Monday, July 30, 2007
BUSH IS A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT
Bush is a republican president. That should be obvious, but apparently not to those now bent upon electing republicans in 2008. These republicans do not want to accept responsibility for the presidency of George W. Bush. They would like the American people not to hold them responsible for their president. They want us to forget.
Some decades ago during a democrat presidency, perhaps it was Truman, there was a popular bumper sticker which said, “HAVEN’T YOU HAD ENOUGH?” There were also billboards sponsored by rich republican conservatives, placed alongside major highways, with that same question, “HAVEN’T YOU HAD ENOUGH? VOTE REPUBLICAN!” These were negative mid-term propaganda ads.
Since that time there have been those mid-term bumper stickers on pick-up trucks which said, “Don’t blame me! I voted Republican.” Well, that dog won’t hunt any more.
Maybe it is time to bring out similar bumper stickers and billboards again, but this time to remind the American people just who is responsible for this unpopular presidency that has mired the nation in red ink and a quagmire in Iraq. The republicans nominated Mr. Bush as their candidate, and they got him into office twice by what some might call “hook or crook.” Therefore, he is their president.
This presidency has been a republican administration, aided and abetted by republicans in congress. Those persons serving in this administration, competent, incompetent, or corrupt, are republicans. Those who have conspired to lie and mislead have been republicans. Those who failed to plan or to execute the war they started in Iraq were republicans. Those who have run up the national debt and trade deficits and exported jobs were republicans. Those who enacted tax cuts for the rich were republicans. War profiteer corporations are managed by friends of republican politicians.
Those who have loudly professed purity and sanctity while violating moral decency, ethics, and laws against corruption in government have been almost all republicans. These are appropriately called hypocrites.
Those who have been active in undermining the Constitution and the freedoms of American citizens have been republicans. Miscreants continue to be shielded from accountability by the republican members of congress and the republican president. Those who illegally conspired to expose the critic’s wife in the CIA were republicans. The sentence of the convicted republican was commuted by the president, preventing exposure of other guilty persons. Those who corrupted the justice department for political purposes were republicans, now dodging subpoenas to testify under oath about misconduct.
Recently the republican members of congress from Oklahoma voted against the farm bill which is favored by organizations of farmers. They did so because it eliminated an off-shore tax loophole for oil companies and spent the money collected on food stamps and nutrition programs for the poor. Just whom do these congresspersons represent?
Republican members of congress block the democrat majority from ending loss of Americans in Iraq. Republicans block efforts to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. At every point they use their votes as a bloc to protect their republican administration from accountability, sustain its vetoes, and protect donors and lobbyists. They protect the White House from exposure and accountability to the public.
The point of all this is that this presidency and the actions of a congress dominated by republicans for 12 years go together. The republicans cannot escape responsibility for what they have done, nor what they are now doing, by putting a new face on it. The republican members have been in charge, and they are now obstructionists. There should be party accountability.
The American people should hold every republican running for office responsible for their party’s record. Republicans everywhere are deathly afraid that an informed public will do just that.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Some decades ago during a democrat presidency, perhaps it was Truman, there was a popular bumper sticker which said, “HAVEN’T YOU HAD ENOUGH?” There were also billboards sponsored by rich republican conservatives, placed alongside major highways, with that same question, “HAVEN’T YOU HAD ENOUGH? VOTE REPUBLICAN!” These were negative mid-term propaganda ads.
Since that time there have been those mid-term bumper stickers on pick-up trucks which said, “Don’t blame me! I voted Republican.” Well, that dog won’t hunt any more.
Maybe it is time to bring out similar bumper stickers and billboards again, but this time to remind the American people just who is responsible for this unpopular presidency that has mired the nation in red ink and a quagmire in Iraq. The republicans nominated Mr. Bush as their candidate, and they got him into office twice by what some might call “hook or crook.” Therefore, he is their president.
