Medicine For Our Economy ~ Aziz Anis

Industrialists, CEOs of businesses large and small and their subservient Republican economists are constantly lamenting the decrease of demand for their products and services. It is there standard excuse for not expanding and hiring more workers or for actually firing and reducing their work force in order to cut cost.
It is amazing that these supposedly savvy business leaders can’t realize or are intentionally ignoring and denying the fact that they and their decisions are the main and only reason for their major complaint, which is the lack of demand.
It is their one track mind and their greed in their constant pursuit of increasing their profit margin by cost cutting and only by cost cutting at the expense of their work force, no matter how large their profit margin is already, that is the short sighted, sociopathic sure path to the soaring income and wealth inequality and decimation of the middle class income and buying power that is the direct cause of declining demand.
Cutting reasonable paying jobs and hiring at increasingly lower and lower wages for the same jobs, outsourcing and offshoring manufacturing and service jobs to where salaries are a fraction of what a reasonable living wage should be in the United States drastically depletes the earning and consequently the buying power of the middle class which is practically the main fuel for our economy.
The economy should be thought of as a living breathing organism and money exchanging hands and spreading through it is the blood that runs through its arteries and veins delivering oxygen and nutrition to its every organ invigorating it and keeping it alive, thriving and growing.
The 1% or 2% super rich no matter how much they spend on their obscenely opulent living standard cannot possible contribute anymore than a thimbleful of that precious blood to its total volume that keeps the economy alive and well.
Moreover, hoarding their unimaginably huge profits in overseas accounts and paying an insignificant fraction of their fair share of taxes further depletes our economy from its precious blood. Add to that, all the austerity measures and cuts to the entitlement programs that only benefit the hurting disenfranchised present day middle class by the Republicans while obstructing any measure of tax increase on the super wealthy, as a treatment for our ailing economy only adds insult to injury.
It is analogous to medieval medicine which treated every ailing, anemic, sickly patient by bleeding them or attaching leeches to them to suck their blood and it needs no intelligence to realize what the results for such measures were.
Republicans are our present day medieval physicians and the 1% super rich so called industrialists are the leeches sucking the life out of our economy.

How He Made A Nation Believe ~ Ruth Ann Satchfield

I will never forget the first time I became interested in politics. I was 14 years old, and I was supporting John F. Kennedy against Richard M. Nixon. My dad was a truck driver, and the teamsters {truck drivers union} were supporting Vice President Nixon. In those days the members of the union would have political meetings in their homes, and have candidates come talk to the voters. Our good friend and neighbor had such a meeting, and my parents went to talk with the people running for office. Of course at fourteen, I was not invited. It would not have changed my mind. The dashing Kennedy had already stolen my heart, and my vote, {if only I had one}. It was probably the first time I got into any political discussions. Of course my dad wasn't that impressed with my knowledge, thinking the union knew so much more than his fourteen year old daughter.

After he won the election, I followed him, Jackie and their beautiful family as much as I could. President Kennedy was very inspiring to the people my age, and I remember my dad watching the space flights with as much awe as I and my younger siblings did. None of that program would have been possible without the inspiration of John F. Kennedy. He was a person with optimistic ideas for the future, seeing the endless possibilities for our country to do great things. Back then when we had elections, and one side won the country pulled together, including politicians on both sides, to do what was best for the country. As a unit this country could do anything. We proved that with the space program.

It makes me sad to look at the country today, and the destruction one party is willing to cause, just to keep President Obama from achieving anything. I wonder what John F Kennedy would think about the people who have everything, but are so greedy that they will spend money and energy just to get laws passed to leave children, and the elderly with an even more meager existence. What would he think about corporations who pay little or no taxes, yet are pushing to take more from the middle class. John F. Kennedy was considered one of the greatest Presidents we have had, because of his optimistic visions, and his ability to inspire people to do great things for their fellow citizens, and other people around the world. It is so sad that we do not have politicians on both sides of the spectrum that believe in this country, and what we can do when we work together. One side can only do so much. As we honor John F. Kennedy, we should also honor the Republicans of his day for being willing to work with President Kennedy to accomplish so much, during his short term as president. Just think what we could accomplish today, if we had statesmen instead of obstructionists.

Yes, I remember where I was when President Kennedy was killed. I will never forget. More than that I will always remember how he made a nation believe that all things were possible, and a fourteen year old high school student feel that she was part of a wonderful world filled with opportunities. Wouldn't it be nice if our children could enjoy that feeling today?

Buzz Words Like Socialism ~ Ruth Ann Satchfield

Is your state one of the twenty five states who have refused to expand Medicaid? Are you supporting this decision? When I watch Ted Cruz's page there are a lot of uninformed people supporting him. They seem to think that if you are poor and don't have the money to pay for care, you shouldn't receive it. They use buzz words like socialism and communism, without knowing what these words mean. What they don't understand is that we the people will be paying for their care in the emergency room, sooner or later. Not only could the care come too late to save lives, it may come too late to help the patients live productive lives. That means we pay huge costs for emergency room care, then Medicaid will have to continue providing care for someone who can no longer work and pay taxes. It is a lose, lose situation. 

But, oh well, at least you won't have socialism. I take it, you right wing thinkers want to get rid of all socialism. Yes? Well lets start with the sports stadiums that are built with taxpayer money all over this country. First these team owners can afford to build their own stadiums, yet they expect the taxpayers to fund them. Republican and Democratic communities have been building them for years. The leaders tell the communities that they will all benefit from building the stadiums even if they can never afford to attend a game. Oops, that is socialism. No more stadiums. Thanks to MSNBC's "The Last Word" television program for reminding me of this.

Most hospitals are at least partly supported and built with taxpayer dollars. When tax dollars are paid to support farmers, it is suppose to benefit us all in keeping food prices reasonable. That is socialism. Schools, roads, waterways, lakes, dams, parks, zoos, museums, airports, bus stations, railroad stations, medical research and ports usually receive help, if not their total support from tax payers, and are socialistic. What are you willing to give up? If you are going to buy the right wing dogma that all socialism is bad, I guess all of them. 

One more thought, you Republicans love the might of the military, and are always ready to spend taxpayer dollars directly to the military industrial complex. Did you know the military is the biggest socialistic organization we have? Think about it. No socialism, no military.

If you are going to promote the right wing propaganda, you should at least understand what you are promoting, and how it affects this country. Too many of you spout talking points without understanding the consequences.

