A good letter. Plus: Medicare "anti-socialists"

A very good message in a letter to the editor in today's Hartford Courant. I'll trust the gentleman on his statistics.... Link: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-digbrflets0813.art3aug13,0,6901116.story


Why are many people vehemently defending the present, deeply flawed U.S. health care status quo? Per the following link, look where the private insurance system has left many working families/individuals:

Link: http://www.courant.com/business/hc-health-care-coverage-0812,0,73778.story


And, why are so many seen on TV/in photos yelling, screaming (uncivilly) in public officials' faces.... older Americans? (Mostly white, too.) Who either are already covered by government-run Medicare and Social Security, or soon will be....(A link to one current photo.)

Socialism!! Never!! (BTW: Read this 'wiki' on what a "mixed economy" is, here.)
Hands off my Medicare....



There's much distortion, deception, and misinformation out there right now. Enjoy a bit of clarity:



(Articulate Ms. Maddow is also dead-on correct about lazy, poor reporting (generally) slapped together and rushed out re the issue.)

Connecticut: "Penny-wise(?), pound-foolish"

8/2/09 update re Wall Street excessive payouts: Article by Zeke Miller And Eric Gershon, The Hartford Courant: http://www.courant.com/business/hc-wall-street-bonuses-connecti.artaug02,0,6464390.story

(Original post follows:)

Link to today's (7/31) story in the New York Times, about huge bonuses being paid to thousands of Wall Street bankers and traders in 2008: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/business/31pay.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

And here's another link to an 7/30/09 AP article about states cutting important health care programs for budget reasons. (Connecticut is prominently featured.) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5isFa8Z14ZU7_1FdxV0gzofRplSOgD99OAHFO6

It so happens that my recalcitrant Republican Connecticut state representative wrote to constituents yesterday. Our area's compassionate-less conservative, in part wrote subjects the following:

(Your Party of No state rep.) "....today voted against the largest proposed tax hike in state history, contending that another Democratic spending spree will only further cripple any economic recovery." (BTW: No one anywhere expected the budget versions voted upon on Thursday would become law. So this would pretty much (again) be my "Party of No New Revenue Ideas" state rep. posturing on the issue, for those willing and able to swallow it.)

CT's "Party of No" current plan: Tax "Joe Six-pack"'s sins to death, cut his health care options at the time he'll be needing it most, cut state economic development agencies, let greedy, Fairfield County-residing Wall Street "masters of the universe" 'walk' on state taxes (on top of Bush fed. tax cuts) - in some cases after they/their firms helped manufacture a worldwide credit/financial crisis (and then got shored up/bailed out by taxpayers); and be sure to look the other way as state businesses continue to exploit tax loopholes, slash employee benefits, lay off resident workers, ship in foreign "consultants", and re-locate key operations overseas.



"Earth to Recalcitrant CT Republicans": If they want to continue to work in Manhattan (or Stamford), where are these "Wall Street wizards" going to "run away" to live? A modest increase in high-earner taxes here still leaves us below nearby New York and New Jersey in this respect, from what I've read. So, the "geniuses" will (instead) make their principal residence in Florida....and "commute"? Good luck with sustaining that family arrangement over time.....(Quality of life: It's (even more) hot and rainy down in Florida. Plus the mansions there are more likely to get blown away by the annual hurricanes. Try looking at Sun Belt crime statistics some time, too.)

Please wake up. Get real. And have the courage to seriously consider the following:

Revenue for state roads and bridges (beyond federal help and beyond the gas tax): Reinstitute highway tolls at state borders. Give every driver/trucking firm you can find an electronic toll transponder (i.e., mass-distribute at low cost).

Make numerous out-of-staters pay something back for use, just as Mass., N.Y., N.J., and 30 other states do now.

Fuel efficient vehicles are coming. Already-raided gas tax revenue can't do it all.

Also, why wouldn't a sales tax rate reduction/coverage expansion proposed by these two individuals be worth considering? Link to Courant 7/12/09 opinion article:

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/hc-commentaryjepsen0712.artjul12,0,5849137.story

Corrupt-icut redux: 'IF' my conduct was inappropriate??

Link to 6/17/09 Hartford Courant article re another CT official's DUI: http://www.courant.com/community/news/ec/hc-glastonbury-dui-arrest-0617.artjun17,0,4276121.story Please enjoy this woman's performance with the poor officers, whose salary "she approves"...in case they were unclear about that. That wastebasket they gave her was really meant for her career. Or, at least that would be true for the "rest of us"(little people), given similar circumstances.

Another humble Connecticut public official who still "doesn't get it". (Please check her "apology" in the article.) She'll likely get a slap on the wrist, too. And then be re-elected, so that she may carry on largely unhindered, via her all-powerful position....

When might these paragons of virtue ever wake up: There's no excuse for DUI. By anyone. None. If you've got a problem, find some help.

Oh....Some of the comments to the Courant's online story are pretty good. This person's got it right:

From "Jamie":

"She apologizes "IF" any of her behavior was inappropriate? IF??

Boy, that's big of her.

Jerk. "