Why the name Ranch Chimp? it was in humour because, science says that humans have similar DNA to a chimpanzee,so I felt some way related biologically to a chimpanzee. 2nd, everytime I was out of Texas on a vacation or for whatever reason I’m always asked things like, do I live on a ranch?,or have cattle? so I commonly call Dallas the Ranch. "Politically Depressed" was also humour inspired by the 1993- 2002 Bill Maher TV/ tele show "Politically Incorrect".
This choice for the music/ arts honour roll society of this journal, is to honour and highlight some of the worx of "Bad Brains" over their 4 decades as a crew ... and a crew that brings back great memories for me! {:-) Out of Washington, DC, they were early pioneers on influencing so many in the hardcore- punk genre, they changed the face of punk basically, while introducing the hardcore punk sound that was coming into the punk genre, giving it more complexity through their compositions and instrumental work, lead guitar, rhythms/ riffs, with outstanding percussions and bass, as well as the vocal versatility of lead vocalist/ frontman H.R. (who originally started as a guitarist in the crew), who can cover a wide range of vocal work, and liked doing backflips on stage in the early dayz. The band influenced by music from classic soul like Stevie Wonder to the Sex Pistols and just about everything in between of contemporary music, started as a jazz fusion group called "Mind Power", who also worked in reggae, hip- hop, metal to funk ... and ended up with the name "Bad Brains" inspired by the Ramones song "Bad Brain". Although the crew broke up a number of times and had a changeover with other musicians and direction differences, the original lineup came back together and still active. But they really had some ups and downs throughout all, from break ups to health issues and even getting ripped off contractually at a point ... yet still managed 9 albums, I even still have some of their early work on audio cassette, that was only released on cassette. But all and all, just a really tight crew that kicks ass!
I first seen Bad Brains sometime in the mid- 1980's is why this brings back great memories, because I seen them at the "Theatre Gallery" in Dallas, which had to be one of the best underground venues I have been to and frequented (totally independent and unregulated), and I have been to many. This place was where you hung out with the performers/ band and partied all night after hours, and all ages ... it was not officially a nightclub, it had no liquor license (so you basically bring anything you want and just about anything goes), so off the chart, and even the Dallas Police Chief's daughter worked there underage, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh {:-), kind of place where everyone knows everyone ... or will. Several buddies I knew had worked there and played music there ... Jimmy Heath worked there even as a soundman ... who later became known as "Reverend Horton Heat", the "Butthole Surfers" recorded a live album there, many large acts when they first started came through there, from the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" to "Jane's Addiction" and so many others before they got big and still was touring the dive joints, students/ musicians from the arts high school downtown (where my daughter later attended and played music at for 4 years in the early 2000's along with "Johnny Arco") would pay extra money just to try to give the place financial support ... wow! the memories! {:-) Bad Brains was really a good raw and loud show, and Thanx to these gents for their music and inspiration to upcoming musicians! ... Enjoy!
This posting will serve as Part 4 of the "Student Debt Crisis" series of this journal. I wanted to open the posting with an interview with Keely Mullen at the end of last year, who is a key organizer and spokesperson for the "Million Student March", because she has been the conservatives laugh of the year candidate (and even some mainstream liberals), and many in conservative media jumped all over this interview like a cheap suit on sunday, to use this for political and fiscal entertainment. Some laugh at Keely and say that students like her are so dumb and so out of touch with reality, and labeled as a spoiled rich girl ... if she didnt live a middle class life and was poor, they would call her a lazy welfare recipient that lives in her parents basement, I'm sure. Yet some of those same folks that criticize her are so dumb themselves and out of touch with reality, that they label her as being part of the "1%- percent", just because her dad paid $1,000,000 for their home in a decent middle income Chicago neighbourhood, and because Keely attended an expensive college (New Boston Post) . I mean like ... how paying $1million for a home in a major metro area like Chicago makes you in the "1%" ???!! ... my daughter just recently had some familia in town visiting from the Bay Area (San Francisco), who had to pay close to a million for just a basic nice but modest square footage home I was told while talking about recent real estate prices, and that's not in the central San Francisco at that!, and most other major metro areas are the same in 2016. No ... Keely and her familia is NOT in the 1% ... she may not be poor, but certainly not rich either (by my thinking ... see chart below), so before you insult this young lady, 'think' ... because some of your figures/ numbers are screwed up as well ... and if what you call her as far as the 1% is true by your standards, several of ya'll are also part of the 1%, eh? Keely is on the right track of thinking and at least questioning, and I commend her and all the students who question and push this serious issue ... for their work, endurance, courage and vision. Below she is ate alive by Neil Cavuto of FOX News, and of course Neil was praised as a hero of sort after this, but nothing he should be proud of, after all, Neil is smooth and sharp, which is like if you're on the witness stand with hardly no legal background/ knowledge, and have to face a clever smooth talking prosecuting attorney in a cross examination, Neil just got lucky to get this young lady to interview, who wasnt ready for him, if he would have went up against someone sharp as he is, he would have a real challenge. After the interview, will be the question from Hannah and John that many ask, can this free tuition gig even be feasible? ... then a few links and videos to look at both sides of this, after that, some additional input from me to close out ....