This presidency has been a republican administration, aided and abetted by republicans in congress. Those persons serving in this administration, competent, incompetent, or corrupt, are republicans. Those who have conspired to lie and mislead have been republicans. Those who failed to plan or to execute the war they started in Iraq were republicans. Those who have run up the national debt and trade deficits and exported jobs were republicans. Those who enacted tax cuts for the rich were republicans. War profiteer corporations are managed by friends of republican politicians.
Those who have loudly professed purity and sanctity while violating moral decency, ethics, and laws against corruption in government have been almost all republicans. These are appropriately called hypocrites.
Those who have been active in undermining the Constitution and the freedoms of American citizens have been republicans. Miscreants continue to be shielded from accountability by the republican members of congress and the republican president. Those who illegally conspired to expose the critic’s wife in the CIA were republicans. The sentence of the convicted republican was commuted by the president, preventing exposure of other guilty persons. Those who corrupted the justice department for political purposes were republicans, now dodging subpoenas to testify under oath about misconduct.
Recently the republican members of congress from Oklahoma voted against the farm bill which is favored by organizations of farmers. They did so because it eliminated an off-shore tax loophole for oil companies and spent the money collected on food stamps and nutrition programs for the poor. Just whom do these congresspersons represent?
Republican members of congress block the democrat majority from ending loss of Americans in Iraq. Republicans block efforts to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. At every point they use their votes as a bloc to protect their republican administration from accountability, sustain its vetoes, and protect donors and lobbyists. They protect the White House from exposure and accountability to the public.
The point of all this is that this presidency and the actions of a congress dominated by republicans for 12 years go together. The republicans cannot escape responsibility for what they have done, nor what they are now doing, by putting a new face on it. The republican members have been in charge, and they are now obstructionists. There should be party accountability.
The American people should hold every republican running for office responsible for their party’s record. Republicans everywhere are deathly afraid that an informed public will do just that.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Monday, July 23, 2007
HEALTH RELATED TORTS: A NEED FOR HONEST DISCUSSION
Most of us have friends who are doctors. Some of us have relatives in that profession. Let’s be honest – those folk have a problem with the cost of their malpractice insurance in our too often litigious society. Further, they have problems with the red tape of our medical bureaucracies – both governmental and private insurer bred.
That being said -- their patients have problems with the cost of health care, the cost of insurance, assembly line medical practices, loss of personal identity and control, and problems of being lost in a morass of insurance, governmental, and medical system entanglements. Sometimes they fall through a crack, get too little attention, and bad things can happen to patients in the medical system. They see too much profiteering in the health care system at the sacrifice of the sick and the poor.
Doctors need help. Patients need adequate protection. The health care system is over-priced and inefficient.
Most of us have friends who are lawyers, as well, and we need them. Different constituencies resort to the legal system to resolve problems. Patients want the right to go to court, if aggrieved, and the doctors want protection through changes in law and a relief from threat of courts. Some politicians are sincere in trying to help one side or the other, while others are posturing for the sake of campaign donations or voting blocs.
Resolving the issue of tort claims and liability insurance for medical practitioners will not solve the problems of health care services in America. But proper resolution could make life easier for professionals while not necessarily removing the rights of redress for patients.
Some of the following ideas might help in developing a common sense system:
A screening system should be put in place for frivolous lawsuits of all kinds. This should not be that difficult to do, and still give each plaintiff the right of due process for his grievance.
All legal processes and procedures should be streamlined, cutting delays and costs.
Award limits for medical and other torts may not always be reasonable, but some system can be put in effect which will be just and yet allow for degrees of hurt and degrees of negligence. Award guidelines should be developed with participation from affected sectors. A range of limits for findings of different degrees of damage and different degrees of offense might be appropriate, and a special awards adjudication panel set up to decide these within that range.
Hospitals should have a base billing system for all patients, insured or uninsured, public or private. The lowest present rate (Medicare) will do, or a ratio thereof.
Some kind of common screening system or ombudsman service should be established for examining hospital and provider item charges, sifting these for gouging and careless processing. Penalties should be assessed for repeat offenses.
Third party coverage entities should have uniform claim forms and compatible computer data transfer systems.