Everyone Deserves Healthcare ~ Gail Stone

More I learned yesterday at the clinic about the ACA and how it makes healthcare better-

1. If you have a pre-existing condition, you are able to obtain coverage.

This I find very important. First, because it's the right thing to do. How stupid that insurance companies were previously allowed to tell us that they would not cover anything that we had been made aware of prior to applying for coverage! Second, this change may not have been so necessary during my parents generation. My dad was employed with the same company for 50+ years. Those were the days when companies had a sense of loyalty to their employees, when there were strong unions fighting for the rights of workers. Today's workplace presents an entirely different set of circumstances. Employers don't feel obligated to their employees. Long term employees are often seen as a liability, rather than an asset. Unions have been weakened or busted altogether. Many long term employees find themselves suddenly out of a job and in the job market looking for a company that will take them on. If those employees are fortunate enough to find employment, guess what? They are likely going to be applying for health insurance associated with their new position. Prior to the ACA, they were simply out of luck if they had a pre-existing heart condition, high blood pressure, diabetes or any of the ailments that are common to an aging population. Thanks to the ACA we can now change jobs without fear that our healthcare will be on the line. THAT is liberating! Really, do you know any 50ish year olds who do not have a pre-existing condition????

2. There are no lifetime limits. The health insurance company will keep paying your healthcare needs no matter how much they cost.

Most people don't realize their policy has a lifetime limit. But prior to the ACA, they did. This is one of the reasons the insurance industry sunk so much money, and garnered the support of the GOP, into their efforts to stop the ACA from becoming law. That's right, I said LAW! The ACA is the law now! Thank you Mr. President!
Yes, previously, most all policies had a lifetime limit. That meant that if you got sick, I mean really sick! Let's say you got diagnosed with cancer, for instance, you would likely reach a point when you no longer had any coverage to help with your care.
Come on now, THAT is precisely the time when one might NEED their insurance. But the insurance companies had the game rigged. Most of us were simply not aware of it, because we never had to go down that road.

3. Increased coverage for children. Kids can stay on their parents plan until they are 26 years old.

And, they can stay on even if they are married! I'm not exactly sure of the prior parameters associated with continued coverage for adult children. But, I do know that for children past a certain age, coverage only was allowed to continue IF the child was in college. Should i point out that such a regulation is designed to favor a particular economic group - namely children who were fortunate enough to be able to afford to go to college? Also, some children do not CHOOSE to go the conventional route in terms of education and career choices. For instance, I have a niece who opted to go to school to become a dog groomer. Now, she deserves health insurance just like everyone else!

4. More opportunities for subsidies. The goal is to make sure EVERYONE can afford health insurance. In some cases, the government helps pay for your premium through tax subsidy.

How does the tax subsidy work? You may qualify for a subsidy that will help pay for your monthly premium. In order to qualify, you must make between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. If you qualify, your subsidy is based on your income and family size.
This is an attribute of the ACA law that I am very appreciative of, since it happens to apply to me. I will now be able to afford a policy that will meet my needs. Let me tell you, this is, for me, one of the most important aspects of the new law. If you have never raised a child without health insurance, you do not truly understand the concept of stress! I did it, and many other parents have done it too. It's time for the working poor of this country to breathe a little sigh of relief!!
And, thankfully, our president did not make this contingent upon whether the governor of the particular state we live in cooperated with his request that they expand their Medicaid programs to include the working poor. He offered all states 100% reimbursement by the federal government if they would do so. The governor of Mississippi, the state I live in, chose not to cooperate. Hey, guvna, I'm getting healthcare anyway!! BAM!!!!!!

This is not a partisan issue, but it has been turned into such. Now I ask you, really, don't you agree?? Everyone deserves healthcare!!!!!!

10 Things A Policy Must Do To Conform With ACA ~ Gail Stone

While at the healthcare clinic today I took advantage of the opportunity to meet with the person who has been employed to assist patients with applying for insurance offered through the state market.
I have heard so much screaming about the fact that some people are being notified by their insurance companies that their previously held policies would be cancelled. Well, the president took care of that for you today. Those who held such policies will now be able to hang on to them for one more year. If you think that's a good thing, you are being extremely short sighted. But, he did it. Now it's in the lap of your insurance company when you get sick and are not covered.
Why were such policies at risk of being cancelled? Because they did not meet certain criteria as mandated by the ACA. There are ten things the law says a policy must do in order to be considered a valid policy. It must provide:

1. Ambulatory services
2. Emergency services
3. Hospitalization
4. Mental health and substance use disorder services. including behavioral health treatment
5. Maternity and newborn care
6. Prescription drugs
7. Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
8. Laboratory services
9. Preventative and wellness services and chronic disease management
10. Pediatric services, including dental and vision

If you think that an insurance company will not sell you a policy that is a piece of crap and does not provide the above....you are living in la la land. They are perfectly willing to take your money, and just as willing to watch you struggle if you get sick, or unexpectedly pregnant. (That's right, boys and girls, birth control sometimes fails. Then what?)

Presidential Lies Are Not Created Equal ~Eric Smith

Eric Smith

No presidential lie is ever a good thing; intentional or not. However if a president is going to lie I would much rather it be over an effort to make the sick healthy rather than to make the healthy die. No one will die or be maimed for life because of what President Obama failed to disclose in regards to whether or not people would be able to keep their existing health care plan. Those who originally lost their health care in spite of his earlier assurances that they wouldn't, lost it for one reason and one reason alone; because the policies that were dropped did not meet the new Federal standards which ensured wider coverage and greater guarantees that people would not go bankrupt trying to pay for treatment that their original policies would not cover.

Now some will say a lie is a lie is a lie but understand that not all lies are created equal; not all lies have the same catastrophic consequences. So to those who want to compare President Barack Obama to former President George W. Bush just remember that the so called lie President Obama told led to the shock of having one's coverage unexpectedly dropped. It did not kill or maim anybody whereas the lies President Bush told in order to justify going to war with Iraq, killed & maimed thousands of our men & women in uniform, and caused millions more to lose their homes, jobs, and life savings because of the resulting tanked economy.

Those who lost their health care will get it back; they will be covered, and they would have been covered even if the president did not allow them to keep their existing substandard plans for a year. Yet those who died because of that war in Iraq are never coming back. Those who were needlessly maimed in that war will never be restored to physical & mental health, and those who lost their homes, their jobs, and life savings are unlikely to ever recover their sense of security & peace of mind; all of which were lost because a previous president lied about the reasons for taking this great country into war.