***** CNN/ MONEY: How close are you to the top 1%? ... in all fairness, according to this 2014 chart/ scale, if you have an annual household income of $430,000 ... you are considered as the top 1% ... so obviously my thinking of "what is rich or not", is wrong and screwed up as well. My point being ... say for example, you have a married couple that are both physicians/ doctors ... and say they bring in a combined income of $300,000 a year (which is considered the top 3%), they have 2 children for example, and all the usual expenses, and own a home with a property value of a million dollars, they are certainly wealthier income wise than I am ... but I do not consider them as rich, I see multi- millionaires and billionaires as rich (Wall Street folks for example, that get million+ dollar annual bonuses, that basically just "gamble"). But I dont hold it against them either, many people have really earned their wealth, nor do I want to drain "all" their wealth in taxes, but a fair amount of tax is all part of living in our society. No doubt though, this to me is absolutely hilarious now ... with so many professionals, and many even in debt themselves we have that fall into the "rich" category, that will be trying to explain how they are not rich! ... heh, heh, heh, heh, heh {:-) What matters though is not so much ... how much money you have?, but where your obligations and commitments are, which is importante to our country and needs. Take Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is also attacked because of her money ... by these figures/ standards, her net worth of what she makes on the side from book sales, speeches, investments, salary, and paid for her home, she would fall into a category of RICH, not nearly as rich as say Hillary "Dead Broke" Clinton for example ... but still rich. What is importante though is what folks like Warren, Keely or anyone else are doing to deal with these issues that are ignored too much, not their net worth.
Students want top earners to pay their tuition ... Thanx to Fox Business
Thomas Hudson Pickering aka "Ranch Chimp", "Commie Tommie" & "Skool" (short for old school) to kid's locally
This student debt deal the way it is now, and being one of the largest of debt currently, is just getting deeper and deeper, which will be a crisis to the economy if not already at some point without actual change in how we do things, and no credit to Congress who neglects this the way they have, while telling us repeatedly that our crisis is ISIS, terrorism or whatever. Another point here ... we are far from being broke, all that talk is more austerity measures and privatization talk ... our spending priorities are way out of whack, especially on our overbloated defense spending and other waste, politicians more concerned with politics and appeasing corporate lobbyist's in this expanding neo- dictatorship of corporate communism ... and much credit for screwing us can go to the U.S.Supeme Court and rulings like "Citizens United" ... and Hell NO, I dont support Merrick Garland either as President Obama's Supreme Court pick, what? ... another corporate litigation expert in these times? ... although some in corporate law says he has not enough corporate law experience (as far as working a diverse selection), and some worry about him being bad for mega corporate business, and too pro- environment. I cant figure out from what I read where Garland stands on things like "Citizens United", which is a big issue in these times too. We need more than the same old "repeat offenders", and to try to get rid of money in politics as it's now become, those are some of the real enemies to our economy and much else, and also reason why we are indirectly inciting terrorism through our own actions. The talk that we hear as well, as far as the rich being taxed too much or what Mr.Cavuto tries to peddle off on Keely in the opening video is bullshit, and the usual fear talk that if we dont kiss the asses at the top, they will leave the country and we will fall into eternal poverty and all be in soup kitchens, etc, etc. As far as folks like myself are concerned, for those who we generously support with massive corporate and banking welfare, tax breaks, subsidies, militarily defending them, their global assets and private properties ... go ahead and leave for all we give a shit if you feel so deprived and picked on, which we constantly hear in their whining propaganda, see how many other countries with half a brain will give ya'll the free ride we do, and put up with you! Many of the wealthiest folks at the top (multi millionaires and billionaires by my standards), hardly pay a damn thing in taxes with all else they get ... many draw more benefits, subsidies, taxation loopholes, than the bottom 99% could ever even dream of in a lifetime, and are pampered like babies still in the crib by us. At the same time though ... simply trying to tax the richest the max we can will NOT solve all our problems ... we need serious spending reforms in this country of our tax dollars.
