professor at UCSC. He publishes once a month in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Recently, Mr. Sweet wrote a letter to the editor — to which James Jackson, Esq. responds:
Prize Hokum
“David Sweet advises that if we only leave Afghanistan, the government can guarantee reasonably paid jobs to all of us. I am sure they all nodded yes to this in his sociology class, but here in the real world this is prize hokum. Short of putting us all in the Re-elect Obama campaign committee, how will the government, which has no money but ours, do this?
Obama puzzle? Actions speak louder than words
Obama ran as a centrist. He governs as a leftist. He promised an end to bi-partisanship. He governs by out-sourcing legislation to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Obama talks about his health care. He has made over 40 speeches on health care. Though he talks a lot he has not written any legislation. That he leaves to Pelosi and Reid in Congress. Obama has shown no leadership abilities. Read Carl Rove’s new book.
Read the Wall Street Journal opinion page today: Obama raised the federal spending as a share of GDP from 20% to 25%. So now one quarter (1/4) of the private sector is under government control For 40 years the percent of government spending as a percent of GNP was roughly 20%. Now it is 25 percent. That is a huge increase.
With one fell swoop, Obama has increased the size of the federal government permanently to at least a quarter of the private economy. Did Obama make promises to increase the government size when he ran? No. But he certainly has increased the size of government.
And if he has his way, another 1/6th of the private economy — the health care industry — will also be under government (Obama) control.
As a psychologist, I say look at Obama’s actions. Obama’s actions speak louder than his words. written by Cameron Jackson DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
Seems, concerning health care, that the Obama government does not trust people to figure out what they need. I say trust people to figure out what health care they need AFTER they have information and choice. And WHEN they know that they have the power to make decisions that affect their pocket book.
Let people decide the same way they do when they purchase a cell phone.
Here is an example:
I needed to buy a cell phone as my dog ate my Blackberry. So I am out shopping to see what is now available.
Today, the cell phone stores are crowded in Watsonville, California. I take a look at both AT&T and Verizon. Many families go out Sunday afternoon to “shop” for cell phones. It is free entertainment. There are lots of hands on demos. People can try out the merchandise. They can ask questions. Plenty of people are there to assist and answer questions. And it does not cost a dime until the person signs a contract.
Why not use the same method to “sell” health care? Have “stores” where various options can compete and hawk their merchandise. Have different price health plans advertised.
Over here is the “beginning basic” health care plan — for a healthy young couple with no known health problems. And over there is the model for a family with two children and one more child on the way. And farther over there is a medical plan for the 50 year old couple with chronic health care problems.
Yes, information and choice are what Americans need to make good health care decisions for their families.
Obama Health Care makes for bigger government. A bigger government where people have less choice over their lives. So I say, oppose Omama Health Care.
Pain of Taxes New Jersey elected someone to make big changes. Like cut state spending. And, no more new taxes. And that is happening.
Why not cut taxes in California?
Let’s cut all government salaries over $100,000 to a flat $90,000 and see who wants the job. Let’s cut pensions so similar to the private sector. Government workers in certain jobs should get certain perks — but, given extra perks and security, they should not have the right to strike.
What say you to cutting taxes in California similar to New Jersey?
Below is an article on what New Jersey has accomplished since a Republican was swept into office.
See what Gov Christie of New Jersey HAS done. It makes sense that other states including California follow suit.
Adapted from Gov. Chris Christie’s remarks to about 200 mayors at a meeting of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
When I started in office, I had to close a $2.3 billion shortfall in the $29 bil lion annual budget — and only $14 billion was left. Of that $14 billion, $8 billion could not be touched — because of contracts with public-worker unions, bond covenants and commitments the state made in accepting federal stimulus money.
We had to find a way to save $2.3 billion in a $6 billion pool of money. The treasurer’s office presented me with 378 possible freezes and lapses to balance the budget; I accepted 375 of them.
While public pay booms, private-sector work is tough to find: Waiting to speak to recruiters at a Rutgers job fair earlier this year.
There’s a great deal of discussion about me doing that by executive action. Every day that went by was a day where money was going out the door such that the $6 billion pool was getting less and less. Something needed to be done — and the people didn’t send me here to talk; they sent me here to do.
As we look ahead three weeks to my fiscal year 2011 budget address, you all need to understand the context from which we operate.
Our citizens — New Jersey — are already the most overtaxed in America. You mayors know that the public appetite for ever-increasing taxes has reached an end.
So we’re going to reduce spending at the state level — because we have no choice.
