Obama Health Care

The ongoing debate concerning Obama health care continues, as key issues are now before the Supreme Court.  It has yet to be determined if Obama health care will “stick,” as legal battles continue regarding the law’s fate.

At the current time, two of the most controversial issues surrounding Obama health care are the individual insurance mandate and the expansion of Medicaid.  In regards to the individual insurance mandate, the issue revolves around whether Congress went above and beyond its power by requiring that all Americans either purchase health insurance or be subject to penalties.  Obama health care aims to provide over 30 million Americans who did not have coverage with insurance.

The Obama administration argued that Congress could enact the individual mandate under the regulation of interstate commerce in the U.S. Constitution. Currently, the individual insurance mandate is set to take effect in 2014.  Twenty-six of the fifty states in the U.S. are opposed to the individual insurance mandate, arguing the Congress exceeded its power.  Obama health care has been a highly controversial issue ever since the President signed the bill into law on March 23rd of 2010.

Opponents of the mandate state that the provision should be struck down, that it is unconstitutional and that the federal government’s power was drastically expanded.  The National Federation of Independent Business strongly feels that without the individual mandate, regulations and other provisions in Obama health care will not survive, as the individual mandate is at the center or core of the law.

The expansion of Medicaid is another spot of contention in the Supreme Court, as states have challenged the forced expansion of the government supported program that provides health care to Americans who are poor.  These states are arguing that by threatening to withhold billions of dollars in funding, Congress is attempting to force states to cooperate with Medicaid expansion.

Obama health care is likely to be in the headlines for months to come; it will likely be March of 2012 before arguments begin, and a ruling on the issues is not expected until the end of June.

In recent months, news reports have been focused heavily on the extreme costs of Obama health care.  Can the nation afford it?  Essentially, the cost will be substantial primarily for government plans, as nearly half of the citizens in the U.S. are covered by these plans.  While it may not impact individuals severely, Obama health care will definitely cost the nation, some estimate to the tune of half a trillion dollars over the course of a 10-year time period.

Ironically, the president touted in the beginning that the new health care law would reduce the cost of health care, bending the cost downward.  Recent reports show that Obama health care will do just the opposite in fact, bending the cost upward.  The report, “The Fiscal Consequences of the Affordable Care Act,” Charles Blahouse predicts that over a 10 year period, federal healthcare spending will increase the deficit tremendously.

Other reports claim that Obama health care will affect most individuals very little, because of the fact that approximately half of the residents in the U.S. are covered by Medicaid, Medicare or through employment with local, state and federal government.  As the nation continues to age, it is thought that a large majority of the population will be protected under a plan that is sponsored by the government in coming years.  More people will have coverage through Medicare, as the retirement population continues to grow.  When it comes to discussing the pros and cons of Obama health care, there never seems to be steady ground that everyone can agree on.

In addition, many students who attend college will be covered through universities and other government-sponsored agencies.  It’s easy to understand why the topic of Obama health care has been and still is such a hotly debated topic.

Many individuals and families are covered through their employers; self-employed individuals typically pay for their own coverage.  Under Obama health care, much of this would remain the same, other than those who are self-employed may be open to additional options, particularly if the idea tossed out by Republicans that the self-employed may buy insurance across state lines is approved.

Jeanne Lambrew, White House health adviser, called Blahous’s analysis “new math” and claimed the Blahous’s statements regarding Obama health care costing billions over a 10 year time period fit the old pattern of mis-characterizations about Obama health care.  Lambrew wrote on the White House blog that official estimates demonstrate that the health care law does reduce the deficit.

While it would seem that businesses and corporations would be glad to pay for health care so that their employees are a strong, healthy workforce, it seems that most would be in a position financially that would force them to provide only minimal coverage.

The fight continues on when it comes to Obama health care, depending on the perspective of whoever is talking about it at the time.  Clearly, Blahous believes that the health care plan will drive the nation into extreme debt, while others believe that the cost will actually decrease.  Many people believe that the main change that will be seen through Obama health care is that some who are not purchasing coverage today will be required to do so, or face a penalty.

Opinions continue to clash on the subject of Obama health care, and to that there seems to be no end.  What is your opinion?  Can America afford the health care plan laid out by President Obama?

As I jetted the streets of Chicago in a perverse attempt to find a liquor store that still carried Mad Dog 20/20, I reflected on how odd timing could be.  Not thirty minutes ago I was a doctoral student sitting in lecture at a prestigious, private university and now I was actively seeking a substance whose sole purpose was the destruction of the brain I was just developing.  Truthfully, this was the first time I was ever looking to buy some Mad Dog; though I do remember it floating around throughout my college years.  So, when I jumped in my car I never thought that this search would be so difficult; I just assumed I could get it anywhere.  But, as I continued to swerve my little Saturn from liquor store to liquor store, I kept receiving the same twisted dirty look from the staff when I asked where they kept their Mad Dog. 