The array of health insurer coverage schedules, private or public, should become standardized with a limited number of plan options, such is now the case with Medicare supplement policies. This should extend to prescription plans. Insurers could compete on prices for common packages of coverage.
The grouped experience cost records and administrative cost data used for rate setting by insurers operating in the malpractice arena or in the health insurance area should be open to examination by the insurance commissioner, legislators or state officials, the courts, the press, and the public.
Frivolous filings for workers comp should be screened in some form of simple process. Only those with serious claims should have further access to the system or the courts.
No person should be forced to accept the opinion or the treatment set by the doctor chosen by an interested adversary acting unilaterally. Differences may be resolved by the court, using a third practitioner’s counsel if needed.
Legal consultants have a role to play in adjudication of differences and in advisement of adversarial parties. The Bar itself should undertake to establish ethical limits and standards for practice in this area. If it does not properly do so, the legislature should establish a panel from the courts to make recommendations.
Perhaps attorney fees should be set and paid by the workers’ comp court system itself, assessing the insurance program for costs.
In closing, it should be mentioned that the writer has not yet seen the Michael Moore film, and that all ideas expressed herein are those developed from within his own apperception regarding these particular legislative issues which consistently plague our state and consume our political energies year after year.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
That being said -- their patients have problems with the cost of health care, the cost of insurance, assembly line medical practices, loss of personal identity and control, and problems of being lost in a morass of insurance, governmental, and medical system entanglements. Sometimes they fall through a crack, get too little attention, and bad things can happen to patients in the medical system. They see too much profiteering in the health care system at the sacrifice of the sick and the poor.
Doctors need help. Patients need adequate protection. The health care system is over-priced and inefficient.
Most of us have friends who are lawyers, as well, and we need them. Different constituencies resort to the legal system to resolve problems. Patients want the right to go to court, if aggrieved, and the doctors want protection through changes in law and a relief from threat of courts. Some politicians are sincere in trying to help one side or the other, while others are posturing for the sake of campaign donations or voting blocs.
Resolving the issue of tort claims and liability insurance for medical practitioners will not solve the problems of health care services in America. But proper resolution could make life easier for professionals while not necessarily removing the rights of redress for patients.
Some of the following ideas might help in developing a common sense system:
A screening system should be put in place for frivolous lawsuits of all kinds. This should not be that difficult to do, and still give each plaintiff the right of due process for his grievance.
All legal processes and procedures should be streamlined, cutting delays and costs.
Award limits for medical and other torts may not always be reasonable, but some system can be put in effect which will be just and yet allow for degrees of hurt and degrees of negligence. Award guidelines should be developed with participation from affected sectors. A range of limits for findings of different degrees of damage and different degrees of offense might be appropriate, and a special awards adjudication panel set up to decide these within that range.
Hospitals should have a base billing system for all patients, insured or uninsured, public or private. The lowest present rate (Medicare) will do, or a ratio thereof.
Some kind of common screening system or ombudsman service should be established for examining hospital and provider item charges, sifting these for gouging and careless processing. Penalties should be assessed for repeat offenses.
Third party coverage entities should have uniform claim forms and compatible computer data transfer systems.
The array of health insurer coverage schedules, private or public, should become standardized with a limited number of plan options, such is now the case with Medicare supplement policies. This should extend to prescription plans. Insurers could compete on prices for common packages of coverage.
The grouped experience cost records and administrative cost data used for rate setting by insurers operating in the malpractice arena or in the health insurance area should be open to examination by the insurance commissioner, legislators or state officials, the courts, the press, and the public.
Frivolous filings for workers comp should be screened in some form of simple process. Only those with serious claims should have further access to the system or the courts.
No person should be forced to accept the opinion or the treatment set by the doctor chosen by an interested adversary acting unilaterally. Differences may be resolved by the court, using a third practitioner’s counsel if needed.
Legal consultants have a role to play in adjudication of differences and in advisement of adversarial parties. The Bar itself should undertake to establish ethical limits and standards for practice in this area. If it does not properly do so, the legislature should establish a panel from the courts to make recommendations.
Perhaps attorney fees should be set and paid by the workers’ comp court system itself, assessing the insurance program for costs.