When I listen to all angles to this and the 2 sides that battle each other and saying the other is wrong ... incorporating 2 angles who are called wrong can make things closer to right. I see this as similar to the health care problem we have, just ill spending and oversight is all, and a battle of $bux$ more than anything else, because the money is already there. No, I know how importante the system we have is, due to the investments and colleges/ universities/ higher education and all have put into it for decades, and alot of debt is still there any way we cut it. But other ideas need to be tried and to make what we do spend on work better, we do have many wayz now for young people to get help and paid tuition, and other grants, and a long list ... BUT ... starting up a "partial" free college system will NOT hurt our spending or those institutions who have higher levels of quality to offer. So I feel that a certain amount right now of free colleges/ universities for everyone to choose from is a good start, and it broadens competition, and cuts out some of the folks that are simply into profiteering only, who could care less about selling an education, and are more out to just milk the system with fly- by- night trade schools and colleges. Just like our health care system, it is too large to just shut out what we have without it hurting the economy in some other way ... we just need to clean house and have some limitations and competition to discourage a total monopoly like we have. Not everyone will choose to attend these free colleges either ... like health care with a partial public option, there is much to choose from and people can spend all they want still on what they want. This propaganda talk that folks like Bernie Sanders wants to make everything free is nonsense panic talk, just like when he or someone talks about a single payer health plan ... he/ they are not proposing to shut down everything we have as far as education, health care or anything else, or will it be the end of the world and country, back in the 1930's Social Security was also said to be the end to freedom, democracy, capitalism and America ... so nothing more than old school politics, and it's MORE freedom of choice actually, and a kind of buy one get one free deal. If it proves to work well and sells itself in the market place ... it will sell itself into a growing demand, like with any business venture ... if it fails like any business should in true capitalism, so be it as well ... but try it out and make it happen, that is all these students and advocates of this are asking, basically in a way for a freer expanded market/ choice. Which can all be looked at as being also more fiscally conservative and even innovative as far as marketing, eh? ... I mean, even folks like Mr.Carvuto could even agree with that, eh?, he acknowledges that folks like Keely make alot of good points ... well then, make it happen.
Back when I was young, the economy was different, and many could make a decent living with decent retirement and benefits on a middle class level with just a high school diploma. Today we have a different economy, and instead of a mass of car manufacturing, steel worker or related jobs ... we will have to structure for the newer middle class, as I point out here in paragraph#2, there are going to be many new jobs and careers that will be needed to fill, most of those to sustain a middle class that will spend and invest in our future economy, will need college/ university education degrees, to get anything close to what we could back when I was a kid with a high school diploma. We all agree to an extent that public paid education K thru 12 is/ was essential to our economy and progress, in this new economy, who can deny that it should and must be expanded for at least another 4 years to keep our nation competitive? Many of these other countries that have health care and extended public education for all to some extent, who dont nearly have the GDP we have in USA, do not have masses of people eating in soup kitchens, or even the percentage of homelessness we have, nor do you see mega corporations trying to flee from doing business in them countries, so they must be doing something right, eh? And comparing what our situation is to Greece, or 'would be' is not a balanced view, this IS NOT Greece, anymore than it is Germany, each country has their own unique economic climate, faults and needs, regardless of how global we are, just like these dime a dozen trade deals like TPP and NAFTA that are peddled off on us through our corporate/ banking pre- paid politicians ... we need to evaluate what is best for our economic climate and condition. We should be more concerned improving our economy and education, than being concerned how many corporate sponsored immigrants from Asian countries we can can bring in per year, to take up all these new careers at cheaper wages, that our children and grandchildren are paying an arm and a leg for their degrees at over- inflated interest rates (which also needs to be tackled), many accruing massive debt for years to come in the tens of thousands. While we are being told we should worry about Mexicans and Central American's coming over the border to do contracting menial jobs, that those telling us this garbage exploit themselves, those immigrants from south of our border, are not running our economy or jobs market into the ground as they try to tell us ... so getting our priorities straight is sensible as far as our economy. Credit to all these folks and students once again, who are pressuring our Congress to take action and bringing awareness, and thank goodness for social and alternative media and grassroots efforts, which is in order, justified and past due ... enough from me.