After about an hour of scouring the city streets I hit pay dirt.  The clerk had to go all the way to the back of the store, move some boxes out of the way and dig out my prize.  When I went to the register the second clerk asked to see my I.D.  As I reached for my wallet the first interjected quickly and said, “Now, we don’t need to see his I.D.  I trust him.”  With that he shot me a sly wink and bagged up my three bottles.  He must have thought he was doing some underage kid a favor.  I wanted to scream that I was really over 21 (by quite a many years) and decree the real reason I was purchasing this vile liquor.  But I hesitated and thought, maybe it just makes more sense to him that a youngin’ was buying such an inexpensive, atrocious alcohol.  After all, what respectable doctoral student would?

At this point you may think this article to be about the trappings of a young alcoholic.  Now, while working toward a Ph.D. may drive me into the bottle, I’m not quite there just yet.  In all actuality, I was preparing for a party I hosted on November 2, 2004.  The invitation read as follows:

All people and political parties are welcome to Election Night 2004!!! But, there is an agenda for the evening.  If:
1. John Kerry wins, I will have champagne for all.
2. If Dubya wins, everyone will be required to drink 1 glass of Mad Dog 20/20.
3. If Nader wins, I will personally buy an all-inclusive round-trip package to Hawaii for everyone who comes to the party.
4. If, somehow, the Democrats win the election but the Republicans steal it AGAIN then we all will pile into our cars and make a break for Canada!
Hope you can make it!!!

As I’m sure you can assume, the champagne was decidedly easier and much more expensive to obtain for the festivities.  Also, I didn’t exactly have American Airlines on hold with 20 round trip tickets to Hawaii in anticipation of the greatest political upset in the last 100 years. 

As a reluctant Democrat, I spent the weeks preceding the election debating with my academic colleagues about who was going to win.  With all the higher education Republicans being called into an undisclosed F.B.I. conservative protection program, these discussions were largely one-sided.  The tenor is best characterized as having a measured optimism.  Kerry was obviously intelligent; the fact that he “flip-flopped” on issues only proved he could in fact change his mind if given new evidence.  And, of course, how could the character of a decorated Vietnam veteran ever be tarnished? 

These discussions also provided ample opportunity for Bush-Bashing; I admit that I participated in these sessions with zeal!  Now, our President Bush has never been seen as a flip-flopper.  You either clearly knew his stance on an issue or you clearly knew he had no intention of taking any stance at all.  I think Chris Rock summed it up best:

Reporter:          Mr. President, What about the economy?  When’s it going to pick up?

Bush:                Well, you never know.  We’re talking to people. And economic indicators are indicating that indications are coming to the indicators. You know what I’m saying?  Alright.

Reporter:          Mr. President, what about gay marriage?

Bush:                F— them faggots!

November 2, 2004 finally rolled around.  I was incredibly thankful that my near round the clock vigil of all the major media outlets would soon end; I hadn’t watched this much news coverage since the days following 9/11.  At any rate, I ducked out of work, drove to my polling station and cast my ballot.  Even up until the second I punched out my chad I was conflicted, but ultimately chose to follow my mind rather than my heart.   I make this distinction because if I had voted for who my heart wanted, Nader would have been a single vote greater in Illinois.  But, I bought into the hype that this election was just too important.  As I said before, I am a reluctant Democrat.

The party that evening went well on its way and we watched the events unfold.  Of course nothing surprising initially happened; states were falling where we all new they would.  The northeast lit up blue, the south burned red.  Like clockwork, within 5 seconds of the polls closing in Illinois it was awarded to the Democrats.  I always take it as a matter of pride that my home state is the first blue beacon out to the west. 

My partygoers continued to munch through all the hors d’oeuvres and make small talk since it would be at least a couple hours wait until we started receiving a few of the “toss-up” state election results.  And then it came – Kerry was projected to win Pennsylvania.  Not wanting to fall prey to another Florida fiasco, we quickly checked out all the news outlets for confirmation.  All except Fox News (surprise, surprise) had the same wonderful blue color enveloping Pennsylvania; at that point a Kerry win felt much more tangible.  The South cards all fell for Bush, as expected.  Our numbers looked horrible, but we knew we could add on California’s 55 electoral votes to put us at ease.  Until this point in the evening I was guarded in my optimism, but now I started to allow myself to believe.  Maybe we wouldn’t have four more years of Bush. 

