Senator Harry Reid (Demonrat -Nevada) is cramming through Obamacare in time for Christmas! Secret backroom deals, midnight votes, millions in taxpayer funds to buy votes from Senators in Louisiana and Nebraska will be the legacy of this nightmare. But yet it still does not solve the supposed purpose of reform - insuring the uninsured.
Instead it destroys the doctor/patient relationship by inserting an unnecessary government bureaucracy. It mandates that people buy insurance or go to jail. And within a few years, it will run private insurers out of business, while not addressing the serious issue of tort reform. How in the heck does this make health care better?
I rarely get sick. But last week I woke up wheezing and gasping for air. What I thought might have been a simple sinus infection was a case of pneumonia. I know that because the morning it hit the hardest, I called my doctor. By 10am, I was at his office. By 11am, I had all my vitals tested, chest x-rays, blood test, a nebulizer treatment along with a shot of antibiotics and steroids. I carry insurance that I buy through work and my co-pay was $50 which I paid with my flexible spending account (FSA).
At 12, I was at the pharmacy, where I was loaded up with a grocery sack of drugs: antibiotic, decongestant/expectorant, ample supply of breathing treatments, all of which were covered by insurance to some degree with the exception of the portable nebulizer (breathing machine). The total out-of-pocket for me $160, which again I paid for with my FSA.
There is no other country on the planet where I could have been seen, tested, diagnosed and treated that quickly with the latest and most effective drugs available. And were it not for government involvement, threat of lawsuits and other bureaucratic challenges, the price of the service might have been far less.
Pneumonia, which can be fatal if not treated quickly, was just a few days rest for me. But for those waiting a month to see a doctor or for an x-ray in a government-run system, it could easily mean death.
Exactly where is the crisis? Why destroy the very best health care on the planet? Yes, I know the answer and so do you. This is about Democrat control of every aspect of our lives. Instead of raising everyone up and giving them the very best they can get, they want to equalize the misery.
Hope and Change!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
My Favorite Movies For The Christmas Season...
If you are looking for some films to watch this Christmas season, here are a few that I have always liked.
First, the Obvious Classics:
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - The original film starring Jimmy Stewart and the beautiful Donna Reed really captures the spirit of Christmas. The message of how one person can change the world is timeless. If the ending doesn't tear you up, you aren't human.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - A very young Natalie Wood steals the show as a precocious girl who does not believe in Santa. Lots of feel good moments in this film.
For a Chuckle:
Elf (2003) - Will Ferrell's most entertaining performance as a would-be elf. Bob Newhart and James Caan add to the fun.
Scrooged (1988) - Bill Murray meets Charles Dickens. Predictable story, but entertaining cast makes it work. Bobcat Goldthwait plays the part of Bill Murray's terrorized employee.
Christmas Vacation (1989) - Chevy Chase is back as leader of the Griswold clan and experiences the worst Christmas one can imagine.
For the Romantic
Just Friends (2005) - Ryan Reynolds returns home to reconnect with his high school sweetheart (Amy Smart) at Christmas. Anna Faris gives a great performance as a spoiled and slightly psychotic rock star.
Love, Actually (2003) - Is there an English actor not in this film? Not exactly a Christmas movie, but all the action occurs during the Christmas season. The movie follows the romantic paths of several couples. Colin Firth and Lucia Moniz steal the show IMHO. Film includes Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Laura Linney, January Jones, Elisha Cuthbert, Alan Rickman, Billy Bob Thornton and on and on and on.
The Family Man (2000) - Nicholas Cage gives a great performance as someone given a chance to see what his life might have been. Yes, it does sound similar to Its A Wonderful Life, but this is not a remake.
Serendipity (2001) - Starrying the lovely Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack, the story starts at Christmas when the two meet shopping at Bloomingdales. They leave their future in the hands of fate only to be reunited 5 years later. Jeremy Piven and Molly Shannon co-star.
The Random Choices
Die Hard (1988) - The original Bruce Willis film still ranks as one of the most intense films I have ever seen in a theater. It takes place at Christmas, but not really a Christmas movie.
The Nativity Story (2006) - The film follows the journey of Mary & Joseph to Bethlehem and only slightly deviates from scripture.
Silent Night (2002) - A WW2 story about American and German soldiers setting aside their differences for one night.
There are hundreds more I could add: White Christmas, The Christmas Story, A Midnight Clear, Joyeux Noel, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol to name a few. But the above are my favorites.
First, the Obvious Classics:
It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - The original film starring Jimmy Stewart and the beautiful Donna Reed really captures the spirit of Christmas. The message of how one person can change the world is timeless. If the ending doesn't tear you up, you aren't human.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - A very young Natalie Wood steals the show as a precocious girl who does not believe in Santa. Lots of feel good moments in this film.
For a Chuckle:
Elf (2003) - Will Ferrell's most entertaining performance as a would-be elf. Bob Newhart and James Caan add to the fun.
Scrooged (1988) - Bill Murray meets Charles Dickens. Predictable story, but entertaining cast makes it work. Bobcat Goldthwait plays the part of Bill Murray's terrorized employee.
Christmas Vacation (1989) - Chevy Chase is back as leader of the Griswold clan and experiences the worst Christmas one can imagine.
For the Romantic
Just Friends (2005) - Ryan Reynolds returns home to reconnect with his high school sweetheart (Amy Smart) at Christmas. Anna Faris gives a great performance as a spoiled and slightly psychotic rock star.
Love, Actually (2003) - Is there an English actor not in this film? Not exactly a Christmas movie, but all the action occurs during the Christmas season. The movie follows the romantic paths of several couples. Colin Firth and Lucia Moniz steal the show IMHO. Film includes Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Laura Linney, January Jones, Elisha Cuthbert, Alan Rickman, Billy Bob Thornton and on and on and on.
The Family Man (2000) - Nicholas Cage gives a great performance as someone given a chance to see what his life might have been. Yes, it does sound similar to Its A Wonderful Life, but this is not a remake.
Serendipity (2001) - Starrying the lovely Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack, the story starts at Christmas when the two meet shopping at Bloomingdales. They leave their future in the hands of fate only to be reunited 5 years later. Jeremy Piven and Molly Shannon co-star.
The Random Choices
Die Hard (1988) - The original Bruce Willis film still ranks as one of the most intense films I have ever seen in a theater. It takes place at Christmas, but not really a Christmas movie.
The Nativity Story (2006) - The film follows the journey of Mary & Joseph to Bethlehem and only slightly deviates from scripture.
Silent Night (2002) - A WW2 story about American and German soldiers setting aside their differences for one night.
There are hundreds more I could add: White Christmas, The Christmas Story, A Midnight Clear, Joyeux Noel, Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown Christmas, A Christmas Carol to name a few. But the above are my favorites.
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