Again, Presidential lies; while terrible, are not created equal and if you doubt this merely pay visit to a military cemetery where these dead warriors from the Iraq War are buried. Visit a military hospital or any psychiatric ward were many survivors of that needless war remain forever maimed in body and soul. Pay a visit to the grieving family members and the shattered family members forever burdened with these wounded warriors care. Speak to those who've lost their homes, their jobs, and their life savings,and then if you dare ask them which presidential lie was worse; one made to make a people whole or one told to tear two nations apart.

Working Together for Successful Change ~ Tom Murren

Working Together for Successful Change
To Ending the Political Madness in Today’s America
November 14, 2013 by Tom Murren

Like most of Americans I know, I have been increasingly alarmed and frustrated by a number of reactionary trends we’ve been seeing take place in America over the last 20 years; from the growing political divide we now have in our country, that basically has crippled our governing bodies; to the ever increasing DIN of “destructive and naïve” voices spreading hate and fear coming from various different “radical” right-winged minority factions from all walks of life – groups that on their own, would be viewed as “social wing-nuts”, but groups who are being financially backed and promoted by a very focused, well-funded, intellectual group of well-orchestrated corporate giants; the American OLIGARCHS, like the Koch Brothers; who are MANIPULATING these radical factions to advance their own agendas to deregulate America, and yield greater profits on the backs of the “average American”.

As these “rag-tag” collective groups of people are better funded, and as a whole, have become “better skilled at working together”, they, in aggregate, have COLLECTIVELY been gaining ground and momentum, and have been increasingly successful in undermining ALL of our sectarian structures of governance, have been altering our American political landscape, and are collectively working to “chip away” at the very foundation of our democracy and social integrity. In 20

But, in spite of their LOUD noise and the broad reach of their “destructive” collective objectives, WE must never lose sight that WE still represent the MAJORITY of American, and MORE and MORE Americans are becoming alarmed. It is HIGH-TIME to take our country back from these hungry wolves.

A “PROGRESSIVE STRATEGY” for taking back America:
This paper is intended to be a “constructive work” – one that can help EACH of us learn to effectively amplify “our individual voice” by working in coordination with other “like-minded” Progressive people. 

This work combines a brief outline of who the “radical-right” are, and history of how we got here, and what we must do, to guarantee “the will” of the majority prevails and preserves our beloved democracy.

This paper is essentially a HOW-TO guide of how and where we can ALL meet and forge together; HOW we can successfully exert our COLLECTIVE clout and voices; to keep the far-right in CHECK from gaining any more ground; and, to minimize “each” group from further advancing THEIR individual agendas. 

Each of the strategies I’ll mention are already in place, and growing numbers of people have been, and continue to work together using existing strategies already ”in-place”. What is SIMPLY needed is for MORE PEOPLE to get involved in still GREATER participation, and for EVERY ONE of us working together in still GREATER unison.

If you are reading this paper, you already have the competency and many of the skill sets needed. 

(1) WORK to get out the vote (aka “GOTV”) in support of people and referendums you believe in.
(2) Stop our “bitching and moaning” and take CONSTRUCTIVE action. 
(3) Collaborate and WORK TOGETHER in unison, with our fellow “center-left” allies. 
(4) Don’t “re-invent” the wheel. Identify and use existing structures, methods and tools, in social/public media, in organization that work - to amplify our voices in orchestrated unison with others GROUP setting(s), to perform much like a strong choir performing in a powerful recital.
(5) EDUCATE ourselves and the masses of American voters whom may not be currently involved, but, are already ON THE SAME PLATE in their sentiments, and GET OUT THE VOTE (ie: “GOTV”).
(6) EDUCATING ourselves and “our allies” of WHO our opponents are, and understanding their methods being used.
(7) Keeping the public’s eyes on what is REALLY happening by constantly focusing on our opponents tactics, successes and failures.

Our opponents have been very successful in consolidating together. They continue their drive to divide us and the politically non-aligned, by USING FEAR, REDUNDANCY, “false-morality principles”, and deceit. Their sole COLLABORATIVE goal is to stifle and undermine ANY political clout of EVERY ONE who does not share in “their visions”. 

How do WE succeed in countering their efforts? 
Simple – we must understand their agendas and their game plan, and begin, working TOGETHER as a unit.

WHAT should we do?
ALWAYS take the HIGH GROUND, arm ourselves with the TRUTH, and grow our coalitions with the facts.

WHAT do we each need to do, and HOW do we take ACTION working together with others and do so effectively? 

Simple – 
(1) KNOW YOURSELF - understand YOUR GIFTS and LIMITATIONS…we all have a combination of each, and we each have a LOT to bring to the table.
(2) KEEP AWARE and UP TO DATE -- KNOW “what” and with “whom” we are REALLY up against. PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE is an effective tool, to help each of us prepare to separate out “propaganda / deceitfulness” from the FACTS. To do so, we each need to stay informed, vocalizing the truth. 
(3) Be ACTIVELY INVOLVED in our democratic process.
(4) REACH OUT TO OTHERS and TEACH THEM factual information you’ve learned.
(5) PERSONALLY “VOTE” in each and every election.
(6) HELP in getting out the vote of others …. EVERY ELECTION is critical.
(7) STAYING INVOLVED as activists who are willing to work to save what we all hold dear. 
(8) Participate in every way you can. LEARN NEW TECHNIQUES and FIND NEW GROUPS who are collaborating and “working together” for change. 
i. Toward that end, I recently joined a FACEBOOK group called “PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS – MOVING FORWARD, NOT BACK”. This group is actively working with another organization called UNITEBLUE.ORG. These are groups of people who have banded together – and USE TOOLS (like TWITTER) in concerted ways, to reach out to MILLIONS of other Americans at a time. Find these, or similar groups, PARTICIPATE, and learn HOW to outreach “with others” effectively.

Essentially, we use the same strategies used SUCCESSFULLY by President Barrack Obama during his 2008 Presidential campaign, and the same techniques NOW being used effectively by our “radical” opponents on the right.

Are Our Children Important To You? ~ Ruth Ann Satchfield

As a friend said recently, it is only lip service to say that children are important in this country. If children were really important here, their education and their well-being would be a lot higher on the agenda of Congress. I know children do not vote, but their parents and grandparents DO vote, so where are they? Remember the old saying "put your money where your mouth is?" An average U.S. teacher makes $47,000 per year, but actual pay ranges from a little over $34,000 to a little over $58,000. If money denotes importance, why does a teacher make an average of $47,000 while an average executive makes $754,972? 

Some people do not understand why our children are only 14th in reading, 17th in science, and 25th in math in rankings among similar nations. We spend more to educate each child than anyone except Luxembourg [//certificationmap.com/teacher-salaries/
//www1.salary.com/Chief-Executive-Officer-Salary.htm //usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-12-07-us-students-international-ranking_N.html].