This posting will serve 2 series of this journal "From The FOXHOLE with Bernie" and "Veterans Spotlight" both ... but will not have the usual Bernie Sanders highlighted speeches. What inspired this posting is several reasons ... the morning news from last nights Super Tuesday Democratic wins (NY Times), some folks that are Sanders supporters here in Dallas and their opinions they shared with me over the last several months, and Sanders supporters opinions that I have read online, various talk in the mainstream media today that Bernie Sanders is basically finished, etc ... even my daughter who is a Sanders supporter texted me on the way to work this morning, asking me how many states Bernie won last night? Well, for Bernie supporters ... it's NOT good news, and in some cases, Clinton is winning in big numbers ... but NO reason either to just throw in the towel, I havent seen Bernie giving up yet, eh? I wanted to highlight Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI) for this posting as inspiration, and also put her in the Veterans Spotlight series for her service as a veteran to this country, as well as serving our veterans in civilian/ political life, and representing the people in this country. Tulsi back a few weeks ago had some conflict as a vice- chair on the DNC, and with Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz ... but thanx to folks like Tulsi and others, at least we got more debates, town halls and such as Democratic voters, if no one would have spoke up about this and bring it out in the open, nothing would have been done, believe me. Tulsi had to also step down as vice- chair, because she was supposed to stay neutral in that position, not favouring one candidate or another, which she done ... it would be great if everyone was that honest ... and I commend her for her strength against what she dont see as balanced and fair, and standing up to it. And no, for the record, I do no way support Wasserman Schultz at all, I believe that she is not only damaging to the Democratic Party, but also a sell out to the corporate money, even in her own state of Florida and selling out the Floridian people. While Schultz may be dividing the party now ... if Clinton gets the nomination ... she will soon have to be making a 180 to try to unite Democrat voters ... and if you do lose some Democrat voters ... you have no one to blame but yourselves in the DNC.
I noticed though that many Bernie supporters that I talk to and view online are angry at what they see and experience, and many of them are younger voters, some even saying that if Clinton got the nomination they would go as far as supporting Trump. As for myself, I can tell you I would never vote for the Republican Party choice though in these times (nothing personal against Trump, only the party, even the establishment Republicans despise him), regardless of how disappointed I may be, I mean ... I just dont go that route, but to each their own, and I would certainly never encourage one to ... if anything, you could go to the Green Party (a party that actually deserves votes). Some say they would write in a candidate, but that can get tricky on how the law varies from state to state, so you better check before you go into a voting booth expecting to be able to do that ... I'm fairly sure (been awhile since I read the rules/ law) that in the Texas general election for President you cannot do that. I dont even try to influence my own daughter on how to vote as some parents or familia may do, if my daughter told me she voted for Ted Cruz, I would have no conflict with her choice whatsoever. On the other hand, my wife supports Hillary Clinton as a voter ... my wife dont keep up with politics at all, the economy or much else like I do, she is just a straight lifelong Democrat voter ... but she just said she wants to see a woman President, and I understand how her and other women thinx it's past due ... because it is. I tell anyone young whether it's my own children or grandchildren, or those younger people I talk to in life, to do what is in their heart and be strong and determined. My daughter for instance chose Sanders on her own will and choice, my stepgrandson who also favours Sanders the same, this is what they told me, without me giving my own opinion and views ... I would NEVER try to influence them on anything that I feel they should choose on their own and experience on their own without my interference, period ... I dont see dictating to kidz/ young people what they should think or believe, as healthy parenting/ adult advice anywayz ... how would you ever learn or think freely? But when people young or old, familia or not, say they reject the garbage that is fed to them politically ... I couldnt agree with them more. Personal choice especially in voting is very importante ... and the young voices are the backbone of the future of this country. I also agree with Tulsi Gabbard below especially on this out of control military intervention and spending, the cost as far as lives of our troops, inciting terrorism retaliations, and what we spend to police the globe ... in these so called regime changes, occupations, invasions, the corporate communism behind it, and the rest, which I write plenty about in this journal/ blog.
