A Real Health Care Plan

If you haven't heard, there is a plan being presented by the American Medical Association (AMA). They have been placing ads throughout television. Visit www.voicefortheuninsured.org to see their proposal. You can also see a layout of their plan on this pdf - AMA Health Plan

My wife and I are having to change our health care plan again. It seems that our health care cronies have been swayed by two national companies. I am not complaining, because by God's grace we have an opportunity to receive health care coverage. Many people cannot.

So now we have to choose between the HRA (Health Reimbursement Account) which is a new kind of PPO, a HMO, or a standard PPO. There is one more which is a high deductible plan that also allows for an HSA. We are leaning towards the HRA.

The AMA plan brings my attention back to those who cannot afford or who do not understand how to get insurance (because it is so convoluted - my wife had me go to the insurance meeting because I understand it even though the insurance is offered through her employer). Last night both candidates had a chance to really step out and hit the nail on the head but I think both missed.

As Mike Huckabee has said this morning, we saw two Senators in the debate last night, not a president. A president has to come out and say this is where we are going, and then help lead the people that direction. Neither of the candidates have done this yet. Both are probably competent people but neither are connecting in a way that says - I am a presidential candidate.

While everyone is out stumping for their pick - I am waivering. I really want to vote for McCain because I do think much of Mr. Obama's plan could lead us into a more socialized form of government.

Why did Newt not run? Why were Republicans so adamant about supporting Mr. McCain over Mike Huckabee or even Mitt Romney? Mike Huckabee is a better communicator and I honestly believe he could have had a better showing in both debates.

Senator McCain needs to read his website and use the material there. His debate team needs to read his website and have a better compare and contrast / cause and effect sessions with him. I am glad for Rick Eddy, my Georgia history teacher in 8th grade, who used to make up tests with questions like "Compare and Contrast the Pros and Cons of the ....." or "Give the cause and effect of the ...." but I digress.

The debates have been a total failure, but that could be because the candidate negotiators for the debate are really tying the hands of the moderators (all so far lean liberal) with a bunch of stupid rules. Are they afraid that their candidate will actually be revealed?

Folks, don't worry about the market. It will recover. Keep your heads held high and help one another. Let's be Americans! Pay off your consumer debt and stop creating more. And that's my soapbox for today.

Mr. McCain Needs to Support The FairTax

Yesterday the DOW had an 800 point drop before recovering. That is pretty significant.

Just think, the government came to the rescue with an $800 Billion rescue plan that hasn't taken place yet nor will it for several months. Then Congress called it quits and went home so fast that the effect left a vacuum in Washington with peoples' ears still popping from the void left behind.

Now Sec. Paulsen is left with hiring former buddies to begin the long drawn out process to help correct the mess made by people who were greedy and others who just could not keep their hands to themselves.

Yesterday's drop proved that government help takes too long, but should we be surprised? Look how long it takes our government to get its act together (unless it is an election year and they only have less than a month to go home and reclaim their seats).

In fact I watched a report this weekend produced by FOXNews which vetted out the causes of the economic downturn. One of the facts I found interesting was that economists are revisiting the history of the Great Depression and many have come to the conclusion that government actions actually caused the Depression to last far beyond what it should have lasted.

As soon as I can find the video online, I will post it.

But my point is that when government gets overly involved, the economy becomes more constrictive. We need a better plan to loosen the economy not restricting it.

This is why Mr. McCain needs to become more radical and support the FairTax. Here is what Neal Boortz had to say today:

I got an email from my publisher yesterday asking if I had been giving the two FairTax books a big push. It seems that sales of The FairTax Book and FairTax, the Truth have been spiking. Well .. it wasn't me, so I guess something else is going on out there.

That call and the spike in sales of the FairTax books does give me the opportunity to remind you that there is no better job creation took out there right new than the FairTax. With implementation of the FairTax several things happen:

1. Business begin operating in the U.S. with no tax component on capitol or labor. This means that businesses who have been sending their jobs overseas will immediately start bringing them back home. Those jobs left to find a more favorable tax climate. What more favorable tax climate could there be than a no-tax climate?
2. Foreign government start screaming bloody murder because their corporations start shipping their jobs here to the U.S. Again, the no-tax climate would be the draw.
3. Trillions of dollars that Americans have sent overseas to work in lower tax countries start coming home as well. These dollars will fuel the greatest explosion in the American economy – and that means more jobs – in history.
4. You have to hide under you bed to avoid employment.