America spends more of our tax dollars on military readiness than any country in the world; it actually spends the same as the next 15 countries combined. This money does not go to the care of our military personnel and their families, but to the military industrial complex. "Basic pay for an O-7 to O-10 is limited by Level II of the Executive Schedule which is $14,975.10. Basic pay for O-6 and below is limited by Level V of the Executive Schedule which is $12,141,60" [//www.militaryfactory.com/military_pay_scale.asp].

Many of the enlisted service people earn a very small salary, but there are other benefits, like housing (which can be considerable depending on where you must live) and medical care. Our people risk their lives for this country, and yet are paid so little that some need food stamps and subsidized school lunches to feed their families. At times I have wondered if it was only important to Republicans that our children be able to carry a gun or drive a tank in some foreign country. Well, they need to open their eyes! Warfare has changed; now our children need more math and computer skills to defend our nation, and if our children do not get a good education, they will not be prepared to manage the military's advanced weaponry at all.

Republicans have disparaged education, yet the ability to increase the GDP for this country is tied to the ability to educate our children and to turn out more college graduates. It is very important for our future and will determine our ranking in the world. Make no mistake about it: it is Republican representatives who demand austerity in this country. They will not let taxes be raised to pay for the products and services the government has already bought; instead, they take that money out of services and programs needed by the poorest people of this nation. Without these services, the United States is falling behind, and our investment in its future lost.

If we invest in the well-being and advancement of our children's minds, we get that money back tenfold. If we invest in the latest weaponry, that weaponry - like our computers or cell phones - is outdated almost by the time it is delivered. I am not saying we do not need weapons, but we can cut back and order less, and invest instead in something that would pay off in the future, people. The Republicans claim to be the "values" party, but whose values? Are our children important to you? Are our soldiers important to you? If they are, why would you vote Republican?

Unconditional Surrender ~ Eric Smith

Those who are unreasonable lose their right to expect others to be reasonable with them. Those who are intolerant lose their right to expect others to be tolerant of them. For years the Republican Party & the Far Right has flat out refused the pleas of President Obama and others on the Left to meet them halfway, to be reasonable and to work things out through genuine compromise where each side gives a little and gains a lot. It has always been their way or the highway; their way or nothing at all.

It is telling how after the debt limit standoff of 2011 Speaker John Boehner said "We got 98% of what we wanted." This is telling for this reason; Republicans/Conservatives define "compromise" as getting 95% to 98% of whatever they ask for. The problem is not so much that this is how these people really think but that we Democrats in general and we on the Left in particular have allowed them to get away with this way of thinking & attendant behavior for far too long; so long in fact that it would be unrealistic on our part to expect them to think any other way now.

We have historically caved, given in, whenever they have accused us of being unreasonable, of refusing to meet them "halfway" whenever we have refused to give them at least 90% of what they've asked for and I'm like what type of damn fools have we on the Left been?! Seriously, if the Republicans/Conservatives want to accuse us on the Left of being unreasonable or unwilling to meet them "halfway" because we and President Obama have finally come to our collective senses and realized that giving them 98% of what they want is not compromise but conquest, so what?

Let them scream, let them holler, let them throw all the tantrums they want but don't give another inch of ground. Compromise, real compromise, is a 50/50 split; it is straight down the middle and if they can't accept that then fine; we will be more than within our rights to demand 100% of what we want and not allow them to have anything because we have allowed them to get too much of what they've wanted for far too long. There comes a time when the only sane thing to do once you have your foot on an opponent's neck is not to lift it up but to keep pressing down on your opponent's neck until you feel that neck break.

That is where we on the Left stand in relation to the Far Right now. We must press our foot down on its neck until it breaks. Forget compromise, forget being reasonable; we must say to them what President Truman said to the Japanese in 1945 and that is that nothing less than "unconditional surrender" is acceptable at this point. We must mean it and we must act accordingly. Unconditional surrender is what we Democrats and those of us on the Left must demand of the Republican Party & the Far Right. Nothing else will do and in light of their history and current conduct, nothing less than unconditional surrender makes a damn bit of sense.

I Have To Laugh ~ Ruth Ann Satchfield

My employee-insurance management company reported year-over-year double-digit percentage growth in operating income which was 30.0 percent, to $7.1 billion in third-quarter 2013. They made $16.6 billion in the first nine months of 2013. I want you to realize the size of the company we are talking about.

I have carried insurance on both my husband and myself for over 25 years. In January, they stopped covering my husband's bills. Why? A software glitch. They had changed companies for management of their insurance program. The new management company lost many dependents in the transfer. If my husband had not been a service-related disabled veteran, we would be up the proverbial creek. The company has been telling us not to worry, that he is covered, and that they will pay us back. This has been happening since January, 2013.


I just received my new packet of information, and it has "dependent" checked just as it should. The packet also includes information about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for younger employees, about saving money in the Marketplace established by ACA with this statement: "In the Marketplace, you could be eligible for a new kind of tax credit that lowers your monthly premiums." They left the choice up to each employee to decide what is best. This is a massive company that had good rates, but evidently our insurance advisers feel that at least the people on COBRA might do better with the provisions of the ACA. 

When we hear the people in Congress posturing about the failure of the ACA website, I want to laugh. Many of these people never supported the ACA in the first place. When we hear them complaining about the failure of the website, I wonder where they were when the drug program (for seniors) became law. Did they not hear of all the problems that the program had? One more thing: the ACA is a lot more complex - with many more plans and options - than my employee benefits, and I have been waiting for 10 months to be reimbursed. So, when some say that the private sector could do it better, I have to laugh.

Income Inequality ~ Eric Smith

Today my friends I want to discuss income inequality; namely the difference in the amount of money a man earns and a woman who does the same job and works the same hours. Now it is generally understood that on the average for every dollar a man earns a woman only earns seventy seven cents. So forgetting deductions for taxes, Social Security etc; for every $10.00 a man earns a woman earns $7.70. 

Now let's say the man and the woman work an eight hour day. In the course of that day the man will earn $80.00 whereas the woman will earn only $61.60 because remember the woman twenty three cents for every dollar she makes doing the same job and working the same amount of hours as the man and she is losing these twenty three cents not because the man is doing the job better but only because she is a woman. In short she is losing $18.40 a day for no other reason than that she's a woman.

Now let's go to the typical forty hour work week. A man earning $10.00 per hour working eight hours a day and five days a week will earn $400.00 because of course eight times five is forty. Now a woman who only earns only seventy seven cents for every dollar a man makes will earn what? Multiply $7.70 by 40 and you will come to $308.00. In other words a woman who does the same job and works the same hours as a man will earn $92.00 less than a man for no other reason than that she is a woman.