The night rolled on and Florida fell as I expected but along came Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota in the win column for us.  My eyes began to bore holes into Ohio on the TV map.  I don’t think I moved from my position for sometime as I sat hoping for an answer.

I have never claimed to be a mathematician at any point in my life.  Truth be told, in my first-year of college I was required to take a no-credit, remedial Algebra course.  Nonetheless, on election night I found myself doing incredible calculations effortlessly in my head as I watched the returns come in from Ohio.  It was still too close to call but Kerry was trailing.  None of that mattered, each time I calculated the number of votes we needed I rationalized ways we were going to get them.  After all, Democrats are lazy aren’t they?  I had bet they were lounging around their houses all day, continually putting off going to the polls.  I just knew they were watching T.V. like I was and suddenly realized “Oh damn!  Look at those poll numbers.  We had better go vote!” 

Plus, we were heavily relying on the college vote.  Having worked in colleges for many years now I’ve seen first hand just how adept students are at procrastinating.  They probably were piling out of their residence halls right now and slowly trampsing over to the polls.  Yeah, that must be it.  I pinned my hopes of the election on the fact that lazy Democrats and procrastinating college students from Ohio were going to save the day. 

With fear starting to creep in, some of my companions began speculating about what four more years of Bush really meant.  The realization that we were going to lose continued to seep its way more and more into our psyche.  Needless to say, neither the champagne nor Mad Dog was drunk that evening.  And, my smart-aleck friend who brought with him a packed bag in hopes of a free Hawaiian vacation somberly went home.  The night ended on the familiar note of a build up minus a pay off reminiscent of 2000.  I struggled to stay awake into the night, but eventually fell asleep in my living room with the TV on.

Let me pause for one quick side bar.  If elections are going to keep ending like a Hollywood cliffhanger, can we all decide to move them to Friday?  On the Wednesdays following these sleepless nights I get absolutely nothing done between the frequent dosing off and even more frequent refreshing of every media outlet I have opened up on my desktop.  Days like this I am addicted to these websites even though I can get a better idea about what will be on next week’s “24” than I can about an election that already happened!

The early morning hours came without any news.  I turned on the coffee pot, no news.  I toasted my bagel, no news.  I showered while occasionally craning my neck out of the bathroom to see the TV, no news.  I was starting to get irritated.

Then came the Kerry concession speech; I knew it was coming, but just didn’t want to believe it.  I wish I could say that he left me with some solace or hope in the future.  I wish I felt united behind President Bush as the justified winner.  But honestly, I cannot remember one word the man said during this speech.  All I remember is thinking that maybe it was a good thing he didn’t get elected.  I mean, for God’s sake, no President of the United States should ever be seen wearing a tie resembling something donated by the makers of Pepto-Bismol!  Come on, you have to agree with me there! 

Of course, this was just my humor consoling the incredible loss I felt in this moment.  How could my calculations have been so off?  Did the unreliable college students of Ohio sell our collective souls down the river because of a good drink special on campus?  The parade of Bush parties all over the nation began to spring up and glow on my television screen.  Bush was then able to give the triumphant reelection speech his father never could.  As Bush supporters throughout the country were chanting enthusiastically “Four More Years” I sat down, put my head in my hands and muttered in a barely recognizable, guttural, pained effort of speech, “four…more…years.”

This article is not about what happened to the Democrats in losing this election.  I merely tell my story of the election to one, set the stage for what we see in liberal America today and two, as a method of cathartic release for the emotions I still have bottled up.  Looking back a year later, I can’t bring myself to hold Kerry solely responsible for this loss even though it seemed like a proverbial slam-dunk.  What concerns me more is the attitude and rhetoric my fellow liberals have employed in the months since November.  A year later I stand aghast at the senseless ramblings of individuals I thought to be patriots of this country.  I believe in many of their virtues and ideals and thought I was standing shoulder to shoulder with them in a fight for what we believed in. 

Unfortunately, many of my liberal co-patriots have gone off the bitter deep end.  It is sad to witness the disgust, bordering on hate, many have expressed for those who dared cast their ballots for Bush.  I even heard remarks after the Hurricane Katrina catastrophe that “those people down South” should blame themselves for President Bush’s slow response in their time of need.  After all, they are the ones who voted for him.  I find such a sentiment revolting.  These are the people we hope to serve and yet we have shown so little respect for them in the wake of this election.  If they do not “get” that we can serve them better than the Republican right, who’s fault is that?

In my junior year in high school, my entire class was unexpectedly called down to our large auditorium.   Not knowing why we were being beckoned, we hastened downstairs knowing the reason could not be good news.  A month or so prior we had all taken the Pre-ACT and evidentially our results had just been received. 

