Tag: President Ronald Reagan

Another Effort to Reduce Competition

Over the past 35 years since Ronald Reagan became president we have seen a decline in competition in the United States. His words “Government is the problem” was a signal to those who could accumulate more wealth and control of businesses at the expense of America’s general welfare. Reagan’s philosophy was government should not interfere with business.  Thus we now have just four banking companies that control most finance. There is a handful of pharmacy chains, and a handful of supermarket chains spread across the nation that set the price you will pay for eggs, meat, and everything other food product.

List of largest banks in the United States

Rank Bank name   Headquarters
1 JPMorgan Chase            New York City, NY
2 Bank of America            Charlotte, North Carolina
3 Citigroup           New York City, NY
4 Wells Fargo            San Francisco, California

Chances are you do your banking at one of the branches of these companies.

List of largest drug store chains in the United States

  1. Walgreens
  2. CVS
  3. Rite Aid
  4. Walmart

Chances are you are buying some part of your drug supplies from one of these companies. Go into any of them and you will find their prices to be almost the same.

Now imagine what the cost of health care will be when the number of insurance providers is reduced. Did you know that Blue Cross and Blue Shield are both owned by Anthem? This is not a new fact.

Yesterday Centene said it will spend $6.3 billion to buy fellow insurer Health Net. Today Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna will spend about $35 billion to buy rival Humana. Now Health insurance giant Anthem presses for Cigna takeover at $54 billion.

Of course these companies argue that their consolidation will lower costs. For Who?

Will the federal government stop these consolidations? Who are the major contributors to presidential campaigns? Who provides the money to help your congressional representative and senator? Small donations are accepted but the big donors aren’t supporting those elected officials without receiving something in return.

Battle to Save the GOP

The United States system of government requires compromise if it is to function.  The two major poltical parties differ in so many way that it difficult to believe they are even from the same country.  There are many reasons for this situation.  Urban versus rural is the most obvious.

President Ronald Reagan “stood tough and strong against our — and humanity’s — enemies abroad, at home Reagan showed a congeniality to his political opponents. And he stood for and evinced a sunny optimism about both America and the American people. To him it was always “morning in America.””  From http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/04/bennett.reagan.optimism/   He compromised with Tip O’Neill, Democratic Speaker of the House.  

Americans want a well managed functioning government.  President Obama ran for election on the theme that he would be the man who would lead a government that would bring all Americans together. The president’s words, “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America – there is the United States of America.”  It didn’t happen.  His intent was in the right place but his ability to deliver has fallen far short.

It is obvious that Americans yearn for a president who can lead all the people regardless of their political party.

During the Obama presidency the GOP has NOT been the party of new ideas.  It has been the party of NO.  That has to change if the party is to survive.

That brings us to the group of potential candidates for the 2016 primaries. Who among the many can convince Americans that they can lead a divided nation?

Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan clearly is a well known participant who wants to prove to Americans that he could lead our politically divided nation.  So even though he is an avowed conservative, who has been reported to be an admirer of Ayn Rand, he wants to convey the idea that he could lead the nation even if the Democrats controlled one house of Congress and the Republicans controlled the other.  Thus, Mr. Ryan has forged a budget agreement compromise with Democrats.  It’s not something like President Ronald Reagan reaching an agreement with Democratic leader Thomas (Tip) O’Neill despite what Chris Matthews tries to imagine but at least they were talking to each other.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is another possibility along with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.  After all both of them are holding office in states that are typically Democratic.

That leaves out Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, Texas Governor Rick Perry, and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.  All have been strong conservatives.  None has shown any inclination for compromise.

Still the budget agreement is an indicator that Republicans are beginning to understand the path to their success is their willingness to reach agreement.  That ought to translate into agreement on the debt ceiling and immigration reform.

If the GOP says NO to those issues they can say goodbye to winning national elections.