In closing, it should be mentioned that the writer has not yet seen the Michael Moore film, and that all ideas expressed herein are those developed from within his own apperception regarding these particular legislative issues which consistently plague our state and consume our political energies year after year.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Saturday, July 14, 2007
IDEOLOGUE AMATEURS IN CHARGE
The state has been fortunate to fare as well as it has when the voters constantly put amateurs in charge of affairs. But Oklahoma is now suffering the disturbing consequences of having ideologue amateurs in positions of dominant leadership within our government, particularly in the legislature.
Youth is not a permanent handicap in a legislator, but youth and/or inexperience, plus a mind pre-set on most issues, can definitely deter quality in government.
The voters in Oklahoma made a big mistake a couple of decades ago when they allowed political outsiders to convince them that adopting term limits would improve the quality of legislative functioning. While the old-timers may have frustrated some by thwarting change, or slowing the speed of change, they had acquired experience, knowledge, negotiating skills, and a memory for past traditions that kept the legislature on track and away from many foolish mistakes.
There are a number of bright young (or new) legislators of both parties who may be properly viewed as up-and-coming students of government. Enid is blessed with a couple of these. But they cannot stay around long enough to become experienced leaders.
Instead, it appears that the most self-impressed demagogues have consistently emerged as the new party leaders. Their lack of experience, when combined with their fanaticism for party dogma, becomes a detriment to Oklahoma’s public services.
The situation at the State Medical Examiner’s Office is a case in point. Almost every intelligent reading and viewing adult in Oklahoma has heard several times about problems at the coroner’s office. Where have the legislative leaders been? Where were they when hearings were held on that budget?
Preoccupation with a party agenda, i.e. cutting taxes, making abortion difficult, tort claims, reducing consumer and worker access to courts, and promoting business, has led the majority party legislators to neglect the declining state infra-structure, penal law reform, mental health, education, and other vital state services.
Aversion to assessing road user taxes to pay for roads and bridges, and the failure to set taxes to pay for college and other public buildings has created vast fiscal problems. The state has been building up legally questionable bonded debt to pay for highways, college buildings, and other state improvements. State government has loaded future operating budgets with debt payments for current capital expenses.
College students who must pay tuition are paying higher and higher rates, while the legislature has given it away free to others with no new tax levied to pay for it, essentially taking it out of potential college appropriations. Average citizens continue to pay state and local taxes, while millions in tax incentives are given away to businesses.
It is imperative that state government officials, both legislative and executive, become better stewards of government. Public services cost money, and the public and businesses must both be taxed to pay for those services.
The state constitution prescribes the procedure for incurring debt, and that includes a special tax levy to amortize it – just like house payments. Follow the constitution!
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Youth is not a permanent handicap in a legislator, but youth and/or inexperience, plus a mind pre-set on most issues, can definitely deter quality in government.
The voters in Oklahoma made a big mistake a couple of decades ago when they allowed political outsiders to convince them that adopting term limits would improve the quality of legislative functioning. While the old-timers may have frustrated some by thwarting change, or slowing the speed of change, they had acquired experience, knowledge, negotiating skills, and a memory for past traditions that kept the legislature on track and away from many foolish mistakes.
There are a number of bright young (or new) legislators of both parties who may be properly viewed as up-and-coming students of government. Enid is blessed with a couple of these. But they cannot stay around long enough to become experienced leaders.
Instead, it appears that the most self-impressed demagogues have consistently emerged as the new party leaders. Their lack of experience, when combined with their fanaticism for party dogma, becomes a detriment to Oklahoma’s public services.
The situation at the State Medical Examiner’s Office is a case in point. Almost every intelligent reading and viewing adult in Oklahoma has heard several times about problems at the coroner’s office. Where have the legislative leaders been? Where were they when hearings were held on that budget?
Preoccupation with a party agenda, i.e. cutting taxes, making abortion difficult, tort claims, reducing consumer and worker access to courts, and promoting business, has led the majority party legislators to neglect the declining state infra-structure, penal law reform, mental health, education, and other vital state services.
