Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Steroids, Health Care and Spitting

"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhumane." - - Dr. Martin Luther King


Today I switched on ESPN and saw George Mitchell talking to Congress about his report. The Congressmen and women were echoing each other other in their praise of former Senator Mitchell and his work on this Independent Investigation that he began 5 years ago at the request of Major League Baseball.

Many also said that while "This " (Steroid use by professional baseball players) was not the biggest issue that faced the country, it is important. If you are not a baseball fan you may ask yourself why is this so important???

That's easy people...It gives the Congress the ability to gather, tell someone (Mitchell) what a good job he did, and for a real Bipartisan Party where everyone agrees on something.

It's important because it shows a government working as a group, many on the same page. Come on now, this isn't about the individual players, this is about CHEATING, ILLEGAL DRUG USE and BAD EXAMPLES.

This gives Congressman the ability to stand or sit upon their soapboxes and say "It's about the Kids !!" and "We're here to save lives!!"

It almost made me sick to see these Republicans and Democrats suck up to each other over this issue. It's good I didn't, get sick that is, because I don't have Health Insurance!!

THAT is a big issue for me!!

I didn't need the Mitchell report to tell me athletes use drugs to get a competitive advantage... DUH

I don't need Congress to waste Tax Money...

Look at all the time these congressman took to research their questions for Mitchell!!

Look at all the damn aides around those Congressman!!

Look at all the friggin' lawyers in that room !!

Wouldn't it be better for the Children, the Country if all those blowhards were doing something like taking the profit incentives out of delivering Health Care to Americans.

The Media, The Congress, The Senate all try to say our system is better than the French, The English or Canadian Health Care Services....sorry..

Better How? Better for those with money, maybe.

My dad has his Medicare and Secondary Health Insurance. He's 79 and fell down yesterday and hurt himself. His doctor told us to bring him to the Emergency room at the local hospital.

He's still there, in the Emergency room !!

He's resting comfortably but in the Emergency room ??

They want to put him in a bed in the hospital, but there isn't one available..

That's true for another 5 patients staying in the ER with him.

No where to put them..Not enough staff to cover the beds. Believe me, there is plenty of room but STAFF costs too much and the HMO's won't cover the costs to care for the sick and injured...

Nope..Staff costs too much!!...Bottom Line, Health Care in America is FOR PROFIT..not for the sick.

Let's head back to Congress....BASEBALL Reform or HEALTH CARE Reform...

I think Baseball reform will precede any kind of Health care reform...WHY???

In 2003, Representative Conyers first introduced HR 676, the United States National Health Insurance Act (USNHI). This bill would establish a unique American universal health insurance program with single payer financing. As a publicly financed, privately delivered health care system that improves and expands the already existing Medicare program, it would be available to all U.S. residents, and all residents living in U.S. territories.


Every year since, the bill is re introduced...It first had 25 co-sponsors but the list has grown and now stands at 85 other congressmen and women.

It probably helps those Congressmen and Women look good to say they back this bill...the bill that gets introduced and then....what..Burned???

You would think this Bill wouldn't need to be introduced every year but it does, that seems like a needless amount of money spent, just changing all the dates and stuff?

All the TREES that went into that paper!!!

This is what happened to the bill in 2007 ...

1/24/2007:
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

(In English please!!!)
1/24/2007:
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
2/2/2007:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
1/24/2007:
Referred to House Ways and Means
1/30/2007:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
1/24/2007:
Referred to House Natural Resources


I wonder when it will get introduced in 2008??

Somewhere around Martin Luther Kings Birthday I suspect...makes good copy!!
Why not do something about it this year guys and Gals??

Personally I'd rather pay more taxes and have health care without all the Co-Pay and Deductibles.

I'd like to see Doctors working to make their patients healthy and be compensated for doing that.

I don't like seeing Doctors working for HMO's with fancy Titles like "Medical Directors" and getting bonuses for being "Good" at saving money for the HMO by denying CARE for the Insured.

Maybe we could solve the Steroid Problem at the same time..If we are all agreed that it is BAD for sports...and for KIDS.

Let's give them all health insurance and test them for steroids!!


Oh, and talk about Professional Baseball players being bad Role Models...What's up with all the damn spitting, never mind chewing tobacco??

Disgusting!!

12 comments:

Unknown said...

Tom,
When you see your Dad, tell him I was asking how he's doing.

Anonymous said...

Right, I think Congress should be more focused on catching people like Osama as opposed to Barry & Mark.

