...that Olympia's expansion of state-funded health care for middle class kids has resulted in much higher enrollment than expected?
I didn't think so.
Posted by Eric Earling at January 24, 2008 09:49 PM | Email ThisWell, we are subsidizing people becoming dependant on the state for health care. The incentives are totally perverse. The liberals are hurting the very people they are trying to help. Their real aim is to control them, and maintain their own power through them.
Don't eat that government cheese, people. As Malcolm X said, it makes you dependent and weak and controllable by the government bureaucrats.
You must free your mind instead, as Bob Marley said, and you can only do that by being responsible for your own life and that of your family, and by avoiding dependancy on government, and all big organizations.
The government is fast becoming the biggest threat to our liberty. I respect anyone with the guts to refuse to pay taxes, or to work for cash under the table, or to take a lower-paying job and live frugally in order to send less sales and income taxes to the beasts in Olympia and DC.
I don't have the guts to be a tax resistor. I have a family. It is my shame. But I admire anyone with the guts to engage in peaceful non-cooperation with the government. This is as American as Thoreau.
PublicBulldog, I suspect you might be this kind of man...
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on January 24, 2008 09:57 PMI'd say about 10 months... right AFTER the '08 elections.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on January 24, 2008 10:41 PMI first rocked the boat with my challenge of Ramp metering which led to an investigation,which was all bogus for liability claims purposes. .
Then I challenged the medical marijuana plant limits,and the state Taking federal grants to enforce a federal law over state law.I have been labled Polemical by Doug Mcdonald.I pissed of the drug task forces so bad they banded up and lied to a judge just to take a crack at me.
Myself,and my Kids have been terrorized by Our State's drug task forces for catching them conspiring to violate a state law.I had 20 of them in my house,with 10 police cars,two DEA SUV'S and a penske truck to take my 6 medical marijuana plants.The State paid the bill.It was a combination of West Net and Tahoma drug task forces.The state law gave me permission while at the same time state drug task forces are taking federal grants matched by the state to come and get me.They don't like me in Olympia ,and that is fine with me.They know when I get a hold of a topic I will sterilize and homogenize it for the general public.Over the last 10 years,since 1997 I have devoted endless hours of study on just two subjects.Transportation and medical marijuana.
I am that type of person Bruce.
There has to be an element of responsibility for the users. An incentive to use the system wisely, not for every little ache and sniffle.
Patients must be allowed to make their own choices on alternative care, including the use of hemp and all other plant products.
Posted by: Independent Voter on January 25, 2008 05:06 AMThe article said there were a ton of non-citizen kids signing up (the article didn't differentiate between legals and illegals, but knowing the state the way we do, you can fill in the blanks).
I have adopted a couple of State kids and therefore we have medical coupons. Is this new program better than the 'difficult to get treatment' medical programs?
Posted by: swatter on January 25, 2008 07:19 AMFor example, the Republican-controlled Port of Seattle Commission extracts $80 million per year in property taxes from King County property owners to subsidize Republican big business interests in shipping and other related industries.
While Eric doesn't mind slamming Democrats for trying to help poor folks and even a few lower middle class folks, I don't see any criticisms when his fellow Republicans rob from the poor to give to the rich.
Posted by: Richard Pope on January 25, 2008 08:33 AMIf Republicans run the Port why does Ed Murray make his living as a consultant there?
Hey Richard, where is your outrage for Ron Sims and his no-bid contract rip-off with fellow Democrat and Lobbyist Martin Durkan Jr., Yarrow Bay and Palmer Coking Coal? I know it's only 70 Million scam, but if you were honest you could see the real abuses taking place.
Posted by: Huh? on January 25, 2008 08:50 AMThe same Martin Durkan Jr. that contributed heavily to the campaigns of defeated DEMOCRAT Dino Rossi for Governor, incumbent DEMOCRATS Kathy Lambert, Jane Hague, Pete von Reichbauer and Reagan Dunn on the King County Council, DEMOCRATIC Attorney General Rob McKenna, and recently elected DEMOCRATIC King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg? The staunchly DEMOCRATIC Martin Durkan Jr., I assume you are referring to here.
As for the Port of Seattle Commission, three of the incumbents were endorsed by the King County REPUBLICAN Central Committee: John Creighton, Bill Bryant, and Lloyd Hara.