I also noticed that some establishment Democrats that support Clinton seem to think that many younger voters, which some are even first timers that support Sanders, are just dumb kidz that dont understand how the world worx (which is their point, they do understand how corrupt it is, and want real change), they say these young people just stay in the basement of their parents house, dont work, and just cause trouble for the mainstream society and politics. Many young people work damn hard on part time jobs while trying to get higher education, and hope that they can get out of debt just on their education by their 30's, and are railroaded as a whole by both of these political parties and corrupt system ... many who also serve our nation in the military. Perhaps ya'll older voters are in the dark and stereotype these young people, young people that are ignored, disenfranchised, and used as a commodity or bargaining chip. NO, many young people may question and disagree maybe because their brains havent been totally corrupted yet, and they see how disingenuous and corrupt some of these candidates are. I take these stereotypical opinions of our children and grandchildren as an insult ... you disrespect not only people like Black Lives Matter, but most of our kidz that dont fall into compliance with your corrupt decades old mentality. My daughter who supports Sanders does not live in a goddamn basement! ... she worx hard in her career and marketing firm in a management position. My stepgrandson does not live in a goddamn basement either, he is at UT@ Arlington working on his degree in civil engineering and the environment ... both worked hard and scored well in grades and received scholarships. Obviously Congresswoman Gabbard does not live in a goddamn basement either, eh? ... and is a strong and determined decorated veteran, and one of the first women combat veterans to serve in the Congress. If you want to insult someone on them grounds, you can start with me, I'm 60 years old, been on my own since the age of 14 (so you know I didnt live in my parents basement) ... and I was really a defiant SOB!, completed 8th grade as far as education, and grew up on the streets in urban America, alwayz into mischief, juvenile detentions, etc ... and I'm white, so there is plenty to insult about me. When compliance is without reason and out of order ... defiance, questioning and rebellion is alwayz in order, you will never achieve change without it. More from Tulsi below ....
Word Out ....
The Judgement to Lead: Why I'm Endorsing Bernie Sanders ... Thanx to TULSI GABBARD
Tulsi Gabbard: I don't fear Clintons ... Thanx to CBSN
***** POST NOTE: I know a guy, who I've known for many years, retired now, but less than a decade ago worked part- time around elections (on payroll) in the Latino Democratic Party branch here in Dallas County, and he is a lifelong establishment Democrat. Well ... just recently while dropping by to visit ... he told me that he thought Clinton was such a bad choice for the Democratic nomination, that he actually said he feels that Trump may even be a better President than Clinton, although he dont like Trump because of his criticism of Mexicans (he is Mexican American), but said ... that Trump would probably be alot more honest and focused on America's needs, than having someone like "Hillary and Bill Clinton" back in the White House.