My high school was supposed to be a rigorous college prep program and our combined Math scores were far below the national average.  This is of course a foreshadowing to the future problems I would have in college requiring remedial coursework.  In any case, the school administration had called us down to one, inform us of this fact and two, berate us for so horribly embarrassing the school by our poor performance.  The principal spoke at us.  The dean of students spoke at us.  After about 10-15 more minutes of our own teachers criticizing our work ethic and performance to date I shot my hand into the air.  I just couldn’t take it anymore. 

When I was finally called on I could actually hear the hundreds of heads sweep back in my direction to see what I dared to say.  While what I said next was most definitely rooted in a rebellious, adolescent, smart-aleck rebuke to the administration, it was nonetheless a moment of truth and relatable to our current political situation.  I said, “Now, if I do poorly on a test, then that is my fault.  But, if ALL 400 of us do poorly on a nationally administered test, isn’t that YOUR fault?” as I pointed my finger in the direction of the faculty. 

As I am sure you can imagine, I got into an incredible amount of trouble for my outburst; but that does not mean that I was wrong!  If Red-Staters who have lost their jobs, are having their daughters and sons die in the Middle East and are suffering through a horrendous federal response to a natural disaster are still voting for the man and political party responsible for their plight, how can we place blame for the election at their doorstep?  We evidentially did an outright horrible job at teaching and explaining how we want to work on behalf of these honest, hard-working people occupying the land between Los Angeles and New York City.  We did not show them how we have their true interest at heart and not just interests of the richest 1%.  It isn’t their fault and there is nothing fundamentally wrong with them.  The problem lies within our nation of real-life, working liberals.

I absolutely refuse to align myself with rhetoric of dejection, mistrust, and constant bemoaning of how we have been cheated.  I have some news for all my fellow liberals out there…WE WEREN’T CHEATED!  But, even if we were cheated, we cheated ourselves.  I can’t believe that some of the most highly educated and respectable people in our nation are such incredibly sore losers.  We aren’t on the playground anymore folks and there will be another day for another election.  I have no confidence in President Bush either, but I do have confidence in us as a people.  Besides, if Kerry was elected, we have to be honest, we were only hoping for a slightly less screwed up world than we already have.  A messiah sent to heal the wounds in our country he was not.

We liberals here on the ground floor, living real lives, will not have success just happen to us.  We have to create our own fortune.  The Democrats may be the best we have and, unfortunately for us, the only thing they have successfully created is an ocean of failure.  Just take a quick look at the results for the past 10 elections:

                        1968 – Richard M. Nixon (R)

                        1972 – Richard M. Nixon/Gerald R. Ford (R)

                        1976 – James E. Carter (D)

                        1980 – Ronald W. Reagan (R)

                        1984 – Ronald W. Reagan (R)

                        1988 – George H. W. Bush (R)

                        1992 – William J. Clinton (D)

                        1996 – William J. Clinton (D)

                        2000 – George W. Bush (R)

                        2004 – George W. Bush (R)

Are you able to see the problem?  We have elected 2 Democrats to our nations highest office in the past 36 years and one of those was JIMMY CARTER!  There are problems that pre-date the “Dubya” era of our history.  We have to take a critical look into how this history and the Democratic Party has affected the nation of liberals of which I am proud to be a part.  Proud yes, but not satisfied.  We can be better than we have shown ourselves to be this past year.

One, we are not going to win allies by calling people stupid.  It is just that simple.  Liberals are quick to chastise President Bush for pushing around the world like he is Clint Eastwood in some Western.  He is not well liked around the world because he is a bully and thinks he knows what is right; let’s not make the same mistake.  Let’s not assume we naturally know what a family living in Stillwater, Oklahoma wants or needs.  We may share in a collective American culture, but our individual experiences are far removed from one another.

Two, we are not going to win allies by looking down our noses at people.  Do you remember the stuck up professors you had in college who thought they were God’s gift to the world?  Did you like them?  Of course not!  Pretentious academics end their life in the solitude believing that they were always better than everyone else.  Notice closely that I said their story ends in solitude.  An important point here is that solitude doesn’t carry much voting power.

Three, we are not going to win allies by telling people how easy it would be to improve their situation.  First off, I have rarely met a person whose situation was easy to begin with.  Everyone has a story about the hardest thing they have ever had to deal with in their lives.  To them it was difficult and, even if another’s experience was different, no one has the right to pass a value judgment.  Everyone’s story deserves respect.

Many Red-Staters like their “situation” and don’t need people filling their head with the idea that there is something wrong with them.  We have fought and are still fighting hard battles for equal opportunity.  This means all people have the equal opportunity to lead any kind of life they want.  I too get annoyed when NASCAR clogs up my nightly ESPN time, but being a fan of NASCAR does not infer that you also possess a lower I.Q.  Again, I say we have constantly fought for the choice.  Why would we begrudge anyone that? 

