Been a while since I have written, but my latest grandson keeps me pretty busy. He is such a delight.

The present health insurance controversy is making the news everyday. Some for and some against.  A few are being specific about their concerns but most are talking is such generalities it becomes difficult to make a good decision.

What is surprising is the age of those who are really making a ruckus at the various town hall meetings. They seem to be concerned about a couple issues but cannot get any straight answers.

Health care is a very serious subject. Not only is it going to affect our finances for many years to come but perhaps our longevity. Some critics seem to think the cost is too high and President Obama says it is rising quickly whether any change is made or not. Entitlement programs – Medicaid and  Medicare- are draining the federal budget. This should concern us all.

The one issue of the health insurance controversy that should cause us all to get involved to find out the truth is it has been reported that many medical services are going to be cut, in some cases eliminated because of cost effectiveness. What this really means is that if your life expectancy at your present age is short according to the tables, then certain medical procedures will not be permitted under the health care plan because you aren’t expected to live long enough to be worth the effort. In other words it would just be a waste of money.

On the surface it looks a little like population control, let the elderly just die off sooner rather than later. Besides they are expendable, aren’t they? Many of us think this is not so. But the health care bills are over a 1000 pages so it is doubtful that any of our congressmen have read it anyway. Somewhat similar to the bailout plan for the banks. Passed so quickly the congressmen didn’t even know what the bill contained.

The federal deficit is so high right now each of us needs to prepare for the higher taxes from all levels of government. All kinds of fees are being increased – vehichle, fishing, hunting, in some areas property and sales taxes will be going up significantly. Since the trade and cap bill passed we can expect gasoline and all utility costs to soar in the near future.

There is a lot on the table right now. What seems to me to be prudent is we take the health insurance reform one step at a time. Line by line if necessary and bring each facet of the bill to the public before it is voted on and passed. We could be walking into something we will not be happy with. I do not consider it prudent to take any politicians word that it is a good bill. If it is in fact true about the elderly, then I would think we would not be in favor of that plan. If you are young now, remember you will not always be. Someday you will be old too.

The health insurance controversy is something we all need to be more informed about and then apply pressure to our congressman to vote accordingly. As a matter of fact each of us should consider being more active in the political arena so that we can have our voices heard. Congress is enacting too much legislation that will ultimately cost us a great deal.

I will see if I can find a government web site that has the bill and post it in a followup piece. This way we will know how to access it for ourselves. Government is just getting too big and taking too much control over a lot of areas that perhaps we the people may be very much against. It really is time to get involved before we have no voice left.

If anyone knows the site send me a post. In the meantime we need to watch and investigate as much as possible before the health care refom bill passes. The health insurance controversy is really causing a big stir. Let’s find out for ourselves the pros and cons and email or call our congressmen to give them our view.

Have a great day!!!

Jm

It seems Mrs. Obama has created quite a stir among some because of her choices of designers for all the gala festivities of  Mr. Obama being sworn in as President of The United States. Seems some were quite insulted that no black designer fashions were chosen.

Well, Mrs. Obama welcome to the fish bowl. It can be quite brutal as you are beginning to discover. You will be living under the microscope for a number of years.

I would just like to say that Mrs. obama can wear anything she chooses by any designer of her choice. I don’t let other people tell me what to wear, so why does the public feel it has the right to tell what to wear. She knows what she likes and she is the one who has to wear it.

Too bad that some only want to find something to criticize. Mrs. Obama looked quite stunning in all her choices. If you are one of the ones who didn’t approve of her choices, oh well. I just keep in mind she didn’t ask me for my opinion anyway. Sure, we all have an opinion because our tastes in fashion are so varied and diverse, but our opinions and/or criticizims don’t and should not be aired on CNN news station.

Have a great day!!

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

We have always been aware that corruption has existed since the beginning of time.  Yet are we not being bombarded daily with news reports of corruption from the lowest levels to the highest levels of government and in the private sector?

Corruption in the USA seems to be escalting so quickly that one can barely keep up. Greed, Greed and more Greed is the new motto for many in a position to have access to someone else’s money.

Investors have lost all and the private sector spends tax dollars- bail out dollars as if the well will never run dry.

I once held a very high opinion of Americans but it appears we have thrown ethics, responsibilities, integrity and morals right out the window. We have forgone what was essentially good and clothed ourselves in every form of evil corruption we can conjure up.

How pathetic we have become.  I know there are still many who have not followed this path of evil doings but American corruption is in the news all around the globe and reflects on all of us.

