BCBS - A Cute Waste of Health Care Dollars

Iowa’s Democrats are trying to make some sense of health care, but you needn’t worry, my Republican Party will screw it up. The fear mongers will emerge from their caves with home spun stories that create fear of the sky falling.

Iowa Democrats are supporting a measure that would require health insurance companies to justify rate increases or else suffer the consequences of rate cuts. How can you say no to this? But trust in the two-party political system to find a way. What will the Republican Party, my party, say is wrong with this idea? They will and we all know they will. Something has to be wrong with it even if it’s just that the Democrats came up with the idea or legislative push to get something done. And this is what is wrong with politics in America. We are willing to listen to politicians who simply create fear and offer no real solutions to the problem.

Political debate in America should require two parts – the critical portion and the solution portion. You can criticize the idea on the table but only if you also offer a solution. Otherwise, shut up and sit down – we don’t want to hear you. It doesn’t matter anymore that the country can prosper from an idea; if the other party comes out with the idea stories will be spun and arguments made that will stall the idea until America is so afraid that nothing gets done. And that’s what is wrong with America, nothing is getting done. We are allowing fear mongers to rule us. It’s about time we threw these fear mongers out of office. Either find solutions or find a new job.

And what is wrong with the Republican Party is exactly what they've been criticized for lately. It's a party with no ideas, no solutions, and just more rhetoric. They play the blame game and criticize every measure the other party comes up with but fall short of offering any real solutions. It's sickening and it's one of the things that are killing this economy.

This story is from the Chicago Sun Times and the AP. My hat's off to Dave Mittleman from Lansing, MI for sending me this story.

The BCBS ad which is nothing more than a cute waste of money – a waste of your health care dollars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahYgLP3RNug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a189xAYBRv8

Pedestrian Safety - The Pedestrian's Due Care Obligation

Is the driver of a DART bus really the suspect of a hit and run? According to an earlier Des Moines Police accident report filed on Monday October 19th that’s exactly what happened. Police are saying the accident occurred about 10:45 Friday at Seventh and Walnut streets but was not reported until Monday. Randy Alderman reported the accident and is the alleged victim of the hit and run who suffered a minor shoulder injury. Alderman has said that he was standing on the curb painting a shelter at one of the metro bus stops, when the DART bus pulled up to hit passengers and struck him in the shoulder. The police report says:”He then told the bus driver he had hit him and the bus driver said, “I didn’t see you.” The bus driver then left the area.” The DART bus driver was described as an older white male with white hair and was also able to give the police the bus number. Police are saying that alderman was seen by a doctor sometime after the accident.

Of course it begs the question as to what Alderman's fault is for this accident. What was he looking at that he didn't see a bus coming and the mirror about to strike him? Do passengers have an obligation to watch out for their own safety? They do. But then again so does the bus driver. This is the nature of comparative fault in Iowa.

A compendium of news from Belgium, Georgia, the Olympics and that third world place called Michigan.

Brussels, Belgium - You have a rush-hour commuter train speeding into the intersection that has an oncoming train coming down the tracks. The commuter train ignores the red light and bam 18 people are killed. Eighty people are injured, some dead and many mutilated bodies lying around the crash site. If anyone wants tort reform and limiting damages it’s the owner of these trains. American consumers have so much in common with the rest of the world. We need only watch the developing countries to see why our business leaders need limits on how we receive compensation for personal injuries. And then if we can watch undeveloped we countries we can see how we will be treated when legal reforms take away the working person’s right to receive compensation.

I've never been to Brussels, but looking at the pictures of the countryside it appears a lot like Germany was. You can even join the Belgium Twitter site.

Belgium covers an area of 11,787 square miles (30,528 sq. km.) and has over 10 million inhabitants. Brussels is 62.2 square miles (161.4 sq. km) (Des Moines is 77.2 sq. miles and Chicago is 234 sq. miles) and is at an elevation of 12 meters or 43 feet above sea level. The population count is just over 1 million people. In Brussels-Capital region there are 19 municipalities. They get on average 32 inches of rain each year and the average temperature is between a low of 44 and a high of 57. In Belgium 57% of the people speak only French, 11% French & non-Dutch, 16% neither French of Dutch and 7% speak only Dutch. Since WWII Brussels has been an important center of international politics.

By way of contrast Iowa covers 56,272 square miles (145,743 sq. km), is 310 miles wide, 199 miles high and has a population of just 3 million people. Its highest point is Hawkeye Point at 1,670 ft. The great State of Illinois covers 57,918 square miles (140,998 sq. km.) is 210 miles wide and 395 miles tall. Its highest point is Charles Mound at 1,235 ft. (377 meters). The population of the state of Illinois is just shy of 13 million people. Even Rhode Island, where I was born, covers 1,545 square miles (4,002 sq. km.), is 37 miles wide, 48 miles tall and has a population of just over 1 million people.

From TBILISI, Georgia to Vancouver, British Columbia – The Olympic luger who died on the luge track in Canada is an example of what is wrong with big money controlling the Olympics along with the athletes’ hopes, dreams and expectations. They make billions and when you consider the big picture the luger’s life was given for what amounts to really nothing. The gold metal is promoted as the best of the best, but as we’ve seen in the past they can’t even test for the use of steroids and get the results in time to deny participation to those who roid-up to win. Think about it. How can we ever know the winner isn’t cheating with steroids? How do you know the guy getting all the instant fame isn’t a cheater? Well, you don’t, but they do. I’ve always felt sorry for the man or woman who places fourth when one or more of those placing above them have cheated. They are really the ones cheated. They work for years to sharpen their athletic skills and at their time to show how hard they have worked they are cheated out of a medal, endorsements and the ultimate opportunity to stand on the winners’ platform.

Nodar Kumaritashvili dead at 21 – died February 12, 2010 – Born November 25, 1988

So here is what I say to the relatives of “Nodar Kumaritashvili, the 21-year-old man who died when he lost control of his sled, flew off the course and slammed into a steel pole at nearly 90 mph.” Sue them, sue the International Olympic Committee, the City of Vancouver and every other organization that inspected and approved the luge design. An idiot could have designed a better track and foreseen this accident happening. They designed a 90-mile-per-hour coffin ride. His death was the result of greed that put aside a faulty design to have the fastest times in the world – the track was designed for speed not the safety of the athletes. Greed to say they had the fastest times because they had the fastest track; not the safest but the fastest. Why the curve allowed a luger to slide off into steel beams is beyond comprehension. The Georgian delegate said it best when he said an athlete’s mistakes shouldn’t get them killed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dF2G1LTzCY

I'd better cover the Michigan story tomorrow. Come back then for a surprising new business opening in Michigan. You can thank your Michigan legislature for this development.