We should learn from and show respect to the Republican Party and Red-Staters.  They are ardent Americans and a large section of the population we hope to serve.  Furthermore, when the Republicans took a presidential back seat in the 1990s, never once did I hear that they wanted to flee to Canada as I heard loudly exclaimed from many liberals this past year.  I point the finger right back myself in this instance in reference to my Election Night invitation.  How more un-American and juvenile can a person sound by saying that since I didn’t get my way I’m taking my ball and going home.  If the Left is going to flee the country because the current King of the Right is still in office, I have to respect Republicans even more for deciding to continue the fight and not just BLOW town when Clinton held the same JOB.  Remember, the Right was exactly too ecstatic when we had our president in the 90s. 

Special Note: For those of you who want to move to Canada over election results my first instinctual response is to help you pack.  We don’t need you here; you’re nothing but a pessimistic weight holding us down.  But, if you really are willing to move over this, then could you at least take one for the team and move to Ohio?  We need some more blue voters there.

The point is that I have not seen my peers leading with respect this past year and I call upon them to do so.  I don’t care about the politicians; they are going to do what they are going to do.  I say again that I am talking to the real world, working liberals where the true charge for change falls.  We are better than this and only by being better are we going to reclaim positions of power in politics.  It is 3 more years until the next election and I am guessing it is at least 8-12 more years before Barrack Obama can run.  We need answers and leaders today.  Get your game face on liberals!

Art Munin
http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/election-night-2004-the-liberal-report-a-year-later-3858.html

“Metrosexual” is an oft-used term these days, particularly in reference to fashion. Young male celebrities are often described as metrosexual. And you can find metrosexual clothing, swimwear, makeup, and many other items.

So what does “metrosexual” mean? It is basically a generic term to describe a young man who takes pride in his appearance, wears fashionable clothing and is well groomed. And while he has all the style and panache of a gay man, he’s more likely to be straight. Also, he tends to be an urban professional with high disposable income, much of which he spends on his appearance.

For men in the middle and upper classes being well dressed was always a requirement, particularly professionally. But the metrosexual is different. He dresses uniquely. He doesn’t have a standard style; he has his own personal style. He’s not just another clean shaven man in a suit. He wears one that is distinctive and unique. And he’s fit, strong and looks after his skin and hair.

Needless to say, the metrosexual is not like most men. Blokes generally don’t prize their appearance highly, and are apt to “let themselves go” physically, particularly as they approach middle age. Also, in many countries there is a widely held belief amongst men and women that a man who takes care of his appearance is vain and effeminate, and quite probably gay. So, in nations where there is pervasive homophobia, it is much more more likely for men to affect a more rugged, blokey attitude and sneer at the whole idea of being metrosexual.

So there is definitely widespread resistance to the whole phenomena. Because of this many have argued that the metrosexual revolution isn’t anything more than a passing fad. Many have compared him to the dreaded “Sensitive New Age Guy” or “SNAG” of the eighties and nineties. The term was used derisively as often as not back then. And it’s hardly ever used now, if at all.

But it must be remembered that the metrosexual has been around for quite a while already. The label was originally coined by the journalist Mark Simpson in an article he wrote for The Independent back in 1994. He expanded on this in an article for the online magazine Salon, in 2002, after which it became widely popular.

While hardly any prominent males have ever wanted to be called a SNAG, many of today’s most famous celebrities are happy to be known as metrosexuals. These include David Beckham, Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, Johnny Depp, and Robbie Williams.

There are even a few politicians who have been similarly categorized – Bill Clinton for instance. Although older than most other metrosexuals he does fit this definition well. And many are also calling the new American President, Barack Obama, a metrosexual.

These two examples illustrate one facet that a majority of men find appealing in the stereotype: power. You don’t become the leader of the most powerful nation in the world if you’re a wuss! Unlike the SNAG, the metrosexual hasn’t sacrificed his masculinity. And this is the key to why he isn’t an endangered species doomed to extinction, but is here to stay.

Matt Hayden
http://www.articlesbase.com/fashion-articles/the-metrosexual-is-here-to-stay-738820.html

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Last week President Obama ordered the closing of the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay and numerous obstacles to doing it were quickly brought up. What is to be done with the enemy combatants detained? They can’t be transferred to the American legal system to be tried, because the evidence against them was illegally obtained. They can’t be released because they would return to their terrorist activities. They can’t be sent to other countries because no other country wants to admit them. So if they can’t be sent to other countries, transferred to the American legal system, or released, the camp can’t be closed. So the order to close the detention camp is effectively nullified.