What can change this around?  Some say more accountability but new scams are devised. Just like AIG not giving year end bonuses but gave what was called retention checks instead.

Until mankind realizes there will be an accountability one day before our Creator, the evil will continue to just keep getting worse and worse and worse. I am not a doomsdayer as some would try to escape reality by calling some this – but there will be a judgment and it is not going to be pretty. But God has made a way through the death and resurrrection of his Son, Jesus, that we can seek forgiveness and have it granted to us. All of our sins will be wiped away. In Christ we can truly begin to change our old ways and evil doings into actions that are right and just.

I know that many do not believe in God or Jesus and God has given us the right to believe what we will. But at least consider this – if I am wrong and there is no God then it won’t really matter will it? BUT if there is a God and my beliefs are correct where will that leave others?

For those who have not chosen the path of corruption – keep on doing the right thing even though the right thing is not being done to you. There are multitudes of blessings for those who do.

And don’t worry. God has a plan!!!!

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

The big three auto makers were in Washington, maybe they are still there, requesting a bail out for their companies. and low and behold AIG is also back needing more. I believe the figure is, $185 billion dollars. And Barack Obama’s opponets were worried that he was a socialist!!!

None of this surprises me. Under the Bush administartion, Alan Greenspan and Congress deregulated so much. I believe it was Alan Greenspan who testified in a Senate committee hearing who said something to the effect that he presumed these banks and big corporations would act responsibly and not take such risks as they would want to protect their shareholders, the public and their employees.

No denying I am a senior citizen but I am not near out of touch as to the deteriorating of morals, ethics and good business standards of most of the society and especially of the corporate moguls. Greed grows and expands when the conditions permit. With the massive deregulation the time was ripe. Every parent knows that if you do not set down the rules every child will go astray. It seems to me the older generation still assumes that everything was like the old days – a hand shake seals a deal or a loan, that people were basically honest. Perhaps basically we are honest until the tempatation to be otherwise is just too great and there are no checks and balances. I believe in part it is why Senator McCain lost the election. He is no longer in touch with the way things are.

As for socialism we have been heading that way on a fairly steady course. Welfare is a form of socialism, so is the earned income credit, school lunch programs, medicaid and now the bail outs. The bail outs have now given our government ownership in part in coporations. In a truly capitalistic society these businesses would have folded, been shut down and the unemployment would be off the scale. Because the problem was astronomical and perceiving the horrific circumstances that would follow, the government made the decision to borrow money to bail out these companies. What a mess President Elect Barack Obama will inherit.

The bailout has not gone as planned. the banks have not really opened up credit again but instead the money has been used in many cases to buy up smaller banks. Instead of taking it easy on creditors they are actually tightening the screws. Credit limits on existing credit cards are being lowered and in many cases the interest rates are being raised to between 30 and 40%. So this means for the consumer that he may been making his minimum payment of say $50.00 but the monthly interest is now say $150.00. In reality he will be adding another $100.00 dollars every month to his balance owed without ever charging a thing. And then of course as his balance continues to increase the monthly interest amount will also keep going up. The banks contend that these steps are being taken to encourage people to pay off their cards. Yeah, right. The unemployment is going higher every month, more and more company closings and more layoffs to come. So there will be more and more defaults on the credit card bills. The banks are in my mind just speeding up that process. I believe bankrupticies will escalate over the coming months as well. When you have no job, unemployment benefits do not pay the bills.

Congress is also wanting to have another stimulus plan passed in a lame duck session. This time to bail out state and local governments. My God where will it end? Yet I have not heard how those being foreclosed on are being helped to stay in their homes. All the bail outs are doing is giving to the big banks, big corporations and now to the state and local governments. Okay so this will or should help people keep jobs. Perhaps the others are just collateral damage.

So where do go from here??? Many of us will experience disaster in our lifestyle and there are no quick fixes. Which brings me to President Elect Barack Obama. His desire is to turn things around but none of it can be done quick enough to keep some of us from financial ruin. Pretty pathetic. There has been some talk on CNN that the only way to create 22 million jobs in his first year in office is to start a public works program like what was done during the Great Depression. Heck no one even says we are in a Recession yet and the prospect of Depression like solutions are being considered. I find that very interesting.

A very bleak outlook to be sure. My trust is in God who will help us through all of this. So no matter what happens I will remain in His peace knowing that He is in control and will intervene in His time. People will then recognize that only He could have turned everything around.