And what about the Beatles, I'm pretty sure they were on some serious performance enhancing drugs during their heyday, should we going take away all their awards and throw them in front of Congress? Even though they're English, I understand, just plug in any other band or author to this paragraph.

Exactly.

-Hollywood

o said...

Where's the bunny?

tomshideaway said...

Robert, I told him you were thinking of him...He got a room 30 hours afetr getting to the ER

Hollywood...and the Rolling Stones too

Sally, He died...No Insurance!!

o said...

That ain't right!!!

Tatyanna (and Dorian too) said...

Nobody is shouting "Amen" louder than I ... you know that. I HAVE medical insurance, and STILL the bills (co-pays, deductibles, medicines, things not covered or only partially covered ...) BANKRUPTED me last year when I faced unexpected illness. That should never, not EVER, happen to anyone in the United States of America. It is shameful and horrific. Fuckers.

Baseball players are known for cheating; most of them do it everyday. They'll try to get away with a base they didn't earn, or a hit, or whatever, if the ump makes a mistake or something. They cheat; they think it's all part of the game. That's something I would LOVE to change in the younger generations. Cheaters and thugs and nasty-ass tobacco lips. Gross. I WOULD kick them out of bed for eating crackers :)

eastcoastlife said...

Sorry about your Dad. Hope he's resting comfortably in a bed now and having doctors attend to him.

Our hospitalisation fees will be charged using means testing. This is to ensue that those who can afford don't occupy the subsidised beds meant for low income patients. I don't know how this is going to affect most Singaporeans.

Thanks for your concern, dear Tom. My ankle is healing.

Gledwood said...

The American system of healthcare I just do not understand...

... here we all pay "national insurance" and get fully covered for everything bar cosmetic surgery...

if health is as random as wealth... and everyone who CAN is going to get covered for health... does it not make sense to have one NATIONAL insurance system, where all are AUTOMATICALLY covered... rather than letting the poor slip through the net until they're literally dying... that's terrible I'm really glad I'm not American!

... and even when you DO have healthcare it RUNS OUT! Look at Superman!~~ what'shisname... Christopher Reve! Yes it ran out after less than $5 million ... and he was a major movie star... that is CRAP!

Gledwood said...

ps I could do with some "healthcare" right now I have the most dreadful runs~!!

;->...

Tatyanna (and Dorian too) said...

Look at all the responses you got! I'm so happy that you wrote about this topic. It makes me insane with rage when I think about it too much. Although thanks to Gled, cuz he made me lmao :P

Right on for quoting MLK too.

Anonymous said...

Have you had enough of petitions, rallies, and protests that have not worked? The Republican party and their conservative members appears insulated from the public and unresponsive to the public. However their contributors do not appear insulated from the public and can collapse under pressure to a withering telephone campaign threatening mass boycotts of their products until they get their friends at the GOP to do what we want.

Would you and your organization consider joining these telephone campaigns and spreading the word to your membership, and fellow progressive groups in your newsletter? I have created these campaigns to peacefully take back America. After you have made these phone calls please send me email to info@democratz.org with the subject CALLED.

I plan to bring this message to as many Democratic Clubs around the United States of America as I can.

Thank you.

http://www.democratz.org


Get as many people to make these 3 phone calls.

Call GOP contributor and war contractor General Electric Corporation at 800 386 1215 or 203 373 2211 and tell the person who answers, that you want the GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt to get Bush to end the war in Iraq and then Bush resign with Cheney and until that happens you will not buy any GE products and that you will tell your friends about this.

Call GOP contributor Rite Aid Corporation at 1-800-325-3737 and tell the person to get the CEO to get the congress to enact HR 676 Single payer universal health care and repeal Medicare Part D and place the drug benefit in Medicare Part B covering 80% of drugs with no extra premiums, no extra deductibles, no means tests, no coverage gaps, and remove the means test for Medicare Part B and until that happens, you won't buy ANYTHING from Rite Aid Pharmacies and that you will tell your friends about this.

Call GOP contributor Wendy's restaurants at 614 764-3553 and Tell the person in public relations that you want their CEO to get the congress to help enact a $10/HR MIN. WAGE into law and until this happens you will not go to a Wendy's Restaurant and that you will tell your friends about this.




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Alijah Fitt said...

AMEN! Of course if you murder somebody you will get 3 square meals a day, a bed (might have to share a room though) and excellent medical care. WTF is wrong with all of this?
I have dental insurance and a rotting molar. Dentist says it needs a crown or I will loose it to root canal or total loss of tooth. Insurance cover that crown? NOPE. How much does the crown cost? About a grand. WTF AGAIN!