If the post office ran healthcare...

Congress passing regulations based on who they want to punish and who they want to reward, affecting our mail (and maybe our health?)...read this blog post and leave your comments.

And this is by far the best description of how the postal system works (regarding customer service), and it's funny too!

Enjoy!

GEICO for Health Insurance?

Last night I watched Michael Moore's "Sicko" with a friend. A co-worker had loaned it to her, singing its praises, and my friend was not really sure what to think of it. I feel honored that she came to me for advice and asked me to watch it with her and discuss it in depth.

I held my tongue until about the last 15-20 minutes. I wanted to make sure I heard what he was saying and allowing my friend to form her own opinions (this was her second viewing) before jumping in and tearing it to shreds.

There were of course the usual villians involved: Richard Nixon (how is this not old yet?!), Ronald Reagan, Republicans in general... Hillary Clinton was a knight riding in on a white horse...gag.

I could write post after post on the problems with the film, however, I just want to talk about one point. I do agree that the system we have today has many flaws. But, turning into Canada and Britain is not the answer. (or shipping people off to Cuba)

Why can't health insurance be like auto or homeowners insurance where it's on an individual basis (not through a company policy)? I think McCain talked about changing it to this type of system in his campaign. Does anyone know why it isn't like that now?

Allow more competition, and allow people to choose the plan that works best for them with their health needs, income level, and life situation. Personally, I'd love to have a health savings account plan where I can put away money now for when I may need it in the future. I never go to the doctor and I'm not using any prescriptions. I'd love to accumulate my current insurance payments into a fund for if I get married and have a baby, or get a devestating illness or injury. Instead, I'm throwing money away every year on a plan that includes free colonoscopies and mammograms which I don't need at this time in my life, but my co-workers do.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you know how the health insurance system became tied to employers instead of individuals?

New Budget Plan: Profiting from Others’ Losses

The state legislature is in the midst of their annual budget debate and a new idea seems to be taking hold: the legalization of table games (poker, blackjack, etc).

• Rep. Bill DeWeese, D-Greene, officially introduced his proposal to legalize table games in PA casinos and Senators Tommy Tomlinson, R-Bucks, and Robert Mellow, D-Lackawanna, plan to introduce a similar bill in the Senate.
• Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, the Senate President Pro Tempore, stated that he is considering them as options.
• Rep. Doug Reichley, R-Lehigh, wants to use table games to support teachers’ pensions.

All of this on top of Governor Rendell’s proposal to legalize video poker machines in bars and taverns around the state to fund secondary education.

Where does the greed end? How many Pennsylvanians will we need to lose money to support all of these plans? Building our budget on the backs of our fellow citizens seems like a pretty foolish idea.

What do you think?

News That Makes Me Sick

I cannot think of anything more chilling to read in the news, but this:

The Philadelphia Women’s Center gave away free abortions Tuesday in honor of Dr. George Tiller, the abortionist who was murdered last week.

Absolutely disgusting. Abortions involve emotional distress, medical risks, etc for the woman involved. To hand them out free as a way to honor someone shows a complete disregard for human life (the lives of both the infant being murdered and of the mother).

Deeply saddening.

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Also disturbing news: An anatomy professor at Temple is confused about gender?

Wow. Glad I didn't spend the money to go to that school for biology. This type of thinking is also being taught to elementary school children in Vermont.

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Lines are being blurred everywhere...

PA Dept of Education Funding Gay Activist Groups

I guess it shouldn't be a huge surprise, but the Pennsylvania Department of Education is actively sponsoring an event with the PSEA (teacher's union) and Planned Parenthood for students and teachers run by LGBT Center Coalition.

Read the flyer here.

Check out Pennsylvania Family Institute's blog post on the event.

Think about all the tax money being used for this "field trip."
-State money through the PA Dept of Ed.
-State and Federal money most likely through Planned Parenthood
-Local money paying the teachers, transportation to the event, and substitute teachers to fill spots

Your money hard at work.