Do try to smile and laugh and if you are a believer then rest in God for all will be truly well.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

The Senate was conducting hearings today with some heads of AIG. If you remember AIG was bailed out with taxpayer dollars to the tune of $85 billion dollars and less than a week later the head haunchos were at a spa. Rooms were around $1600 a night. The total cost was a little less than ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS. Please tell me where the oversight was ????????????????

Aren’t you glad that these men/women had manicures, facials etc at your expense?? I said in an earlier post that all the bail out was doing was giving taxpayer dollars back into the hands of those who have put us in this mess to start with. What do you think??? And it has already happened.

I am quite sure more will come out on these kind of things. You know everyone seems to be living large at our expense. We need to vote everyone out who is up for re-election till the entire Congress is swept clean. But I have little confidence that even that would change anything.

Greed drives a lot of people and becomes very much alive in those who have had little. So I am sure when the new ones would get to Congress it really would start all over again. Greed just works that way.

What a sad testimony to the American people. But as usual the rich are getting richer off of us and the poor are getting poorer because of them.

I just don’t see any real solution. I know the Presidential candidates say they will change things. But remember Congress can over ride any Presidential veto. Besides since both candidates voted for these bail outs, they are as much of the problem as the other members of Congress.

Take care of your families, sacrifice as much as you can to make ends meet. It seems like it is going to take a long time that we may begin to prosper once again. Meanwhile try to keep you head above water. These fat cats want to drown us. What the fat cats don’t really realize once we are gone their joy ride also ends.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

Our economic woes are not going to disappear over night even with the recent passage of the Bail Out Plan. I myself was sorely disappointed on the results because it seemed the majority of Americans were against it. Second because the House wouldn’t pass the original version but passed it with 150 billion dollars in pork barrel spending. Third I was not pleased with both presidential candidates that voted yes for it when all through their campaigns to date, they pledged to veto any ear marking and pork barrel spending. So much for them keeping their word. Typical of politicians – can’t believe them, their word is no good.

Apparently we have no voice with Congress which that alone could cause me to write for weeks without stopping. But what I want to really write about today is sacrifice.

Sacrifice is a word not often heard of any more. Three generations of Americans have lived a very good life – so to speak. We, through the use of credit have had everything we want available to us. If we want to survive this crisis we need to learn that it is going to require a great deal of sacrifice on our part.

Many articles I have read lately on AOL and Yahoo news have stated what is a waste of money for consumers. The real issue  is that we believe almost everything is necessary because they are part of our lifestyle and habit. What everyone needs to concentrate on is paying their rent/mortgage, utilities, car payment, car insurance and food. Everything else is not necessary. Yes we like our cell phones but they cost a lot.

A friend was telling me how they could not keep up with their bills. I suggested getting rid of their cell phones. You would have thought I said cut off her right arm. Her excuse was I need to keep track of my kids. My response was that for 5,000 years people have been able to keep track of their children without cell phones. The point is we can make up so many excuses for our spending and by so doing we continue to keep ourselves in an economic bind.

It is up to everyone to decide but if we don’t start cutting back and saving we will bury ourselves. Sacrifice for the greater good. There are millions who are losing their homes and many more losing their jobs. Those I know don’t have one dime to cover themselves for the basic necessities. they will become literally homeless.

Another friend just received $1000.00 dollars and went out and bought her 10 year old daughter $700.00 worth of clothes. Now beleive me I know what the cost of clothers are but I honestly believe no 10 year old needs all that. To drive this point home she was the very one who just got her car out of the garage – it was there for six weeks because she didn’t have the money to pay for it. The cost of repair was over $1600.00. So she rode with my daughter to and from work for 6 weeks. My daughter drove 30 miles out of her way to do this for her. No lesson learned there!!!.

Some on the list of wasteful spending was paper towels, nail salons, purchases at convenience stores, baby wipes, disposable diapers, and clothes dryers. Without sacrifice somewhere we are in a world of hurt, especially with our debt load. Many products in the food category are still going to go up and it is predicted that home heating oil will be up 30% more this winter than last.

We all need to take this very seriously and really decide to give up eating out, fast food places, entertainment, cell phones, cable or what ever to make it. This new bail out plan may only be good in that you do not lose your job so you will most likely will have a cash flow but inflation is still on the rise. And the government bail out plan is not going to bail us out when we find it hard to pay for our needs let alone our wants.

Keep smiling God is still on His throne but we must also do our part.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

Well as seen in the Senate version of the bail out plan Congress is at it again. More billions for extra spending that has nothing to do with the economic crisis we are presently in. This bill was or is suppose to be so important yet they can find the time to include all their pet spending projects. Their actions are disgusting.