This posting will serve for the "Health Care Reform" and "Jill Stein" series of this journal. I wanted to record this in here, because we have 2 physicians here that are very politically active as well, and a good piece they wrote together linked below in the Truthdig link that is very straight forward concerning health care in the U.S., and after a follow up video interview with both on TheRealNews. This is an issue that we need to hammer and talk about, because here in the U.S. we are getting burned/ ripped off, period ... and that includes talking about the ACA (aka ObamaCare), instead of just brainwashing ourselves into thinking that we have anything even close to universal health care, or whatever other nonsense that is peddled off on us. I been posting on this since early in this journal, especially on this Health Care SNOWEjob (related series), because I suspected it was going to turn out to be a sham, and it basically turned out as I expected it to. My sister-in-law Margie and her husband Fred are in town for a couple weeks visiting from Toronto,ON (Canada), Margie worked in the Canadian Health Care system for over 3 decades in nursing, she doesnt keep up much with politics or health care issues like Fred, but Fred and I had got into some heavy conversation sharing with each other on the subject of health care and social, public needs, services and related, the benefits there for health care and even job benefits and retirement are different than here as far as security, Fred explained to me after a job related injury/ accident ... how he as a citizen and company employee was well taken care of.
In Canada, both liberals and conservatives support and accept the idea and necessity of some type of national health care (and you can buy also private insurance, hospital rooms or whatever you choose), not like here in U.S. where liberal and conservative politicians are telling us corporate dictated stupidity like either ... "it cant be done", or "it's the end of choice and democracy ... and a road to communism and euthanasia", etc. You hear excuses that Canada is easier to cover since we have nearly 10x times the population, look at it like this ... it would also have 10x times more folks paying into it here, eh? I havent lived in Canada in years, since back when I lived in Montreal,QC (early 1970's), so it was interesting and educational having Fred enlighten me on Canada today on these issues, and Fred was actually blown away when I explained to him what we have in the U.S. when he asked, because he didnt quite understand it, he was so confused at first, on how we do things here ... and surprised when I gave him the reality and rundown on why it is like it is. Even though we are next door neighbours as far as bordering each other (Canada/ US), when it comes to health care, prescription medicine and other social/ public services, we are like an ocean apart. Even in Mexico, another American country like Canada that borders us, which I'm more up to date on their health care system these dayz than Canada, also has national health care ... But the U.S., in the middle of these 2 American countries, sayz "it cant be done" despite being the most prosperous and wealthy country of all ... explain that. But on to Jill and Margaret below, and big Thanx to both ... then I will add a bit to it after, much of which I was explaining to Fred.
These are NOT a joke below, these retail stores are actually going into the health care industry ... inside of their stores! Like who's next? ... maybe "7- Eleven", "McDonald's"?
Thomas Hudson Pickering aka "Ranch Chimp", "Commie Tommie" & "Skool" (short for old school) to kid's locally
***** U.S. CARE BEAR INSURANCE
I like to think of our insurance in U.S. as "Care Bear" insurance, since we have ObamaCare, we had RomneyCare in Massachusetts ... and Hillary Clinton sayz she came up with HillaryCare long ago, in a recent debate. Being that you would have to have the education level of a toddler to think that we have anything remotely close to universal health care {:-)
I have to resort to folks like the Green Party for straight talk on these issues, because unfortunately in our country, it is others out of the mainstream of the 2 dominating parties that will address what needs to be more. As for where I stand politically ... I'm not a Green Party voter, but do admire Dr. Stein and several ideas that the party stands for, I been voting Democrat here in Texas, and support Senator Bernie Sanders for President (and years back voted Republican), but I dont really connect much with the mainstream Democrat Party ... to better understand, look at me as an independent, since that is a popular simple identity/ label to understand. I dont like to label myself as a liberal because I'm much more liberal than most American Democrats on social issues ... and I sure dont like to identify with Republicans, because I'm much more conservative on fiscal responsibility, spending, free market and defense than most American Republicans who claim that they embrace this and conservative values. When it comes to health care reform plans in the Republican Party ... they have none whatsoever, their ONLY agenda is to destroy ACA/ ObamaCare (a petty bitch fight they been pushing since Obama was elected), and replace it with whatever hundred insurance companies we can shop at across state lines, vouchers, an increasing amount of doctor and corporate owned for profit upscale over- priced medical facilities/ hospitals, retail store health care services and faith based religious groups to burden with it, like Salvation Army type soup kitchen joints, or who knows what ... maybe even try to market it at McDonalds in the future ... get your health care while you eat some of their junk food, from working poor people to middle class people with a healthy income ... they are out to only milk you out of every dollar they can squeeze from you, bottom line. Democrats dont have much of a plan either for reform, not even have they reformed any of the over- costs and out of control unnecessary treatments and services, medical providers that are only out to milk each other and us and make a buck, nor have they done a thing about the out of control skyrocketing drug prices ... instead, they will scapegoat some smaller potatoes like Martin Shkreli, to blame the whole system failure on during campaign speeches, ignoring the serious big players that finance their elections and line their pockets on both sides. Presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders for instance is only talking about embracing ACA/ ObamaCare in his campaign, because if he didnt, the establishment DNC would try to get rid of him even faster, especially under the questionable leadership ethics of Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, they only like him there to put on a show to make it interesting for Clinton's run, and for Clinton to simply copy whatever Sanders sayz, to try to get the large following he has, Sanders is more likely to take real action than anyone in either party, when it comes to pushing for universal health care and coverage of everyone.
