Inept Federal Government

Those of you who know me, know what I'm doing for a living and that I interface with the US and other government agencies on a regular basis. At least ninety percent of what I do involves very "high interest activities", which means that if done right or wrong, it's a news headline somewhere, even though I am not personally mentioned.

Last night information came to me that all of you would agree with me would be vital for the government to deal with, but it needed to be acted on NOW because the situation was perishable. Two government security/law enforcement agencies, tasked to deal with this sort of work (sorry I'm being vague) 24/7 were informed. The reply came back - "We really don't want to work on Friday night or on the weekends."

Ok.

I worked for the government and saw it all first hand.

Are any of you (anywhere in the world) happy with the service your government provides you? Do any of you feel that the public servants who are supposed to serve your interests are actually interested in doing their jobs? --- beyond working for a check and eventual pension?

Extending that, are any of you interested in MORE government ineptness in your lives? More government programs? More taxes? More rules?

The more removed government is from the people they serve, the less in tune they are with the people they work for (and the less they care). And if, for example, you feel that the US Federal Government is indifferent, WHY would you want them to manage your health care? Do you think they'd manage the money better this time than they have in the past? (consider that the US Social Security and Medicare system are expected to run out of money within the next couple of years based on US Government projections)

The Veteran's Administration is our Model for Healthcare

President Obama wants every American's healthcare to be administered by the Federal Government. Historically one place we can look for the model of what we can expect under the new plan is more or less the same thing that America's veterans received at the Veteran's Administration (VA).

One would think that in the roughly one hundred years that the VA has been in existence, that the major problems impacting veterans would have been ironed out. They've had a couple of world wars, a number of major conflicts and millions of patients to try out the government model on.

Last year VETERANS TODAY ran an interesting article outlining COMMON problems faced by veterans who turn to the VA for healthcare. Since those are likely to be YOUR problems under the Obama plan, let's take a look at what Veterans Today said (CLICK HERE FOR LINK):

1. Access to specialty healthcare beyond the VA's primary physician is frequently delayed or denied.
2. There are no appeal rights when treatment is denied.
3. VA Clinic Managers rarely respond to questions from veterans seeking healthcare.
4. The VA clinic's committee charged with making life and death decisions about veterans has no accountability.
5. The system is complicated and rarely understood by veterans or the public.
6. "Patient Advocates" work under the authority of the VA and they risk loosing their jobs if they "rock the boat".
7. "Because of the inertia of the current system, VA management and clinical staff who are incompetent, neglectful, and indifferent to the plight of the veterans area able to hide in plain sight in the self-protecting VA bureaucracy."

Yes, the VA is the place I want to go to be treated for a problem...

Please call your senators and congressman and explain to them that you DO NOT want the Obama Healthcare Plan, which will be surely patterned after the VA and other similar inefficient, cruel government programs.

Universal Health Care

Senator Edward Kennedy (D)-Mass and Senator Max Baucus (D)-Mont have assured the Obama Administration that the legislation for universal health care will be ready by June 09. (CLICK HERE)

Please write to your elected representatives and insist that members of Congress subject themselves to the same health care facilities to which the public will be subjected, not the separate and privileged Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) plan they currently enjoy at our expense.

With few exceptions, the current administration is comprised of lawyers. There can be little doubt that the final Universal Health Care Act will require private medical insurance accounts and health care providers. This will assure lawyers' job security (right to sue for malpractice claims). Will the cost of health care be lowered like standards will?

Of course not, check your local hospitals. Liability claims eat 40% - 60% of the typical hospitals budgeted allocations now. As standards further deteriorate and lawyers sue, these allocations will certainly rise. Lawyer job security, it seems, is destined to improve regardless of economic crises.