Now let's look at how income inequality stacks up over the course of a month. With a forty hour workweek you are talking about on the average four weeks so multiply forty by four and you come to one hundred and sixty. So a man who earns $10.00 hour will over the course of 160 hours earn $1,600.00. That will be his monthly taken. Now factoring in income inequality where the woman will only earn seventy seven cents for every dollar a man makes, what will be her take for the month? Multiply $7.70 times 160 and you will come up with $1,232.00. In other words with income inequality a woman who does the same job and works the same number of hours as a man will earn $368.00 less per month than the man not because she doesn't do the job as well but only because she is a woman.

Now let's top it off by looking at yearly income. A person works one hundred and sixty hours per month and there are twelve months per year. So to come up with the number of hours worked per year multiply 160 times 12 and you will come up come up with 1920 working hours per year. So a man earning $10.00 per hour will earn how much if he works 1920 hours per year? Multiply 10 times 1920 and you will come up with a yearly income of $19,200.00 for the man. Now a woman earning seventy seven cents for every dollar a man earns will make how much over the course of the year doing the same job and working the same number of hours. Multiply her $7.70 times 1920 and you will come up with a yearly income of $14,784.00. Now with income inequality how much less will the woman make per year solely because she is a woman. Subtract $14,784.00 from $19,200.00 and you will come up with $4,416.00. 

So here is the deal with gender inequality. With a woman earning only seventy seven cents for every dollar a man makes who does the same job and works the same number of hours that the man does will earn $18.40 less per day, $92.00 less per week, $368.00 less per month, and $4,416.00 less per year than the man who does the same job and works the same amount of hours and earns $10.00 per hour, $80.00 per day, $400.00 per week, $1600.00 per month, and $19,200.00 per year! 

That my friends is income inequality! Not only is it wrong and immoral; from a purely economic standpoint it is profoundly stupid since that lost income for a woman is taxable income; it is money that if paid could be used to help fund our schools, police & fire departments, among other things. It is taxable income that could be used to put additional funds back into Social Security to be used for higher Social Security payments upon retirement or in the event of disability. It is extra money that could be used to pay for food, clothing, housing; money that could be returned to the economic pot in the form of buying goods & other products; increasing the demand for them and necessitating the number of more people to help meet those demands and lower unemployment and pull more people out of poverty.

In short, income inequality based on gender ultimately shortchanges us all for it collectively lowers the quality of life for the nation, it makes woman economic second class citizens, and it starves our economy of needed funds in the form of additional taxable income. That is why it must be addressed and why it must be eliminated for income inequality has no place in a society that professes to be free for its existence denotes the absence of full freedom and is a sign of economic stupidity of the highest order.

It Sticks In My Craw ~ Eric Smith

It sticks in my craw that not one member of the Republican Party, not one member of the Tea Party, and not one member of the Libertarian Party called out that racist Texas yahoo who waved the Confederate flag and gave a rebel yell in front of the White House during the government shutdown; not one and I am seething over that. I remember calling my parents in New York to say goodbye to them in January of 1987 because I was half convinced that I was going to get killed when I participated in second Cummings GA march the following day and so did they.

I remember the Confederate flags being waved by racist lunatics who had shotguns clearly visible in the back seat. I remember seeing signs like "N*****s ain't got no God!" and of a little boy getting slapped silly by his parents after smiling and waving at me as I marched past. I remember the sharpshooters on every overpass as our bus made the 35 mile trip from Atlanta to Cummings and I recall being told by the marshal on board not to rest my head against the window for fear that a sniper would shoot it off.

I recall the sign "Welcome to Cummings!" right next to which stood three people holding a large flag of the Ku Klux Klan; the flag that had a cross with a drop of blood in the center. I remember entering the town square just at its edge and being pressed against National Guardsman who stood between us and a murderous mob. I remember my college roommate saying "E, you wanted to see a Ku Klux Klansman well there he is!" and then looking over and seeing one of those clowns in full white sheets & pointed hood waving the Stars & Bars. 

Yet most of all I remember seeing those three helicopters hovering overhead, the lowest of which was no more than twenty five or thirty feet above us and telling folks nearby that if one of those racist yahoos managed to shoot it down or it crashed on its own accord we were all dead. I remember how after the demonstration was over and we began to make our way back to the buses along the route from which we'd come, I broke ranks and rushed to the aid of a woman who had fainted and then hearing loud screaming as I stepped away after realizing that she was okay; only to be cursed out by my roommate who said that in the commotion I had nearly backed into that very Ku Klux Klansman I had seen earlier and who had caused the Guardsman to lower their face masks and charge into the crowd after calling one of them the "n" word and trying to throw something, probably a panic bomb designed to trigger a fatal stampede, and of course I recall that guard ordering me to look away as the National Guardsmen began to make their charge and my responding "Hell no! If I'm to die here I'm determined to see who does what!"

So from where I sit, the fact that those in the GOP, the Tea & Libertarian Parties stood silent in the face of that atrocity in front of the White House tells me that they are complicit in it; even if it is only a complicity of silence. You see people were enslaved because of that flag; people died because of it, and our nation was almost destroyed because of it. I am not interested in hearing sugarcoated platitudes or excuses for that kind of hateful conduct; to me words of dismissive justification are empty because I almost lost my life opposing that flag and for standing up against the hate and evil it represents. 

To me that flag and all those who support it for whatever rhyme or reason are my mortal enemies. There is no middle ground; no room for compromise, accommodation, or debate with anyone or any party that thinks it is in any way acceptable; even if that acceptance is conveyed through one's refusal to speak out against it. The Confederate flag is pure evil, period, and by either embracing or showing tacit acceptance of that flag through a refusal to condemn it, the GOP, and the Tea & Libertarian Parties are equally evil; evil not only in their embrace of a hateful symbol of slavery, segregation, and Judge Lynch but of treason as well for make no mistake, that flag was ultimately created for one reason and one reason alone; to keep human beings enslaved and to forever rip the United States of America apart and if that wasn't the essence of evil then I don't know what is.

The Old John Birch Society Born Again ~ Claire Conner Mork

Conventional D.C. punditry, says Ted Cruz, has destroyed the GOP's standing and made it possible for Democrats to take back the House. This is, in my opinion, pie in the sky. 