Surprise medical bills are stacking up for many adults (12 March 2016) ... Thanx to PBS NEWSHOUR
I call this a health care crisis we have now, because what we are not looking at, is what we have and what it will do to us in the future without actual reform and change, this will drive a whole new sort of economic crisis in America as we have it now. This will end up like the mortgage or lending problems, the massive credit card debt issue, or even more massive, the student debt crisis in America which I believe is still in first place. We are spending in this at an out of control rate in just the last couple years alone, wait till 5 to 10 years or so pass and see what happens without reform, mark my word, there will be millions in the U.S. (especially if we have another even mild recession) of people in heavy debt, which will effect other parts of our economy, they wont know if they're coming or going. All your mainstream politicians will only blame it all on their opposition party, and if we only make small incremental changes ... we may waste decades on this, which will take us further in the hole. The great things about ACA like no spending cap limit, or free screenings or whatever, are great to us, since we had nothing balanced to begin with as Americans, most folks in other countries who have national health care for all, would be outraged to get a deal like we have. The corporations and insurance industry had to give something, which is only a small fraction of ALL they're getting in return with tens of billions in new profits and premiums, they're so cheap that they even have complex legislation attached to cover their ass from having to spend too much one way or another ... who do you think wrote it ... the people and taxpayers? At the same time for true reform, we cant just gut the insurance and medical provider industry, the reason why is because like much else of our problems with these huge businesses, we have allowed them to get too large ... you attempt to do that if you had the chance and power to do so, you would even bring about another huge economic crisis. What looks like it would work though, is to simply start with the idea that President Obama proposed when first in office and while running for President, being a partial public option/ single payer plan, that people can voluntarily buy into, that is instituted and monitored by the federal government, and national coverage for every state, and give the people the opportunity to actually choose and purchase which they want, and hopefully it will force real competition to these giants and gain a strong customer base and grow ... you know ... free market, eh? ... law sayz we all must buy insurance as it is, give people a "choice" of what they want to buy simply. And YES, there will be ENOUGH Americans that would buy this, with enough money coming into it to get a good start, and I'm confident we have some of the best people to design the system. The largest insurance/ medical providers/ pharma say this will drive them out of business? ... how can that be when they also claim that they have the best health care system in the world? ...so which is it, eh? If they dont like their profit margin in the new arena, do what we all have to do ... get off your ass and compete ... simple.