The American political system has made a practice of making it impossible to solve its social problems. For decades, Americans have unsuccessfully fought a “war on drugs.” Why has it failed? To win it, America must secure its borders, a difficult task even with the cooperation of all Americans. The border is huge. But securing it becomes impossible if American self-interest groups oppose it. To win the “war on drugs,” the border must be secured, but securing it would prevent American businesses from profiting from the labor of illegal immigrants, and, of course, American politicians don’t want to do anything to alienate their commercial supporters. Policy nullified!

Americans want to reduce the cost of medical care and make it available to all residents, but American politicians don’t want to diminish the profits of the businesses that run up the costs. Policy nullified!

There is a pattern in these examples. Burden a proposed policy with contradictory goals and the policy can not be effective even if enacted. That’s what happens in a two-ideologically-based-party system, and as a result, America has not solved a major social problem in more than half a century. What better definition of a failed state is there?

The detention camp at Guantanamo Bay can be closed. If Americans can pick up detainees in foreign countries and fly them to Cuba, Americans can fly them back to where they were picked up. Will some of them return to their “terrorist” activities? Of course. What would anyone’s attitude toward those who illegally imprisoned and tortured them be? But the number is small, about five hundred. The organizations that are engaged in anti-American actions around the world recruit far more than that number every time American bombs, missiles, and bullets kill ordinary people, especially women and children.

All that is necessary to solve a social problem is to ensure that the policy’s goals are consistent.

©2009 John Kozy, Jr.

John Kozy
http://www.articlesbase.com/politics-articles/how-to-make-solving-problems-impossible-744580.html

By Ursula Tillmann                                                                        

Based once again on the principal of hope and promise, North-Americans are sleep-walking into the future while consumption still lingers to be the past-time sport in popularity just after ice-hockey. We are a nation in denial. Organizations, such as the tourism industry still paint pink pictures of the future, as individual hotel owners are digging into financial reserves and are throwing good money after bad money.
The North American way, that tomorrow will take care of itself – deeply routed in their religious puritan way of thinking, which stemmed from their founding political leaders, is still well and alive amidst the financial crisis. Televison advertising still promises whole sets of living room furniture for zero down payment and no interest for the next five years. The car industry, bailed out with billions of dollars still has its sticky fingers in the lending market: No money down and small interest on car leases for the next few years. Shopping as usual is the tenor to keep the wheels of a doomed economy spinning until it has run out of fuel in the truest sense.
The credit card institutions, which will ask for a bail out next – equivalent to the amount American banks needed to keep going – are still luring people into more debt. Soliciting phone calls outnumber any connection you have with your family. Get another credit card. Why not! As the average debt per consumer just on credit cards used to be around $34 000, that number is quickly rising. Mortgage payments for houses threatened by foreclosures and cars running on loans that would not even allow a refill at the gas pump are charged on credit cards. In a recent US talk show they established that the average credit card debt per American was close to $90 000, with some persons having up to 24 different credit cards. Shop till they pull the plastic – no moral obligations. Today is the day, live in the now. The American way of thinking and therefore doing has seduced several generations into a people, which were always told: There is plenty more to come. The old “Frontier” thinking prevails. And none of their leaders has really given a wake-up call yet.
All eyes are on Obama, the 44th president of the United States. A good man. But the principal of hope won’t help this time around here in North America or anywhere else in our globalized world. Too deep is the swamp we are in. Our world-wide debt is presently three times higher than our income around the globe. Anybody running a private household should be able to figure out, what this means for the food on the table in the future.
But are we learning anything right now in the process of such obvious despair rising on the horizon of the world economy? Not yet in North America. Gourmet restaurants still enjoy customers who can’t afford even the tip for the waitress on their credit card, shopping centers are crowded with customers who think with the money they don’t really have they can get bargains right now. The illusion still holds its perfection. The twilight of the gods,  Götterdämmerung, is only an opera by Richard Wagner. The story can’t be real.
Some statistics have it, that every North American spends $1.10 of every earned dollar. Hello! Time to wake up, or?
So how does this psychologically impact the “new world”? Broadly speaking, it doesn’t. It goes right over their “in the moment” attitude – trained, manipulated and refined by a society that pretended to be better and more clever than the old world . Maybe a few, who have already lost their jobs in the oil- and service industry are starting to feel overwhelmed or depressed. But that plastic issued by Visa, Amex or MasterCard still feels pretty secure in the wallet. And after all, the first order of patriotism is consumption, which makes up nearly 70 percent of the buck going around the economic carousel in North America.
It’s all an illusion – but the denial of reality keeps a people still quiet. One could say: “Do not disturb”, because the awakening could be disastrous. And civil unrest won’t be a far fetched reality in a neighboring country, where every household has some handguns handy.