Listen to this assessment of Cruz's impact on the GOP on Texas. "Just about every GOP candidate with aspirations to statewide office in 2014 seems to be styling himself or herself after Cruz. In tight formation, they are moving hard to the right and looking for the next big populist rallying cry — secession, rolling back the state’s liberal immigration laws, impeaching President Obama, amending the Constitution to end the direct election of U.S. senators."

Look at the list of ideas these folks are touting:
1. Secession.
2. Rolling back immigration laws.
3. Impeaching the president.
4. Getting rid of the direct election of senators.

These folks are not humbled. These folks are not swayed by polling. These folks are revolutionaries.

By the way, the John Birch Society is pushing the idea of nullification (a popular idea in Dixie before the Civil War). The John Birch Society is anti-immigration reform. The John Birch Society led the push to impeach President Clinton. The John Birch Society opposes the direct election of senators.

Ted Cruz and his Texas fans are the old John Birch Society born again in red cowboy boots, waving their Lone Star flag and demanding the destruction of the federal government.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ted-cruz-returns-to-texas-as-a-hero-who-is-reshaping-the-state-republican-party/2013/10/23/449c5a76-3b6a-11e3-a94f-b58017bfee6c_story.html?hpid=z4 

Kings Who Take Money From Those Who Are Not Christian Enough ~ Claire Conner Mork

I had to post a huge segment from this piece or you would scoff at my note. Yes, Ted Cruz's father is a big evangelical preacher and he sees his son as one of the "anointed ones." This ought to give every one of us the creeps. But, there's more. The old Cruz calls for America to have a king who will take money from those who are not Christian enough and give that wealth to preachers (and their anointed sons.

Here's the article, "The father of right wing Texas Senator Ted Cruz, the most visible leader of the now-ended government shutdown, is seen in recently uncovered videos calling for America to be ruled by “kings” who will take money from anyone who is not an evangelical Christian and deliver it into the hands of fundamentalist preachers and their acolytes."

"Megachurch preacher Larry Huch suggested that Rafael Cruz’s own son, Ted, is one of those “kings.” And in fact, at a ceremony this past July Ted Cruz was “anointed” by a group of fundamentalist preachers in a special blessing ceremony."

During the 2008 presidential campaign, then-Senator Barack Obama was accused by conservatives of advocating “redistribution of wealth” from the wealthy to the needy. But in his speech given last year, Rafael Cruz calls for “a great transfer of wealth.”

The difference is, in Cruz’s scheme, the transfer will occur through a war against “the wicked” led by Christian preachers who will take the wealth from nonbelievers.

“The wealth of the wicked is stored for the righteous,” said the elder Cruz at an Irving, Texas megachurch in August of 2012. “And it is through the kings, anointed to take dominion, that that transfer of wealth is going to occur."

“I know that's why God got Rafael's son elected - Ted Cruz, the next Senator,” said Huch, pastor of the New Beginnings megachurch, introducing Rafael Cruz’s speech.

"Kings who are anointed for a totally different reason than priests,” Rafael Cruz went on to say. "Kings who are anointed to take dominion. Kings who are anointed to go to war, win the war, and bring the spoils of war to the priests.”

Sounds like King David and company from the Old Testament.

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/politics/rafael-cruz-father-ted-cruz-wants-great-transfer-wealth-hands-evangelicals-himself 

The self-inflicted SABOTAGE of Obamacare ~ William Boyle

Whether it was deliberately included in order to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, or whether it was inadvertently left in because of carelessness, there is one BIG item that is presently implied by the law that may sabotage the ENTIRE Affordable Care Act.

This toxic item is the mandatory reduction in adjunct (part-time) college professors' working hours due to the ACA.

So, why is this item toxic?

It is because the majority of college professors are, in fact, part-time faculty. Colleges do this to reduce the costs of faculty (Some estimates indicate that nationally, some 70% of all college professors are adjuncts!)

And, it should be noted that most adjunct professors are barely getting by.

Reducing their working hours -- and their salary! -- is not likely to make these adjunct professors very happy.

If the majority of college professors are not happy with Obamacare -- What are these professors going to tell their students about Obamacare?

And, because to make the economics of the law work, it is necessary that a majority of young, healthy citizens sign up for insurance through the exchanges -- The young, healthy citizens that are most likely sign up for insurance through the ACA exchanges are college students.

So, just what do you think is going to happen to the implementation of the ACA, if young, healthy college students DON'T sign up for health insurance, because of the negative impression of Obamacare that they are getting from all of their college professors that are being HURT by this apparently obligatory aspect of Obamacare?

If this was intended as a deliberate sabotage of Obamacare, it is very cunning and crafty...

Are the people in charge of the rollout Obamacare aware of this toxic aspect of the law?

Yes, the intent of the law was to provide this segment of the population with health insurance.

However, in my particular case, I have been told that I will NOT be employed starting this coming January, because of Obamacare.

And it is particularly ironic, that President Obama spoke to promote the ACA at my college (Prince George's Community College) less than a month ago, on September 26...

However, my question is not, "How do I pay for health insurance come next year?"

My question is, "How do I pay for rent then? -- or even for food?"

(Also, as an "education worker" I am not eligible for unemployment compensation!)

...And, how many other adjunct professors are there in my same situation?

And -- what will happen if this problem is not solved right away?

See for example:
Honey, They Shrunk My Job
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/360009/honey-they-shrunk-my-job-deroy-murdock

ObamaCare List Hits 313 As 54 Colleges Cut Adjunct Hours
http://news.investors.com/politics-obamacare/092613-672563-obamacare-employer-list-of-job-hours-cuts-adjuncts-hit.htm

Under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, the average income of an adjunct has fallen to $2,700 per course, less than $25,000 per year, and this is to prevent colleges and universities from having to provide benefits.
http://www.collegian.com/2013/10/adjunct-faculty-see-changes-at-csu/47509/

Obamacare trainwreck: bankrupting, hurting and killing America
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/brenner-brief/2013/sep/26/obamacare-trainwreck-bankrupting-hurting-and-killi/

What is the Medical Device Tax? ~ Barbara Cobuzzi & Lynne Smith

What is the Medical Device Tax?  Why there is such a battle to remove it as a revenue source of The Affordable Care Act (ACA) and/or Obamacare?  The Medical Device Tax has become one of the primary centerpieces of “what is wrong about ACA” for the Republicans.  Republicans advocated for removing this tax because it would be a burden on the American people and on the Medical Device manufacturers.  Looking at the history of revenues for new programs, the financial picture of Medical Device Manufacturers, and the process of determining how to pay for ACA/Obamacare will be reviewed to help the reader determine whether the tax is reasonable or a burden for the taxpayer and medical device manufacturers.

