Society’s Responsibility to Senior Citizens

Personally I have had more medical treatment since turning 60. It’s no fun getting old! I am not alone.

I do not need a study to tell me that the people receiving the most medical care are senior citizens. All I have to do is go to local medical care facilities and this fact is quickly verified. Most of the handicapped parking is full. Seniors are more prevalent in the hallways and elevators. So it is no surprise that Medicare is an expensive program.

This week’s Newsweek cover story is “The Case for Killing Granny.” I think it accurately tells the story of most elderly people who have reached the end of life. Families are trying to make the correct decisions and where possible respecting the wishes of that loved one.

The article fairly identifies the fact that doctors and hospitals in the big cities do have high earnings. The fees they charge are not posted anywhere and that is causing government programs to put caps on fees. I do not know any middle income doctors in Los Angeles. Their cries about high malpractice insurance costs run afoul of their propensity for living in high income neighborhoods and driving high end cars.

My own mother is now in a skilled nursing facility. It’s really an extension of the hospital where she stayed for four nights. She has dementia but that is really her only disease. Her entry into the hospital was the result of neglect at a board and care facility. She weighs 96 pounds and that is an improvement from last week’s weight of 93 pounds. She really doesn’t want to eat more food. She is on an intravenous line that hydrates her. This is most likely the end of her life. Her medical power of attorney says take no extraordinary steps to preserve her life. She seems to be happy and so we are visiting her daily. My sister hopes she will recover but that is an unlikely event. A higher power will decide when she will take her final breath.

If we are the highly moral society that is our claim then it is essential that each family decide the measures to be taken to preserve life. This cannot be a determination of government. The federal government took on the financial responsibility when Medicare was implemented. If Medicare, or Social Security, runs short of money then it is society’s responsibility to ensure we are all provided a comfortable retirement and health care too.

DEPLORABLE

President Barack Obama calls the shooting of a Michigan anti-abortion activist “deplorable.” That is not a word that everyone understands. If anything it is too mild a word to use when discussing a murder. That is the word Mr. Obama is quoted as using in an AP report.

Words like Appalling, Unacceptable, and Shocking are more appropriate to an act of violence. The problem is the president’s use of words like “deplorable.” Afraid to upset anyone and everyone he chooses his words so carefully that he does not impart what he really means. How could he not have used the words Unpardonable or Unforgivable to describe his feelings? He should have said, “The killing of anyone is appalling and shocking.”

The answer is obvious. Our president is afraid he will alienate part of the electorate. That is the reason he carefully chooses his words in his speeches about health care, the Afghanistan War, or any other topic. Mr. Obama is first and foremost a politician. He obviously understands the value of diplomacy. In this instance he does not want to alienate anyone in the abortion debate so he used this mediocre word that does not connote the seriousness of the actions of an accused killer.

In his campaign for president Barack Obama used the words “change you can believe in” and “the time for change is now.” That was great use of rhetoric speech. He just never defined his vision of change. A majority of Americans bought his pitch. The results are awful and that is the same as deplorable.

Health Insurance for Illegal Aliens

The debate about no health insurance for illegal aliens is too one dimensional. This issue has many implications that have not been discussed at all. Even a non-expert can ask some very important questions that are not easily answered.

1. An illegal alien has a communicable disease. One member of the family comes to a hospital looking for care. In the process of treatment a doctor concludes that the entire family is most likely infected. The family has already come in contact with many other people. Who will the government treat and who will pay for the treatment?

2. To ensure that no medical care is given to illegal aliens everyone will have to be issued an identity card. Won’t those who oppose national identity cards see the issuance of these medical ID cards as a step toward systems of identity that so many Americans oppose?

3. A female illegal alien is pregnant and has no money for health care. Will the government provide the care needed for the mother and later for the child or will they be put out onto the street?

4. If an illegal alien child comes to a hospital with a broken limb or other non- communicable ailment will he/she be turned away?

5. Will public clinics and hospitals that now do not ask about citizenship not provide services to illegal aliens?

6. If we provide a “path to citizenship” for illegal aliens, will those following regulations be included in a national health insurance plan? If they are low wage earners where will the money come from to pay for their care?

These are all difficult moral questions that will be debated long and hard. Local government agencies throughout the country are now providing these services. Where is this situation going? Who wants to say “no” to the least able among us?

Health Care By Barack Obama

Nothing New Here

President Obama is an outstanding speaker. Tonight’s health care presentation to Congress was no exception. The reaction of both political parties was predictable.