We also have an obligation to work with the Legislature to give mayors the tools to reduce spending at the municipal level. The pension and benefit reform package just passed in the Senate is only a beginning. We need to change the rules of arbitration to level the playing field. The ever-increasing raises being given to public-sector workers as a result of the arbitration system tells us that.
By the same token, I’m tired of hearing superintendents and school-board members complain that there are no other options than raising property taxes. There are other options.
After a two-year negotiation, Marlboro gave teachers a five-year contract with 4.5 percent annual salary increases — with zero contribution to health-care benefits. Yet I’m sure there are people in Marlboro who’ve lost their jobs, who’ve had their homes foreclosed on, who can’t keep a roof over their family’s head.
There’s something wrong.
At some point, there has to be parity between what’s happening in the real world, and what’s happening in the public-sector world. The money doesn’t grow on trees outside government buildings. It comes from the hardworking people of our communities who are hurting right now.
In this instance, the political class (of which all of us here are members) is lagging behind the public. The public is ready to hear that tough choices have to be made.
They’re not going to like it. But they’re tired of hearing, “Don’t worry. I can spare you from the pain.” They’ve been hearing that for a decade, as we have borrowed and spent and taxed our way into oblivion.
State government has done every quick fix in the book. Now we’re left holding the bag.
All of you know in your heart that what I am saying is true. You know that we can’t afford these raises that are being given to public employees of all stripes. You know the state can’t continue to spend money it doesn’t have. And you know that the appetite for tax increases among our constituents has come to an end. So the path to reform and success is clear. We just have to have the courage to go there.
What we’re doing is showing people that government can work again for them, not for us. It has worked for the political class for much too long.
There’s no time left. We have no room left to borrow. We have no room left to tax.
Forget about the next election, the next newspaper editorial, the next angry letter or phone call from someone who wants something for nothing. It’s time for us to show courage and resolve.
We can do it — because we are from New Jersey. And I have never, in all my travels around the country, met a group of tougher people.
I listened to the Town Meetings which you held. You were adamantly for a government option, Single Payer plan. You did not listen to the folks who want to keep their own health plan and do not want more government control. You kept saying “oh, you can keep your plan …”
But that is pie in the sky if the private sector is driven out of business by the federal government.  You know what happened with Flood Insurance; no private company will ensure for floods in Santa Cruz  as the federal government drove out all competition.
Consider the very low government rates paid to psychologists: As a licensed California psychologist I know that the rates paid by the government for Medical/ Medicare patients are ridiculously low — about 1/3 of what most psychologists charge. And there is all that paperwork or computer forms to be filled out. In Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties, less than 5 psychologists out of more than 100+ are willing to take Medical.   Frankly, I prefer to provide pro bono services — free services — than deal with the government.
I agree with you Mr. Farr that we do need health care reform. But I disagree with you as to how to do it. The ideas listed below are ones that lots of people have suggested.
It does not make sense to turn control of 1/6 th of the economy —- the health care sector –over to the federal government. This is not healthy change that We the People want.
There are lots of small changes in health care that can be done one by one instead of by BIG government fiat. The overriding goal should be to put power back in the hands of individuals and families to make decisions for themselves. Here’s how:
Health care savings accounts. Big changes can b e achieved in small steps. First and foremost, put control of health care dollars in the hands of employees — rather than under the control of employers . With health care savings accounts individuals and families can decide what they need. And buy only what they want.
Portability. Let health care plans follow employees from job to job.
Encourage competition to reduce price. Just like buying oranges from Florida in Nebraska, let people shop for health insurance across state lines.
Prior existing conditions. Let each state create their own pool and finance it through a combination of state and federal money.
Reform Medicare so that providers (doctors, psychologists, speech pathologists) are willing to work for the rates offered and allow them to “package” services to encourage preventative care.Once Medicare is reformed then incrementally expand coverage to various groups that are not covered. Train more doctors and nurses ahead of time before expanding the system. Eliminate fraud.
Reduce unnecessary procedures. Cap the amount of money that anyone can get in a malpractice suit.  Yes, tort reform!  Funny how neither the House or Seanate bills contained such a simple yet powerful solution. A number of states have already implemented it — including California.
These changes can be done one  at at a time. Get agreement by both parties. Discuss issues in a transparent manner — not behind closed doors.
What you, Nancy Pelosi  and others are doing is trying to do is grab control for the sake of control Health care “reform” is a means to an end — government control.
Some  Democrats recently bowed out months before the 2010 elections. Maybe, after 20+ years on the job it is time for you to rest?   Cameron Jackson  DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