The savings in health care spending to consumers as well as to business and government across the board with even only a partial public single payer plan would be enormous, with much of the waste we spend on now, going to other sectors of the economy and generating new business and having money to spend on much of what is needed. Just to the individual family, they would be able to save thousands per year instead of paying multiple co-pays, premiums and other wasted spending ... what will they do with the money they save? ... of course they will spend a large portion of it, and climb out of the hole instead of more into it. As far as people employed in the health care service industry now, many of those will be able to find new jobs within the new system as it expands, especially all those contractors like x-ray techs, dialysis providers, nurses and others that are contracted out now at some of these hospitals for lower wages and benefits, moving from hospital to hospital daily, we can give more stable employment, benefits packages and competitive pay rates, meaning the huge entities will have to also be more competitive on that level to keep their staff's, right now they have a cakewalk and monopoly, which makes them weaker and in some cases less efficient, not stronger and more competitive. The out of pocket alone as far as payroll deductions that will be deducted will be less, and instead of all your money just going to some mega for profit entity, you will have a more secure plan and can count on it no matter what to give you the necessary health care needed, without having to negotiate rates and prices with a dozen different people/ agencies with tons of paper work to smother you ... meaning more time to live your life and less scamming to worry about. At the same time during this transition/ reform ... all those who have plenty of money to blow, and love to spend more on health care than what they need to ... there are plenty of people out there in the private sector who will gladly accommodate you and sell you whatever specialty services you choose ... you dont need to get single payer, choose what you want. For those who say it's too radical or we cant do this or that ... step to the side and let those who want to do and reform do their job, and stay out of the way ... we have the tools available to make whatever reality we want, it's a matter of starting to build it, not sitting on our asses waiting for these lightweights to tell us what we can do or not. Fact is, that most Americans want something done about this, whatever survey or poll you have left or right ... even during the 2008 elections, the majority of people in our country on both sides wanted something done and had an interest in national health care of some kind (Reuters) ... and not your deadbeat repetitive excuses. As far as politicians and such that cant do their job and only kiss the asses of these corporations ... time to spread a movement to get rid of all we can through voting, they dont represent America, and force the others who remain to address actual reform and change ... not listen to their repetitive bullshit and keep on being saps by supporting them.
Word Out ....
***** POST NOTE: I had a conservative guy ask me recently ... "why should we expect government to take care of us or our health care?", which is a popular mainstream neoconservative question. However, I answered part of that with questions in return, which were ... "Why should we trust our money, retirement, taxes and health to a billion dollar for profit industry, and pay too much on top of it, and get less return for our investment? ... is it not our money and choice? ... are we not the customer? ... should we not expect to get what we pay for, and be truly conservative on our spending and waste? ... should a governing peoples body (a peoples government) decide?, or let a corporation decide and dictate what kind of health care we need?, who oversees themselves and spending priorities for the most part, governing themselves, instead of our oversight and demands as paying customers, since WE ARE the customer, why should we pay a premium price for an inferior health plan? ... why in a free market and so called global economy, should we not be able to buy our prescription drugs across borders and negotiate better prices?", he had difficulty answering these questions and basically had to change the subject. Many people miss the point in their thinking ... we are the ones who do everything and pay the salaries and benefits of our politicians, doesnt matter which party you side with, we pay for everything, including our social security/ retirement, public services and so forth, we produce, buy/ spend, and basically do everything ... why do we need "middle men" who basically do nothing, to decide what is best for us? or to decide how much we spend, or on what and who?, it's supposed to be our choice. And as it is, much of our money is wasted on welfare and subsidies to multi- national corporations and interests, that frankly doesnt do a goddamn thing for us or our country. My point here is being conservative on our spending priorities as well.
This posting and induction into the music/arts honour roll society of this journal, is to highlight and check out some of the work of Remco Hendrix out of Eindhoven, Netherlands ... and another past due for this series, being one of my favourites as far as bass, I look at Remco as in the elite category of bass guitar musicians at the top's of my list. Although I been keeping up with his YouTube channel for at least a few years ... I cant tell you much about this musician as far as history, he is just breaking into the industry and working with various folks and a couple crews, there is not much info other than that out there, a digital album called "The Tube Sessions" and his work on YouTube, some with others. Instead of highlighting him working with a crew, I wanted to focus this posting of him working in that casual home studio type atmosphere, and with a drummer friend, Birchwood. But Remco experiments with a variety of bass guitars and fretless bass, various effects and various genres, focusing much on funk, rock, and some jazz it sounds like to me as an influence too, that simply calls himself a "groove- a- holic". But with the talent of this gentleman ... I am looking forward to seeing a larger scale of work and production out of him in the near future, I like to see him work with a crew that works around a showcased bass with a diversified style and really in your face bass work. I would really enjoy to see Remco hooked up with guitarist Miyavi if I had a pick of who to line him up with to see what they can come up with. But ... wishing him all the best in his work/ endeavors to come, and looking forward to it as well ... Enjoy!