As lawmakers in Congress and the White House were developing the ACA/Obamacare, major healthcare industry players, including but not limited to the pharmaceutical industry, hospital industry, and healthcare insurance industry, were invited to participate in the process and offer suggestions about how the law could best be paid for.  Most of the industries contributed some revenue ideas to help fund the law, negotiated others and finally compromise on a plan and agreements were made on how the ACA/Obamacare would be funded.  However, one health care industry, The Medical Device Industry, appears to have refused to make suggestions, offer possible revenues, or suggested how they could contribute to the process of funding this law. (http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/medical-device-tax-obamacare-affordable-care-act-government-shutdown-debt-ceiling-talks-98367.html)  Instead they suggested other industry players be the sources of revenue.  The medical device industry never offered any contribution in order to provide health insurance coverage to the 40-50 million uninsured Americans.

What is important to understand is that the Medical device industry is an exceptionally profitable industry.  It includes not only the manufacture of artificial knees and hips, but also CT and MRI equipment made by companies like GE and Seimans.   Recently on the news, it was reported that an artificial hip, just the hardware for it is manufactured for about $350.00 and sold for over $10,000.00. (http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/08/artificial-hip-cost-markup-healthcare) The patient may pay in excess of $20,000.00 for the surgery.  This represents an approximate 900% mark-up on the device alone.

After discussions and negotiations with industry leaders a “forced tax”, of 4.6% was levied, since the Medical Device industry was the only industry player to not offer a contribution to funding the Affordable Care Act. (Resource)  The planned contribution was an estimated $40 billion over 10 years.  This tax was cut in half from 4.6% to 2.3%, and the expected contribution was dropped to $20 billion.  But the industry’s profits have spiked recently, so the revised estimated ACA contribution from this tax is now $30 billion over 10 years due to the industry’s increased profitability. (http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/medical-device-tax-obamacare-affordable-care-act-government-shutdown-debt-ceiling-talks-98367.html )

On the one hand the medical device industry was complaining about the $30 billion price tag, the industry invested $30 million a year to lobby congress in order to get this tax removed.   They spent in one year of lobbying, the cost to them for the ACA over 10 years.  Think about it, if 2.3% of profits over the next 10 years is $30 billion, that means that the medical device industry’s profits over the next 10 years is $1.3 trillion dollars, or on average, $130 billion a year. (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/opinion/the-myth-of-the-medical-device-tax.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=0)

Concessions Requested by Republicans for ACA: Do They Pass The Truth Test? ~ Barbara Cobuzzi & Lynne Smith

