DeeEl's Mo Chroí Scríofa

Health Care Bill = Health Crisis

Terri Carlson wants her 15 minutes of fame and she wants publicity.  Well, I give her publicity here and on Twitter.  Just not the kind she wants.  She lives in California and has been setting up YouTube videos to find herself a husband.  Some may think this a novel idea.  She doesn’t want a husband to love, nor does she want his money.  Ms. Carlson is looking for a man to marry her and add her to his insurance.  She completed a segment on the CBS Morning Show this morning again, begging for a husband.  She did not say what her medical condition is, but on her YouTube this morning before taking her flight she showed she was taking her medical test results with her as proof that the is ill.  She is averring that she, a professed Republican, should be the poster child for President Obama’s health care reform bill.  She has a job working for a disabilities group, but they do not offer health insurance.  She has been buying Cobra Insurance (which everyone will attest to is very expensive), but it runs out in a year.  She feels she must marry someone within a year and be added to his insurance in order to maintain her health care.

Ms. Carlson wants to see the entire bill go through so she will not be denied health care.  I sent her a note via her website.  I spelled out how she is wrong.  This is a selfish act on her part.  I believe that she is aware of this.  She keeps stating this is all fer HER to be able to get benefits.  She does not have other people in mind as she sets out on her talk show arena.  I have blogged in the past about this health care reform bill.  I have read more of it than the politicians we are relying on to vote on our behalf.  The only good thing in the bill as it is written is the section that will make it illegal for insurance companies to deny someone benefits due to a pre-existing condition.  However, Ms. Carlson does not take into consideration that this bill will force everyone to buy insurance even if they cannot afford it.  Yes, there will be some allowance, but they are not very good ones.

In order for this to work, the government needs to revamp many areas, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.  President Obama has had one goal since running for office ~ Health Care Reform.  I watched him and listened to him as I was in favor of this myself.  I did not give into the belief that his reform would bring about euthanasia.  I did not listen to anyone but Mr. Obama.  Unfortunately, it was his words during his address to the Senate in September that turned me against his bill.  He is in a hurry to get this through in order to help a few people he has been trying to help since he first went into politics.  However, he too has missed the big picture, the helping of ALL Americans.  Until all Americans, or at least the largest population of Americans can benefit, this bill needs to be rewritten.  Doctors can increase their costs for people without insurance while charging insurance companies the minimal.  Alcoholics can get disability when alcoholism is their only disability, but people with heart disease and Meniere’s Disease cannot.  This is not a perfect country and the government only wants to put a coat of paint on a decaying wall.

Devastation In Haiti

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale struck the country of Haiti leaving devastation in its wake.  This is the first earthquake of this magnitude to hit the country in a century.  I have, watched passively the news casts containing graphic photos of the pain and destruction.  I spent a week in Haiti back in 1989.  During this week I celebrated my 24^th birthday.  While I did not go to Haiti to celebrate my birthday, it was an added bonus while I was there.  One of the shots shown on the news was the, now flattened, National Palace.  I looked away fast as tears began to well up in my eyes.  I remembered the day I took this photograph of that same National Palace.  Now it is rubble.

There have been so many thoughts going through my mind the past week since the story first broke of the earthquake.  I think about other natural disasters in recent history around the world.  I think about the loss.  And yes, I think about the time I spent there all those years ago.  I fortify my thoughts by looking through my scrapbook and remembering as if it were last week I was there.  As I look, listen and remember I find myself experiencing a wide range of emotions as well.  Sadness and heartbreak for all those who are there or have loved ones there.  I also feel relief as I know it could have been much worse.