But what makes me livid is both presidential candidates who have been quoted as saying no ear marks, no pork barrel – well both voted in favor of the Senate bail out plan.

No one seems to have any character any more. You can not believe anything politicians say. I am more convinvced than ever that campaigns are not necessary – what’s the point – no one keeps their word. The Congress good ole boy system is not going to change. Congressional interest is in themselves and their very rich friends.

Whatever happened to Government for the people by the people. Congress does not have anything included in this bail out package to help homeowners keep their homes. They don’t even know if this plan will work. I am sorely disappointed and now am not in favor of any bail out at all. Let’s just ley the cards fall where they may. That sounds a little radical to some – but let’s face it – we the people are almost broke anyway – so we really don’t have much to loose. It’s the fat cats that will loose the most and those who are in Congress. Perhaps they will not be in any position to put the screws to us anymore.

Senator McCain said he had to vote for it because the bail out out portions was so important. Well excuses, excuses, excuses – they always have them and this is precisely the reason why our country is in such bad shape now. Our National Debt is in the Trillions of dollars, money was borrowed from China to send us our economic stimulus plan checks, and now we are going in debt for almost another trillion dollars – and the Congress still wants to use this opportunity to spend a few more billion.

Well enough about my position but do go to Loudobbs.com and follow the links to send an email to your House of Representatives and tell them your view on this bailout plan – or you can call  202-224-3121 and express your opinion.

We are in a mess but Congress is once again making it much worse.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

Tonights finale of America’s Got Talent was exciting – Well done. For those of you who missed it the # 1 is Neal E. Boyd, #2 is Eli Matson, #3 is Nothing But Stringz, #4 is Donald Braswell and #5 is Queen Emily.

Great talent in all 5 – Congratulations!!!!! Your lives now are forever changed. I hope to hear over time where each have gone in the fantastic careers that are now ahead of each of them.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

To be sure the crisis in the financial market is far more serious than we are being told. Even one reporter said we are headed for a Great Depression. I suppose we can play the blame game but what’s the point right now to do so?

Our President said this was a dire situation so one thing for sure we can assume is that it is worse than dire. Now everyone is trying frantically to turn the potential economic collapse around.

The following is an email I received yesterday – author unknown – but very interesting and funny to read in that what seems like a very simple solution to this current crisis is not something our Congress would ever consider.

The Email – author Unknown

Bail Out Plan:
 

Instead, I’m in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in

a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let’s assume there are 200,000,000

bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman

and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+  into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

O f course, it would NOT be tax free.

So let’s assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.

That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket.

A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage – housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans – what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college – it’ll be there

Save in a bank – create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car – create jobs

Invest in the market – capital drives growth

Pay for your parent’s medical insurance – health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean – or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+  including the folks

who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company

that is cu t ting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we’re going to re-distribute wealth let’s really do it…instead of trickling out

a puny $1000.00 ( “vote buy” ) economic incentive that is being proposed by

Hope you enjoyed this little ditty.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.

First congratulations to all those in the final 5 of America’s Got Talent!!! Their performances tonight were very very good.

I will make this brief in hopes many more will vote for their choice. Of course all 20 of my votes have been cast for Queen Emily. By telephone to vote for Queen Emily only is 1-866-602-4805. The lines will be open approximately one more hour. Vote for any of the finalists at nbc.com. Now we wait for next Wednesday.

One more comment – It seemed rather  too obvious that all the judges were leaning toward Nuttin But Stringz. I wonder what they already know. Yet Queen Emily gave a terrific performance as expected. I sense it was almost like they were giving the signal that Stringz had it in the bag and if the finalists can read between the lines they will recognize that too and not be terribly disappointed next week.

So what do the judges know?- How many votes from the public so that they can swing that way? Yet if I watched all the songs of Sringz one right after another I would most likely be able to tell them apart. But in my mind without the repetition I can’t tell the difference at all. So – that’s good news and why I am not a judge. Talent they have – they can make those violins sing but their music, just to me and maybe me only, only sounds alike. Oh well. Perhaps throughout the competition Stringz has received more votes than the others.

But I just don’t like what I believe I saw tonight from all the judges.

Well next week we shall know the results so vote while there is still time.

I plan on writing more about our economic crisis so check back.

Enjoy your week.

Jm

You may also visit helium.com/users446975 to read other articles I have published on various topics.