While Republicans are playing a game of chicken with the Democrats,  that may mean America will not be able to pay their bills, they have once again tried to pull the “wool over the eyes” of the American people with two new myths about the Affordable Care Act. These myths are at the center of the debate of keeping the government shut down as well as whether to default on our debt.  The House Republicans refuse to sign a clean Continuing Resolution which would insure our government is reopened and more important we do not default on our debts. As many of you know, most of the time when we write a blog, we go through a long process of verifying the information we put in this blog stating the source so anyone can re-check the facts.  However, in order to get you information in real time, today we are simply going to  tell you the issues the Republicans have indicated are “bad for the public”, worthy of keeping the government closed and possibly defaulting on the country’s debt to “save the American people” from  ACA law and then counter these issues with the truth.  There will be no rhetoric.  The information contained in this blog is just the facts. As author’s of this blog, we recognize changes need to be made to ACA, however these are minor changes and easily fixed by the Congress or administrative modifications, if they just do their job, instead of playing politics with the well-being of the American public.  The Republicans, especially those in the Tea Party, are reporting to the American people that  they are trying to “save them” from the Affordable Care Act.  That is simply untrue, rather they are trying to “save face” and be able to say they won out against big government and out of control spending.  Being correct on the ACA is very important to them, even though, polls indicate the Congressional Republicans approval rating is less than 5%.  The Republican stubborness reminds me of the last election when these same Republicans, supported by FOX news denied that President Obama was elected.  They were sure, that their polls were correct, stating Nate Silver’s 535 predictions were wrong and numbers coming from the voting precincts along with the pundits who declared President Obama the “winner” were just plain wrong.  Of course, in the end the polls cited by the Republicans were wrong and President Obama was re-elected. However, this proved just how out of touch these Republicans are with the reality of how Americans feel in this country.  Now, they are exhibiting the same denial of truth, as moderate Republicans and Speaker Boehner are over-ruled by about 40 members, primarily of the Tea Party  who seem to care very little about the impact shutting our government down and/or defaulting on our debt could have on the American people and the world economy. The two newly reported major myths being spread by the Republicans, in a desperate attempt to have some concessions, surround verifying a person’s income  to “make sure” they are eligible for subsidies and/or cost sharing, as well as forcing ONLY members of Congress to buy insurance from the exchange, effectively exempting their staff from participating. While they are manipulating the data with regard to many issues, what they are saying about the ACA, in this case, is simply categorically untrue.  Let’s begin with the issue of verifying income.  As one of the writer’s of this blog, I can assure you from personal experience that income is verified when applying for coverage through the healthcare.gov website. I have recently finished signing up for a policy through the health care exchange and my income was verified immediately within the process.  In fact, during the sign-up process, I was asked to project what income I thought I would have in 2014,  Now, based on recent information, I have determined my income in 2014 will be greater than it was in 2012.  So, I declared what my best guess is of what my income will be and clicked on enter.  After a small waiting period, I received a message indicating that my stated anticipated income did not match income previously declared on my tax returns.  I was asked to review my information and then asked again if this was my anticipated income for 2014.  I clicked yes, and received a message, that I needed to submit documents to verify my income.  Now, in my case, I could submit a written document by me describing why my income would be increasing.  I was offered many choices on how to verify income, including pay stubs, prior tax returns, etc.  While I was able to continue in the enrollment process and see what subsidies and cost-sharing if any, I was entitled to, based on the income I submitted, I had to electronically agree that the information I was giving was true and correct to the best of my belief and indicate I understood I had to submit documented evidence prior to a certain date to actually get the insurance.  The exchanges do verify income.  This has been a part of the Affordable Care Act from the beginning.  Any information to suggest otherwise is simply false.   Why are the Republicans making this demand about insuring people are truthful about their anticipated income suddenly?  It is part of the same tired strategy and stereotype they have used to demean and embarrass anyone who participate in what they perceive is an entitlement program.  They are trying to make people believe that by nature, Americans will lie about their income and be “given” a handout by the federal government in the form of undeserved subsidies and/or cost sharing. Americans, who would accept a tax incentive or subsidy must be a “shady” kind of person.  Remember. these are also the folks who say millions of people apply for food stamps when they aren’t “truly” needy.  The studies show however that less than three percent of food stamp recipients lie in order to get food stamps. They also ignore the fact, that not only do people have to verify their income at the time of application, but also have to electronically sign a document indicating they know that if their income is proven to be greater in 2014 than stated on their application, they will be liable to return the money on their tax return when they file in April of 2015. Income is verified then at two points, both prior to obtaining insurance and on their 2014 (filed 4/2015) tax return to validate they told the truth on their application. This is simply another untruth promoted by the Republicans to make ACA is a “hot button” issue. The second issue that the Republicans are “taking a stand” on involves whether they and their staff should enroll in the federal exchange.  Initially, they tried saying Congress was exempt from the Affordable Care Act and that wasn’t fair to the average American.  They tried to make it seem as if they had been exempted from a “terrible program”. First of all, Congress and their Staff receive their insurance via the federal employee health insurance group.  Anyone reviving their health insurance from a large employer are not allowed to shop for insurance in the exchanges.  So, by design, Congress and their Staff should not be eligible to get their insurance in the ACA exchanges. While the ACA was in bill form, Senator Grassley (R) submitted an amendment that would require Congress and their staff to be receive their health insurance from the ACA federal exchange like all individuals, families, and smaller businesses in this country.  According to some Republicans he added this amendment as a “poison pill”, thinking that it would cause the bill to not be passed even by its supporters in Congress.  To Senator Grassley’s surprise, the ACA bill passed and became a law, with the Grassley amendment, meaning that all of Congress and their staff would receive their insurance via the ACA exchanges.  So, because of the Grassley Amendment, Congressional Republicans found themselves in the position of having to use the federal health exchange.  However, the executive branch and their staff will continue getting their employer sponsored insurance and rightly so because ACA was passed to insure people with out insurance, those who could not afford insurance, those who had pre-existing illnesses and young adults under the age of 26 would have a cost effective means of  obtaining insurance. Since the inception of the Affordable Care Act, Congress and their staff have known they would  be required to be a part of the exchange beginning in 2014.  In fact, over the past two years, the Government Insurance Health Administration (GIHA) has coordinated the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP), that provided insurance to thousands of people, like me, with pre-existing conditions beginning in 2011.  However, the Affordable Care Act is not perfect and there are things that should have been “tweaked” in terms of the law.  One of the tweaks needed involved how members of Congress and their staff, would be able to use their “employer contribution” when purchasing plans.  In the last two years, Republicans in the Congress have flat out refused to fix any issues associated with ACA, instead they appealed the law to the Supreme Court and made over 44 attempts to repeal or defund the law in Congress.  In response to Republicans continuous refusal to “tweak” the bill, President Obama signed an executive order indicating that all federal employees who were staff members or Congressman could use their “employer” contribution to pay for all or part of their insurance through the federal health exchange and still be eligible for subsidies and cost-sharing. In a move that is so hypocritical, it is hard to believe, the Tea Party specifically, and Congressional Republicans have added the Vitter amendment to the Continuing Resolution which will take away the employer contribution to the healthcare plan for all of congress and their staffs.   This represents a income reduction for everyone in Congress as well as their staff.  This does not effect the actual members of Congress to a great degree because due to their salary, they will not be eligible for tax incentives or cost-sharing.  But their staff, is a different story.  Staff members may earn  $40,000 to as high as $175,000 per year.  Taking away the employee benefit which pays for part of their healthcare insurance premium from these employees is simply unfair.  They should not be used as a political pawn just to prove a point by Congressional Republicans.  They are punishing the very people who help them do their job.  Why would they take away the possibility of their own staff members or others who work in the Capital from getting subsidies or cost sharing?  It makes absolutely no sense.  They are not doing the right thing and protecting their employees.  In essence, they are denying them tax cuts or tax incentives that everyone else in the country in the exchanges receive.  The Republicans proclaims that they want more money going to the average American and yet, they want to deny their staffs  the ability to get health insurance for less money so they can say they got a “concession” and declare victory to their constituents.  This is just plain cruel and clearly supports that these Republicans care very little about the people around them or their constituents. A third issue that is being considered in closing a deal to re-open the government and increase the debt limit is to remove the medical device tax.  Again this is being considered as a concession to the Republicans and the Tea Party.  The Medical Device Tax is one source of funding the ACA and removing this tax will require congress to find alternative funding.  The reason there is so much pressure to remove this tax is because the medical device manufactures (ie: GE, Seimons, J&J, etc) have been spending millions of dollars lobbying congress to remove this tax.  So you understand, this is a tax on the artificial hip that costs $350 to manufacture and ultimately costs over $30,000.  The margins in these products are huge and they can well afford this tax. Many of these companies do not pay any income taxes currently (ie: GE) because of tax loopholes.  Removal of this medical device tax will cause us to have to pay for it somewhere else. Watch our blog and we will let you know they want to replace these funds. Once again we have proven that the “concessions”  or major issues associated with ACA are manipulations and/or just plain lies being spread by the Republicans in Congress.  If Republicans and/or Tea Party Republicans were educated about ACA, and they should be because that is their responsibility and their job, they would know one of their “demands” may actually financially harm members of their own staff and the other demand to verify income is already a part of the law.   That is why we have decided to award Republican members of Congress and specifically the Tea Party our first “stupid and you know it” award. Call your Representative and Senators today and tell them to stop these ridiculous demands.  Let them know you are educated about the issues and you want truth as opposed to dishonest rhetoric.They need to re-open the government and not allow the United States to default on it’s debt  for their own political gain. About the Authors: By: Barbara J. Cobuzzi, MBA, CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CPC-I, CENTC, CPCO and Lynne Smith, MSSW. Barbara is an industrial engineer with an MBA. She worked in the pharmaceutical industry for many years before moving into the healthcare industry where she had a company where she provided top quality coding, compliance and revenue cycle management services for physicians. She has since moved into full time consulting for physicians. Barbara is a nationally known expert known for her education, consulting and expert witness services. Lynne has dedicated her career to helping others. She has experience as a social worker in a rural county, an administrator in a large hospital network and as a College Professor. She uses the skills she developed over the years as an advocate in a variety of areas including her most recent venture serving as a Healthcare Advocate. Together, Lynne and Barbara own the ACA Healthcare Advocates consulting firm and are available to individuals, families and businesses to help them meet the requirements of the Affordable Care Act in order to meet the specific needs of the client while optimizing the fiscal considerations.  Please direct your questions and/or inquiries to askcobuzzi@gmail.com.  

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