Ursula Tillmann
http://www.articlesbase.com/economics-articles/economic-crisis-a-people-in-denial-727143.html

What do people think about Obama Care, and what does it hold for the future of most people in America?  It seems that most who were not in favor of Obama care before it became law are still not too impressed.  Some feel that jobs that are offered once the recession ends will be far less likely to offer health insurance, mostly due to the costs involved.

For many people, the healthcare plan is one that isn’t easy to understand.  Some feel that the ones who will benefit most from Obamacare are those who are now uninsured and earn incomes that are below the poverty line.  For the first time, it is believed that many American families (those between 133% and 400% of the poverty line) will be able to afford health insurance.  Families with incomes of up to 133% of the federal poverty level will receive expanded Medicare coverage.

What a big majority of people do not understand about Obamacare is that subsidies will be unable to make health insurance affordable, which means they will still be forced to buy a policy – or, face a stiff fine of $695 from the IRS.  Small and large business owners that fail to provide insurance for their employees face fines as large as $2,000 for every worker in their employ.

Many people feel that Obamacare has been shoved down their throats, regardless of whether this is what Americans want or not.  There are ramifications of the true meaning of Obamacare that many people are totally unaware of, and facts regarding the “reform” that Democrats do not want people to know about.  Here are a few of those facts:

Obamacare cuts Medicare by $523 billion, and increases insurance premiums by approximately 10% for those who are not insured by their employers.

This healthcare plan will cause 9 million people to lose the insurance they have at the current time; when all is said and done, and the bill fully implemented, 23 million individuals will remain without insurance in the year 2019.

Obama care raises taxes on small businesses by about $569 billion; it also creates a new marriage penalty with investment taxes and new income.

Allows the IRS the power to fine those who do not purchase government-approved insurance, and raises the already out-of-control deficit by $260 billion over the next 10 years when all components of the bill are included.

While it is clear that many people will benefit from health insurance coverage, it is also evident that Obama care will cost big time in other areas.  Many Americans do not like the fact that it seems the freedom to choose or make decisions about health care is being taken right out of their hands, and handled by the federal government.

There are many little “hidden” details regarding Obama care; the funny thing is, while it benefits one person it detracts in another area.  Take for example the change that allows children up to the age of 26 to remain on their parents policy.  What if that child is covered on an employer policy where the parent works, and the employer would rather offer coverage that doesn’t allow what may appear to be lazy children on the policy?  It’s just too bad for the employer.

With Obama Care, what happens if you are a health insurance provider and want to raise premiums to cover cost increases?  It could be that you will be denied by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, if they deem the increase is unreasonable.

It appears that Obama Care has its good points and bad, and only the future can determine if it comes out successful in the end.

There’s been some talk lately about the government banning the popular acai berry supplements, possibly putting the kibosh on one of the best super foods out there.

I’m all for some change, I hope President Barack Obama really pulls this country out of the gutter. But I hope he doesn’t put new regulations into the market that stops us Americans from getting what we want with our money.

The government is even trying to ban some really popular vitamins because people are doing some shady things to sell them. Scams are true in all markets, especially in the food and drug business. But due to the popularity of the acai berry explosion, an acai berry conspiracy might not be too far from the truth.

Go find the bad eggs I say — don’t penalize the rest of us because some jerks are giving acai berries a bad name with their pyramid schemes and scams.

We as Americans have to take care of ourselves anyway, a little simple reading can help you avoid the scams and purchase the berries through a good seller.

My wife went online to buy acai berries, and she loves them. And I love them since she’s looking hotter than she has in years. But she did what I suggested and read up on the super food. She even wound up getting finding a place to get free acai berries.

She said she did find a lot of acai berry scams, but it was easy to see which people were just saying anything to get her to buy. She also made sure to look up each company before buying anything, not to mention reading all the fine print. The berries are definately worth paying for after the free trial is over. Every American deserves to know about the “hidden costs” with some acai berry offers. If you don’t want to pay, cancel before your trial period is over!

Tell your lawmakers not to treat us Americans like morons, tell them we can make our own decisions about what we buy and can educate ourselves on those internet scammers.

Don’t let the government take your rights away!