The president wisely did not draw any lines that could not be crossed. He did throw a few bones to the Republicans in the hopes of winning the support of some moderates in that party. The outstanding of those was tort reform.

The often repeated goals of a revised health care system is

lower costs
cover all Americans
drive quality
and be paid for (without impacting the federal budget)

Unfortunately the number one goal was mostly ignored with the exception of the president’s contention that insurance companies are making added profits in the Medicare system. He did not say Medicare Advantage programs but that is most likely the target of his comment.

There was no discussion about actually lowering costs of health care. There was no discussion about improving the quality of care. Mr. Obama’s focus was on ensuring that no one would be denied health care and that everyone has affordable health care by setting maximum out of pocket payments.

Unless moderate Democrats and Republicans reach a compromised plan there will be no changes in our health care system. Today my bet is on “business as usual.”

Is Mexico a Failing State?

This is not news. Mexico is becoming a failed state. Just Google these words “Mexico is a failed state” and you will see at least eight articles on the subject.

Wikipedia says the term failed state is often used by political commentators and journalists to describe a state perceived as having failed at some of the basic conditions and responsibilities of a sovereign government. In order to make this definition more precise, the following attributes, proposed by the Fund for Peace, are often used to characterize a failed state:

loss of physical control of its territory, or of the monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force therein,
erosion of legitimate authority to make collective decisions,
an inability to provide reasonable public services, and
an inability to interact with other states as a full member of the international community.

Common characteristics of a failing state include a central government so weak or ineffective that it has little practical control over much of its territory; non-provision of public services; widespread corruption and criminality; refugees and involuntary movement of populations; and sharp economic decline.

The level of government control required to avoid being considered a failed state varies considerably amongst authorities. Furthermore, the declaration that a state has “failed” is generally controversial and, when made authoritatively, may carry significant geopolitical consequences.

The Associated Press reported a “Gunmen killed a state congressional candidate and his wife and two sons in their home Saturday in the Gulf coast state of Tabasco, in southern Mexico.” Gangs are the suspected killers.

It’s happening all over Mexico. Is Mexico a failed state now? That depends on your definition. The United States government needs to be more concerned about its southern neighbor and the impact on our own nation. Mexico could become a haven for terrorists that could bring significant harm to Americans.

The Great Recession of 2007 to 2010

Despite the stock market’s recent optimism there is nothing to celebrate! No industries are in a growth mode now.

New claims for unemployment benefits declined from 574,000 to 570,000 for the week ending August 29. It most likely is no change because the weekly report is a preliminary number. In the previous week the preliminary number was 570,000 and was adjusted up to 574,000. The September 4 report of 9.7% unemployment rate for August supports this column. Retail sales are down for most national chains.

The very worst layoffs are probably over but the rate is still astonishingly high. When there is no recession the weekly layoffs amount to about 350,000 people. The lay off rate in excess of 600,000 people per week lasted for 14 weeks. So now everyone is celebrating nine weeks of layoffs in the 500,000 to 600,000 range. Even as I write this commentary the AP headlines a story Improving economy not likely to lower jobless rate. This does support my contention that we won’t see job growth any time soon.

The stimulus package has not done its job. Those opposing it were correct. The government posted distribution confirms the argument that too little of the stimulus money would not be put into the economy quickly enough to create any short term benefit.

Recessions are frequently the time for new business ideas. I believe that will be the source of our next boom.

al-Qaida Does Not Need Afghanistan

The Associate Press reported today that these are the five measures that Obama will use to decide if the anticipated request for more troops is an appropriate action.

-The concern about how Afghans, Americans and NATO allies would view a troop increase

-How force size changes might be countered by al-Qaida propaganda and tactics.

-What impact any change would have on neighboring and nuclear-armed Pakistan, where the al-Qaida leadership – including Osama bin Laden – are believed hiding along the rugged, mountainous border.

-The effect on the “health” of U.S. forces, already strained from repeated deployments in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

-How more forces effectively would propel Obama’s goal of denying al-Qaida and its Taliban allies safe havens in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Mr. President the list of consideration ought to include 1)the likelihood of another attack on the United States if U.S. forces are entirely withdrawn from Afghanistan. After all al-Qaida can set up camp in another country. 2)Is Afghanistan crucial to al-Qaidas desire to harm America.

The press ought to be doing more to answer these questions. There is nothing in the press to indicate al-Qaida needs Afghanistan and neither does the United States.