As for a fourth incumbent, Pat Davis, the King County Republican Central Committee did not take a position in her race in 2005. However, Davis was endorsed by REPUBLICANS such as Rob McKenna, Slade Gorton, David Irons Jr, and Jane Hague. And the King County Democratic Central Committee endorsed Davis' opponent in 2005, Jack Jolley.
There is only one solidly DEMOCRATIC member of the Port of Seattle Commission -- Gael Tarleton, who was endorsed by the King County Democratic Central Committee in 2007. She defeated Republican Bob Edwards, who the King County Republican Central Committee endorsed.
Posted by: Richard Pope on January 25, 2008 10:22 AMMLK apparently visited Seattle in 1961. Vice President William Rufus King never visited Washington. The county was named after the vice president in the hopes that it would help with the territory gaining speedy admission to the Union.
More about the recent name change here.
Oh, and you might enjoy this alternate logo that I came up with for King County instead. :)
I don't believe that Government can run health care effectively (look at Medicare, or even our own state's PEBB plan for its employees). I also think private insurance companies are also not doing a good job, either. Since I have been out here, I have used three/four health insurance companies. For years I had Group Health, but got so frustrated with the bureacracy (e.g., having to get primary care physician to refer any other treatment), the poor practice (like in physical therapy where they schedule one appointment, give you a sheet of exercises and expect you to get better), and trying to get an appointment at their closest clinic. The last several years, I have worked with Regence(first under Federal Blue Cross Plan, and now under their Premera Heritage Plan). While the Federal Blue Cross plan was probably the best coverage, it also at times was a billing nightmare for the doctors. I still have a few bills outstanding for a year now, while the doctor's office and Regence works out payment details. The best private plan I had was for the several years I worked for a private company that offerred Unicare as the provider. Unicare seemed to operate the smoothest.
My point is no matter whether we solve the health care issue with private or government run programs, putting bandaids on systematic issues won't fix anything. My opinion is that preventative care for children should be available for all, preventative care for adults should be available for all citizens and legal immigrants and be cost effective, and catastrophic coverage should be available for purchase and non-restrictive (i.e., not rule out purchase due to prior conditions). In my opinion, one of the best solutions to come around is the Flexible Spending Accounts tied to a Debit Card.
Posted by: tc on January 25, 2008 10:42 AMWell, I confess I don't know much about Medicare, but I've read that it has relatively high customer satisfaction and much lower overhead costs than private insurance. Have you actually "looked" at Medicare or are you just expressing an ideological assumption?
Posted by: Bruce on January 25, 2008 11:15 AMAsk Metro ambulance service on what they think about medicare when they transport people.
This is not my assumption. I work in health care and see it up front everyday.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on January 25, 2008 11:44 AMI bet we would all be surprised how much we pay. I can't wait to start paying out more for healthcare of kids who don't belong here.
Posted by: kim in vancouver on January 25, 2008 12:40 PMBut what's troubling today, is that we've allowed Progressives and even now many "Republicans" to expand government by so much, and with so many programs that there is now a real cost to immigration. If you came in on a boat to Ellis Island in the early 1900s, you went through processing and then your pretty much made your own way or not. There were no government medical programs. Today, there are free programs like this one where immigrants quickly sign up for benefits without having paid fully in to our system.
This is a big problem, because left unchecked, even tax happy Progressives won't be able to find enough revenue to cover for such state sponsored generosity.
We've got to have a serious gate fee for entry in to the US, so we can finance all of this crap, and then get these people on the roles to pay all of the taxes and for all of the pork spending that Democrats and even some Republicans have dreamed up in Olympia and DC. If we made a strong effort to tax the hell out of every immigrant worker through better employer documentation, just like we do to our own citizens, then would be immigrants would flow in at a much more appropriate rate based on their ability to buy in to the program.
As it is now, it's come one, come all, with ACORN Progressives waiting at the door with open arms, lots free programs and bennies, and voter registration forms with the party affiliation box pre-filled.
Don't feed the beast.
The government, which should be the greatest defender of our rights, has become the greatest threat to our rights, and to our safety and security as well.
We the People need to re-assert our control of the beasts in Olympia and in DC. The government is out of control.
George Washington said that government was like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearsome master. Well, the wildfire may already be consuming our lives.
We need less government. We need to go back to the limitations of the Constitution.
Posted by: Bruce Guthrie on January 25, 2008 02:47 PMYour assertions about the Port are laughable. When only Democrats are running, who should they have supported? I noticed in a recent County Council Race you couldn't garner the formal endorsement of your own party (or at least the one you claimed last cycle) let alone the opposition. You admit you omit facts, so anything you write is automatically suspect.