Aversion to assessing road user taxes to pay for roads and bridges, and the failure to set taxes to pay for college and other public buildings has created vast fiscal problems. The state has been building up legally questionable bonded debt to pay for highways, college buildings, and other state improvements. State government has loaded future operating budgets with debt payments for current capital expenses.
College students who must pay tuition are paying higher and higher rates, while the legislature has given it away free to others with no new tax levied to pay for it, essentially taking it out of potential college appropriations. Average citizens continue to pay state and local taxes, while millions in tax incentives are given away to businesses.
It is imperative that state government officials, both legislative and executive, become better stewards of government. Public services cost money, and the public and businesses must both be taxed to pay for those services.
The state constitution prescribes the procedure for incurring debt, and that includes a special tax levy to amortize it – just like house payments. Follow the constitution!
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Thursday, July 05, 2007
PASSING THROUGH
The Reverend Doctor Richard Dunn, as usual, delivered an excellent message on this past Sunday morning at the Cornerstone church. As most good messages are prone to do, it struck a chord – or perhaps a nerve – with at least this one person in his audience.
After the fashion of Dear Aunt Blabby of Johnny Carson fame, I admonished him at the door about the use certain terms and the discussion of certain topics in front of an old person. He had talked of being “a sojourner en route to a better place,” and he used words such as “passing through.” Of course, this came from his Bible text regarding Jesus passing through Samaria as he set his face toward Jerusalem and his fate.
But for a person who has passed his 80th birthday, and who has been contemplating his own mortality, this was a bit much for a Sunday morning outing.
Nevertheless, I thought of what might be left to do while passing through and waiting on this side of that river he described, which must be crossed at some time – presumably when the ferry comes. But, alas, my thoughts were less spiritual and more political, as I mentally surveyed the mess in which I would have to leave my country.
During one long quarter-century of this life, I had a mild semblance of control over some part of the lives of several thousand persons. I made decisions, took actions, and fought battles that made their lives a bit better than they would have been otherwise.
But at this age in life, much of whatever influence I may have is through such activities as this blog. Of course, there are still things such as serving or chairing a few boards, participating in some good organizations, and perhaps harassing a few persons in positions of authority.
Back in 2004, after the last presidential election, I had a conversation with God about that outcome. He told me to leave George W. Bush to him, and I agreed. It appears to me that He has done a better job with him than I did. But I have tried to help a little.
So perhaps there is a nugget of truth somewhere in all that. When that ferry comes to take me across the river, and the country is still in a mess, I will just have to leave the rest to Him. If He recruits your help, then do it!
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
After the fashion of Dear Aunt Blabby of Johnny Carson fame, I admonished him at the door about the use certain terms and the discussion of certain topics in front of an old person. He had talked of being “a sojourner en route to a better place,” and he used words such as “passing through.” Of course, this came from his Bible text regarding Jesus passing through Samaria as he set his face toward Jerusalem and his fate.
But for a person who has passed his 80th birthday, and who has been contemplating his own mortality, this was a bit much for a Sunday morning outing.
Nevertheless, I thought of what might be left to do while passing through and waiting on this side of that river he described, which must be crossed at some time – presumably when the ferry comes. But, alas, my thoughts were less spiritual and more political, as I mentally surveyed the mess in which I would have to leave my country.
During one long quarter-century of this life, I had a mild semblance of control over some part of the lives of several thousand persons. I made decisions, took actions, and fought battles that made their lives a bit better than they would have been otherwise.
But at this age in life, much of whatever influence I may have is through such activities as this blog. Of course, there are still things such as serving or chairing a few boards, participating in some good organizations, and perhaps harassing a few persons in positions of authority.
Back in 2004, after the last presidential election, I had a conversation with God about that outcome. He told me to leave George W. Bush to him, and I agreed. It appears to me that He has done a better job with him than I did. But I have tried to help a little.
So perhaps there is a nugget of truth somewhere in all that. When that ferry comes to take me across the river, and the country is still in a mess, I will just have to leave the rest to Him. If He recruits your help, then do it!
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