Get Free Acai Berries @ http://www.freeacaiberries.com

Kelsey Carson
http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/will-the-man-ban-acai-berries–742852.html

Affluent urban professionals are so happy that Obama is our next president! They’re educated and urbane and liberal and they are simply in love with our elected leader, for a change! But now that they’ve finally gotten over their election night party hangovers, they’re starting to realize: whoa, these Democrats might not be so good for our beloved Fashion/ Advertising/ PR/ Entertainment industries, which give us affluent urban professionals our paychecks! After the jump, we take a brief look at how these industries of liberal elites really feel about the prospects of an Obama presidency:

Fashion: Fashionista types are so in the tank. The promise of Obama even lured Anna Wintour out of her Batcave to vote! So where does the huge industry trade group the American Apparel and Footwear Association stand on the issues? Well, they’re against anything that makes unions stronger, obviously. Not good. They’re very upset about China’s domination of the textile manufacturing sector. Obama will presumably push China on some issues, but he’s far from a protectionist. And they don’t want to have to compete with Federal Prisoners for government contracts. When Obama frees the oppressed, that won’t be a problem. Huzzah!

Advertising: Ad people love Obama so much they named him Marketer of the Year! But as Ad Age points out today, the industry is concerned about what the new administration might do on a number issues: Will they endanger direct-to-consumer drug advertising? Will they pass stricter privacy rules that cut back on the ability of marketers to profile people? Will they strengthen the FTC and the FCC to reverse rampant deregulation and media consolidation? The ad industry would not like to see any of those changes, all of which are objectively good for consumers.

Public Relations: Lots of CEOs of major PR firms were totally in the tank for Obama, including big ole Democrat Richard Edelman, and Michael Kempner of MWW, who was at the Chicago Obama rally personally, palling around with Oprah! But PR firms are worried about a lot of the same communications and media law issues that the ad industry is worried about. Media consolidation could be considered good for corporate PR practitioners, because it narrows down the number of channels they have to deal with and gives them greater leverage. Net neutrality, which Obama probably will support, is a toss up. Political flacks will make their money no matter what, just on different issues. Mainly the PR industry would like Obama to fix the economy so they don’t, you know, lose all their clients. The biggest loser in all of PR since the election, obviously, is this guy.

Entertainment: Hollywood liberals are so sickeningly in the tank we won’t even bother listing dozens and dozens of examples in order to support our assertion! Why not drive your Prius over to Leonardo DiCaprio’s house and talk about it with him? So then, what does the MPAA, the trade group that rules Hollywood, care about politically? Well they won’t stop talking about “piracy” of movies, for one, which is getting really tiresome and is unlikely to be a matter of great interest to a President mired in two wars. Besides that ridiculous obsession, they basically want free flow of trade to enable them to spread their sinful pictures to all corners of the globe, filling their coffers in the process. So Hollywood types should get along okay with the Obama administration.
Until the new taxes come down.

for more imformation, please visit www.cantonfootwear.org

alexda
http://www.articlesbase.com/international-business-articles/what-will-obama-mean-for-our-elitist-yuppie-industries-631920.html

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Now that we the United States have elected the next President of the United States, we must stick to our word and our stance for change. Many have told Obama that he has a lot of work to do, this may be entirely true but so does the public. The United States is going through an economic crisis that has millions worried job security, finances, and anything and everything in between. In order to gain some progress for our current efforts, we must first take a look at what is holding us down from progressing with steam. We must take care of the past before we take care of the future, for if we do not deal with what got us in this mess, we will surely commit these acts again. In order to restore faith, hope, and unity in this country we must come together and do what is right, not what is convenient. Once we have acted in this matter we will be able to face the future with all of the right tools on our side. One major issue I am talking about 9/11 and the injured workers who have still yet to gain any compensation for medical bills, loss of wages, and for pain and suffering. These people dedicated their lives to helping others and the city that so many call home, yet after their efforts they we just pushed aside and told to take a number. So many people have experienced respiratory problems that they are unable to go back to work and unable to provide for their families. These people then have to rely on government assistance and the circle repeats itself.

One thing that is a positive however is that the WTC project is gaining headway. There has been many obstacles to overcome in which the budget was overdrawn and the deadline was delayed multiple times. My question is that why do we keep increasing the budget for a memorial when people are still suffering from injuries from the tragic event. I would think that most people would rather have that money go to the injured workers than to a more extravagant memorial. We need to get out priorities in order and determine what really matters. In these trying times we cannot focus on materialistic things, what we need to focus on is the quality of life. Having a greater quality of life will enable people to go back to work, spend more money, and get the economy going again. It is here where we can start to find relief from the chains that are currently holding us down.

If you or a loved one has been injured while working at the WTC site and has yet to recover any type of monies to cover medical expenses, contact a lawyer as soon as possible. This type of behavior is unacceptable as people are still out of work and suffering from the injuries that were incurred from working at the WTC site.

Kaplan
http://www.articlesbase.com/news-and-society-articles/wtc-make-the-past-right-before-taking-on-the-future-655342.html