Posted by: Huh? on January 25, 2008 07:31 PMTaxes are evil, global warming doesn't exist, Republicans are way popular in at least 50 states and Ronald Reagan is still president & doing a good job, and the Man In The Moon (MITM) will pay for everything.
Life is good and there is no poverty, health care crisis, energy policy problems, or racism - just a lack of any good black leadership since MLK (but Condi Rice is available). Obama is not even on their radar.
Deficits never exist under Republican presidents and the Democrat party only exists to make fun of when things go wrong. In fact, we never invaded Iraq - it was just Algore mistaking Iraq as a source of carbon emissions for global warming that led to our military intervention....
See?
Now it's time to make another contribution to the RR Reelection Fund.
"Taxes are evil":
Even your beloved Pelosi and her gang are falling all over themselves to hand out cash to keep this nation from a recession. She even said today if this is not enough we will hand out more $$ so they now believe in tax cuts.
Ooops, But they want to roll back all of the current tax cuts and marriage penalty relief so they can spend trillions on Healthcare for everyone...Duh????
"Global warming doesn't exist":
Your Profit of Global warming (Al Gore) flys in a private Gulf Stream Jet and has 3 to 4 massive homes sucking massive energy as well as cars etc etc etc. What is Al's Carbon footprint?
And he want's us to give up what?
"Republicans are way popular in at least 50 states":
Even Steven right now with McCain and Clinton
"Ronald Reagan is still president":
We all wish that was the case, and even Bill Clinton and Obama gave him credit for toppling Communism
"and the Man In The Moon (MITM) will pay for everything":
Funny you should ask having Gregoire's 30% increase in state spending and her legislature's continual spending, fine raising and creating, feeing and regulating like drunken sailors.
Not failing to mention Patty Murry being the Queen of Earmark spending and one of the top spenders in the US Senate today.
Can you give me a cost estimate of Healthcare for everone?
"Life is good and there is no poverty":
Just found alot more homeless people in Seattle today, So the massive Property tax increases in this state must be really driving rent increases downward.....NOT
"Health care crisis":
Wait until the US Goverment runs (ruins) healthcare with Hillary's and Edwards budget busting lack of plans. Then you will see a Health Care Crisis.
"Energy policy problems":
Your side has stopped all drilling or new exploration for oil. Oh and if you plug everything into the electric Grid, where's the Elecric energy going to come from?
"Racism":
Obama is on the radar, Oprah is Kickin ass and Condi Rice was one of the first women given such an important role by who? a Republican president
"Deficits never exist under Republican presidents and the Democrat party only exists to make fun of when things go wrong":
Oh please, Clinton fought a balanced budget repeatedly until it was shoved down his throat.
"In fact, we never invaded Iraq":
Yes we did!
"It was just Algore mistaking Iraq as a source of carbon emissions for global warming that led to our military intervention...."
No, He was just flying his gas gulping carbon spewing Private Gulf Stream to one of his massive mansions when he crossed into Sadamm's restricted airspace, starting the whole event.
"See?
Now it's time to make another contribution to the RR Reelection Fund":
Right I just did
Posted by: GS on January 25, 2008 08:57 PMTo late. It's already done, years ago, when the state enacted their mandates to basic private health care insurance like acupuncture, herbal therapies, taking all that come regardless of prior affliction etc. Rather than let the market dictate the state dictates and my heath insurance is considerably more expensive because of it. I can only afford so much and I have less coverage because of the state. Where is Ms. Gregoire's consideration for me as she tries to bamboozle the public into another term.
The simple fact is that this is another battle lost in the war on bloated, overbearing government. The only questions I'm concerned with now is how long can I afford to live here, the timing of my exodus and where to go next.
The reason health insurance is expensive in this state is that the government has regulated and mandated it to death. Expensive insurance means less people buy . . . then the state steps in to make health insurance "affordable" for everybody.
Do you see what is happening here? The state controls the horizontal and the vertical and then they announce that the system is broken so they have to take it over. They do the same thing with roads, housing, transit, you name it.
Taxes go up, our wages buy less and the people who do it all are re-elected like clockwork.
When does it stop?
Yet if the free market is allowed to work its magic (that means competition for you libtards) the price can stay lower than what government has to offer...
Posted by: juandos on January 27, 2008 07:47 PM