The other emotion that seems to have taken over is anger.  Not because this happened, but anger over the reactions of some Americans.  I can understand they are grieving as their loved ones were there when the earthquake struck and have still not been found.  My issue is with them thinking and crying out as if American lives are of more value than other lives around the world.  There are still many Canadians, Europeans and especially Haitians unaccounted for.  There are over 100 UN staffers missing as well.  I hear the pleas of Americans begging the President of the United States to do everything possible to find the missing Americans.  Why are their lives more valuable?  From what I have seen in news reports the world around is sending aid in some form or fashion to try to find the missing and bring comfort and relief to the rest of the country.  There is nothing more that can be done than is already being done.

Human life is human life.  One life is not of more value than any other.  Narrow mindedness breeds resentment.  It is okay to grieve and want your loved ones back safely, but when you believe they are more important than another persons loved one, you make way for resentment.  I hope they find all those who are missing no matter their skin color, religion or nationality.  Hold good thoughts for all those who are missing, those who are injured, those who died and all their loved ones around the world.  Remember Haiti in all her beauty and splendor.  Like the grandeur found in this, the oldest church in Haiti.

Ratings Push Or Slap In the Face

Upon rising in the mornings I generally turn no the news (CBS), turn on my computer and then fetch the newspaper from the front deck.  After getting dressed and finding breakfast I retire to the couch to read the paper, watch the news and eat breakfast before I begin writing for the morning.  Yes, I am creature of habit, but then again, so are most people.  Last Friday, CBS Morning Show started a series called Dave Price, No Way Home.  I thought this would be in interesting stunt to boost ratings and could quite possibly produce some humor for me to begin my day with.

Apparently they were dropping Mr. Price off on the west coast and he was to make his way east and return home in a week.  He was only to have $50 and could not use any credit cards nor accept large gifts such as airline tickets home or hotel accommodations.  He was to “work” his way home.  When this began I thought it would be intriguing to see what kinds of odd jobs he would do to earn some cash and help him get back to NYC.  As of Tuesday morning all was going well and seemed to be educational as well.

This morning I turned the news on and as I ate breakfast I watched the next chapter in Mr. Price’s trek home.  However, the more the segments ran, the angrier I found myself.  Yes, it was fascinating that he spent the night in a frat house and earned $20 for cleaning the bathroom.  However, the job he is doing right now making $12 an hour made me sick.  I am one of thousands who lost my regular $10 an hour job when the recession was hitting a year ago.  I am still out of work and opting instead to be a freelance writer.  There are so many people who would have gone to companies such as Omaha Steaks (where Mr. Price is working this morning) and applied for jobs.   These people are turned down because of the lack of funding to be able to pay them.  In fact, many of them would probably be willing to work for minimum wage just to be able to have some kind of an income.

In an economic recession, I find it a slap in the face to the many unemployed folks like myself that CBS would televise how easy it is for one of their employees who already has a well paying job to be able to walk in and get a job in a company making an hourly wage that makes me and others like me drool with desire and longing to have any kind of a job.  What qualifies Mr. Price to work in a company such as Omaha Steaks besides his celebrity status and wanting to boost his networks ratings irregardless of what it might do to the mindset of those who would watch and thereby boost those ratings?

Irresponsibility in boosting ratings.  It is possible to help those who are unemployed due to the recession while boosting ratings and in fact, may boost those network ratings even more.  If Mr. Price must obtain jobs in nationally know companies or major organizations or any kind, then use it to benefit those who could use the boost to their economy.  If these places are willing to hire a man who has no qualifications, besides celebrity, for a few hours to get national recognition for their company, let them go a step further and use it to find qualified workers to hire on a permanent basis to further ensure the longevity of the company.

Take odd jobs if you will, like cleaning bathrooms in a frat house, but if you choose to work in a major company, help fill that kind of a job with someone who truly needs and deserves it.  As for Omaha Steaks, I have ordered from them in the past.  However, I am very reluctant to order from them unless they use this opportunity to help those who want and need jobs to obtain jobs in their company.  Being a celebrity making a great salary and then throwing it in the faces of those who helped make you a celebrity by frivolously getting jobs they would love to have just to work for an hour or two is, in my opinion, just plain wrong.