12 replies to this topic

[StillFingers]

This is one of the most genuine evaluations of our USA's state of economic affairs, that I've read to date. It's clear, concise and scary. I often wonder how many people really realize how close to the 3rd world cliff we are...

The Fat Lady Has Sung
http://www.nytimes.c...21friedman.html

Your thoughts if you care to discuss, how can we as a minority player in this mess help change/fix it...or is it too late already...

After being in hospital, healing for near two years, I've seen so much waste, time, materials, areas in care that could be changed to reduce red tape, effort, costs, that it's even more crystal clear how we are being royally screwed by the medical insurance companies.

One example, I can buy a box of condom catheters for 50usd, yet if medicare buys it for me thru an authorized vendor they pay 132usd...wtf, and we wonder why medicare is broke...near three times the cost, for what; that's sure some expensive paperwork and shipping...

There be pirates about, hidden behind fallen trees and the blood of dinosaurs, feeding on our futures...

Just late night ramblings of an aging quad wondering aloud...hope you enjoy the read...

Regards,

Jerry

Edited by StillFingers, 22 February 2010 - 05:28 AM.

[greybeard]

The UK is no better with our National Debt at £850 million - 60% of GDP.

The current government has run up enormous debts in recent years, probably in expectation of losing the 2010 general election - leaving a poisoned chalice for whoever wins.

Medical equipment here is also obscenely overpriced. Nothing to do with insurance companies, but more likely kick-backs to the NHS managers who place the orders - and, of course, the greed of the pharm companies.

I don't know what the answer is, but we are leaving a frightening legacy for our children's children.

[Texas Angel Ang]

Very scary... I was shocked when my mom told me that we would now be paying for our emergency 911 calls. I thought it was just where we lived... I think the fat lady has been singing FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

[dangerousdave]

If you wish a political debate .. how about this one .. UK

In the 60's the unions became a dominant force and started to force politicians to do things for the people as opposed to the 1% of society
So the bankers and far right got together and made a maggie thatcher
Someone to break this collective spirit of social progress
This she did by breaking up industry so that only small industrial bases were left together with huge financial institutions
Totally ignoring the small monetary meltdowns that this action produced
They continued with a so called service industry and uncontrolled banking sector who continued to flourish with imaginary monies
Now with no manufactoring base with which we could use to pull ourselves out of the current quagmire we have to proceed with a non productive shrinking work base to support the ivory towers of pretend money

Of cource it's a lot more complicated then that
But this simple version of events should suffice

[jules]

GB I couldn't believe it when I started placing orders when I became more senior at work, at how over the odds buying through the NHS is, one of the plus points of being a foundation trust is that we are not stuck to who we can order from. One of my first jobs - we now get our toner cartiridges online from one of the discount stores - saves us a fortune!!!! Another example of something similar, many years ago when I was still training, we needed to order a plain simple computer desk NHS cost £500 luckily the trust I worked for then had a University attached and they had their own budget, so we bought something for them from NHS supplies and they ordered us a desk from Ikea - £50!!!

[greybeard]

dangerousdave, on Feb 22 2010, 01:50 PM, said:

Of cource it's a lot more complicated then that

Just a bit!!!

Quote

But this simple version of events should suffice

Only if it was true. It makes a good sound bite, but like most propaganda put out by the far left, it's mostly bollocks.

You have conveniently overlooked the countless thousands of man-hours of lost production brought about by wild-cat strikes that almost brought the country to its knees over a number of years.

[dangerousdave]

So what about the oil wealth spent on income support for the unemployed
Or the fact that we have lost a number of trade abilities .. now dead
Our young have nothing to aspire to except a degree in fleecing the state benefit system
We have gone from a one working member family too both partners having several part time jobs
A goverment strapped for cash as it constantly spends more then it has coming in to ally fears of social unrest

What I hate most is sittin by and watching everything disintergrate without the ability to do anything about it
That has nothin to do with left-right-centre politics

[DannyR]

The Republicans in this country tout Ronald Reagan as the greatest president ever. When he was in office our deficit rose 189 per cent. The largest increaase ever. He forced the air traffic controllers back to work and that single act essentially broke the back of the Unions. Then we named an air port after him!! After my surgery last year I started in Rehab but I was there for OT and PT and quickly used up most of the sessions i was allowed under my insurance so since I wasn't progressing the doctor opted to end it rather than put me in the position of not having anything there if I needed it. I went on disability in July of 2009 but I don't qualify for Medicare until July of 2011. We recently had a Govenor in Missouri who enacted a law that says when you get hurt at work you have to be able to point to one single incident as the cause of your injury or workmans comp doesn't have to cover you. If you get hurt at work private insurance doesn't have to cover you. So in the age of high speed assembly lines the government has found a way around covering injuries resulting from repetitive motion. Now we have this same guy running for Senate in the mid term elections.

[Lucydog]

I think the NHS should have a bonus scheme whereby at the end of every financial year where money has been saved say 10% of the saving should be shared amongst the staff of a Trust. Im sure this would encourage anyone who makes purchasing decisions to think more carefully about what they order and from whom.

An example of this is the John Lewis Partnership who continue to go from strength to strenth despite the economic times. They have another 8 stores planned for opening in the next 5 years. Every Christmas each employee gets a share of the annual profits, this share is based not on position within the company but hours worked. Each partner is seen as being as valuable as another.

I believe that a similar incentive scheme could work within the NHS, after all the bst way to get people to do better work is always with a 'carrot' rather than a 'stick' approach.

[greybeard]

LD, I'm lead to believe that the NHS has a restricted list of suppliers from whom all orders must be placed. As far as I know, it originates from the Department of Health.

I believe this is a link to the catelogueHERE

Edited by greybeard, 22 February 2010 - 11:32 PM.

[gordonr]

Dostoyevski has a great story about the inquisition and priesthood gathering in the harvest and dividing it among the people. Any fool can see that the amount divided is far inferior to the amount collected.

That is the basic fallacy concerning taxes and services.

Money simply disappears in all sorts ways, most of which are not only legal, but structural.

The public service grows fat and does little.

The democratic government is elected by people who are essentially being paid off and bought.

Those actually paying the taxes are far fewer and have no chance of defending themselves.

The taxes collected do not and cannot pay for the entitlements used to buy the votes.

Borrowed money produces interest obligations that further strangle the cash flow.

Nothing can be profitably produced in the developed nations, because people want thirty dollars an hour, not thirty dollars a month.

And even here, service jobs are done by illegals because that is the cheapest way to have them done.

A day of serious reckonning is coming.

And to address Jerry's article, Obama cannot do what needs to be done, because he has been brought to power by a base which believes as an article of absolute faith that entitlements are entitled to be expanded without limit.

People must learn to be content with less.

Is that possible?

For now, it appears that they wil not unless they are forced to it.

Which is the very worst way to learn frugality.

Best reagrds,

Gordon

[StillFingers]

Thank you G, cliff approaches, no parachute ...splat

[dangerousdave]

I love cliffs - used to fly a microlight