Issue of the Week: Paul Ryan's Plans Help the Rich at the Expense of Everyone Else
Plus Event of the Week
All of this discussion of Ryan's budget ideas simply brings to the fore the bigger issue, that Americans do not want to pay for the government they desire. Programs such as Medicare and Social Security are very popular with the public. They just don't want to pay for them.
One reason Americans don't want to pay for government programs is that they think the tax system is unfair and the wealthy and large corporations do not pay their fair share. According to polls by even the most conservative groups, well over 80% of the American public want to see taxes increased on the top 1% of the population.
Study after study have shown that simple changes—such as raising the income cut-off for funding Social Security beyond $106,800—would keep Social Security solvent for most of this century. And shifting money from the current Medicare program, which has overhead costs of about 3%, and forcing seniors into private insurance, with overhead costs above 20%, is no way to save money. Instead, it will simply impoverish many seniors while making the insurance industry a lot richer.
One must remember that Ryan has been heavily funded by the insurance industry and the extreme right wing since the day he was elected. The fact that most of his ideas end up helping the wealthiest 1% of the population should surprise no one.
Hero of the Week
Frank Schlaefer
Service to country
doesn't always end with the issuance of discharge papers. Frank Schlaefer, 83,
has been showing up five days a week for the past 20 years to lend a hand at
the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center (5000 W. National Ave.), which provides
medical care former servicemen and women. Himself a veteran of World War II,
Schlaefer volunteers in the facility's Community Living Center helping with
recreational activities for the many area veterans who live there. Since 1991,
Schlaefer has given over 30,000 hours of his time to improve the daily lives of
those who served America in the armed forces.
While the Zablocki
VAMC has nearly 900 volunteers who donate their time either working directly
with patients or in crucial support areas, voluntary service manager Denise
Jashinsky wished to convey her special appreciation for Schlaefer's
dedication. His efforts will be
recognized at an April 19event.
Readers who wish to
volunteer their time at the Zablocki WAMC can call the center at 414-384-2000,
ext. 41803. The Center is especially in need of licensed, insurable drivers who
can transport area veterans to and from the center to receive medical care.
Public Hearing on Scott Walker's Budget
Republican legislative leaders have decided to hold
just four public hearings on the state budget, the fewest in recent history.
Luckily, one of those hearings will be held in the Milwaukee area, where
legislators will hear the concerns of the voters. The hearing will be held on
Monday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Expo
Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis. It's expected to draw a huge
crowd, so come early if you want to testify.
Oh, why don't we just print off a bunch of money and give everyone a million dollars?
It crazy now making corporations pay taxes. I think we should totally eliminate the corporate tax system. Then the average joe that owns stock will receive higher dividends and capital gains and will be taxed.
Yep we could raise the $106k limit on social security but a lot of people have figured out ways around that by becoming 1099 employees and only paying them a small salary. The rest is a dividend and no FICA on dividends. Thats saves about 15-16% right there. Chris Abele, wonder how much he pays into social security since he receive no salary?
The real problem with Heathcare is that it is subsidized for nearly all of it. Doesn't matter if it is a taxpayer-funded subsidy like Medicare or Medicaid, or "risk-pool socialized" like private health insurance. When people feel like the cost is taken care of by "somebody else", then they do not try to negotiate or shop for a more fair value. Companies paying most of the premium (or all, if certain unions bargained for it), just hides those marked up premium costs so that the patient will spend like it's "free money".
Think of the CarX-like TV commercials "I'm not going to pay a lot for this kidney!"
Plus, private health insurance has that 20% "pass-thru" fee, where the sum total of all the premiums paid is 25% more than the sum total of the claims paid out to the healthcare providers.
How many of you enjoy giving to the United Way at the office, when they tell you that their administrative fee is "only 28%", and all they are doing is giving the balance to other charities (and those other charities may keep 25-35% as their administrative fee). How many profiteers do you want skimming off a piece of the action?
(PS - the missionary appeal at my catholic church showed a pie chart, revealing their total administrative and advertising costs as under 4%)
It's the same with Health insurance, except most doctors offices will not deal with you unless they know that you have an insurance company to pick up in short order. Think if it as a credit card with a million dollar lifetime limit... just in case you got REAL sick.
I would not mind eliminating all Health insurance companies, just like the FairTax advocates would eliminate the public-paid IRS (and the need to hire private accountants to meet IRS compliance).
The thing to do is make a new type of health plan, one that only reimburses for what you already paid out of pocket yourself. Do this for the upper 50% of the country, have some sort of guaranteed service clause for the lower 50%, and kickbacks for the poor, working and middle class via their 1040 returns.
Make this new plan operated by low-paid civil servants, (no million-dollar CEOs at the top), will save more money if you have tough managers that actually fire the bureacratic slackers.
By making sure 100% of the healthcare dollars pass through the patient's hands, then the patient will shop, negotiate, work to hold the provider's costs down like any other free market purchase.
Besides, if you are an illegal, not filing 1040 taxes, then you do not get reimbursed. It's only fair when Repubs want to allow amnesty, if only for those who successfully displaced a taxpaying american out of their job.
I kind of home my health insurance company has negotiated for me. I have a $5000 deductible. When I see a doctor they usually discount everything 50-60%. I'd rather not shop around but stick to my own doctors.
United Way -- thats a scam I think. They used to come to our offices and hard sell us, showing us films. Then human resourses would come down on us hard if we didn't give. If HR couldn't convince you to give, some exec VP would call you in and practically order you to give. I never did. I figured someone must be getting a kick back if we are being bullied like that. I'd rather be fired than be shaken down by United Way thugs.
Waukesha Dude, I like your plan of paying up front and then getting it back on your 1040.