SNL Bailout Skit

The 2008 Pork Filled Rescue from the Senate

You have to love to hate their ability to make us angry. The Senate passed a huge tax break package with the bailout.

Here is a good blog for seeing the tax breaks in the bill: Hot Air

New Tax earmarks in Bailout bill
- Film and Television Productions (Sec. 502)
- Wooden Arrows designed for use by children (Sec. 503)
- 6 page package of earmarks for litigants in the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident, Alaska (Sec. 504)

Tax earmark “extenders” in the bailout bill.
- Virgin Island and Puerto Rican Rum (Section 308)
- American Samoa (Sec. 309)
- Mine Rescue Teams (Sec. 310)
- Mine Safety Equipment (Sec. 311)
- Domestic Production Activities in Puerto Rico (Sec. 312)
- Indian Tribes (Sec. 314, 315)
- Railroads (Sec. 316)
- Auto Racing Tracks (317)
- District of Columbia (Sec. 322)
- Wool Research (Sec. 325)

The American Public didn't like the $700 billion, so the Senate thought we would rather have $850 Billion instead?

The FairTax Needed Now

Let's get the FairTax back on the table. This is the best possible solution to free up cash in the pockets in the common man. With the FairTax we each get to choose how we want to be taxed. With the FairTax we each could collectively stop paying taxes legally as a means of protest..

The FairTax plan is a comprehensive proposal that replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes with an integrated approach including:

• A progressive national retail sales tax.
• A prebate to ensure no American pays federal taxes on spending up to the poverty level.
• Dollar-for-dollar federal revenue neutrality.
• Repeal of the 16th Amendment through companion legislation.

Now is the time to stand up and get real change.

• No to Bailout, and yes to the Common Sense Plan or the Gingrich Idea
• Change taxation policies - Lower taxes, help the lower income families, and get our jobs back with the FairTax

That's my continued soapbox.

The Troubled Economic Bailout or Rescue

Here's the problem. I was listening to Senator Lamar Alexander this morning and he repeats what everyone in Congress seems to be repeating: People can't get this loan or that loan or pay that bill or this bill.

Example 1: The Car Loan

The Congress says people cannot get car loans. What kind of car loan are they trying to get? Are they not trying to save up a down payment? Do they need the more expensive vehicle? Why can't they get a used car? Why not buy a KIA over a Luxury car?

Example 2: The Student Loan

They say parent's cannot get student loans for their kids. I do not know about you, but I paid cash for my education. I did a really weird thing called - get a job and pay for it.

Example 3: the Home Loan

They say that people cannot get a home loan. How much does that home cost? Why can't they try for a smaller, more affordable home? Why not set aside money for about ten to fifteen years for a strong down payment? I understand every situation is different, and then again, some people cannot afford a home.


Here are the questions I cannot get answered (I am emailing numerous people):

1. How much is this bailout going to really cost us? We have already paid out $600 Billion.
2. What is this going to do to the value of the dollar?
3. If our country is in debt, then where is this money going to come from? International loans?
4. Why is this the only way?

So if you have the answers, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment and let's talk about it.

The Common Sense Plan

Here is Dave Ramsey's Common Sense Plan to help aid our economy:

The Common Sense Fix

Years of bad decisions and stupid mistakes have created an economic nightmare in this country,
but $700 billion in new debt is not the answer. As a tax-paying American citizen, I will not support any congressperson who votes to implement such a policy. Instead, I submit the following threestep:

Common Sense Plan

I. INSURANCE

a. Insure the subprime bonds/mortgages with an underlying FHA-type insurance.
Government-insured and backed loans would have an instant market all over the
world, creating immediate and needed liquidity.

b. In order for a company to accept the government-backed insurance, they must do two
things:

1. Rewrite any mortgage that is more than three months delinquent to a 6% fixed-rate mortgage.
a. Roll all back payments with no late fees or legal costs into the balance. This brings homeowners current and allows them a chance to keep their homes.
b. Cancel all prepayment penalties to encourage refinancing or the sale of the property to pay off the bad loan. In the event of foreclosure or short sale, the borrower will not be held liable
for any deficit balance. FHA does this now, and that encourages mortgage companies to go the extra mile while working with the borrower—again limiting foreclosures and ruined lives.
2. Cancel ALL golden parachutes of EXISTING and FUTURE CEOs and executive team members as long as the company holds these government-insured bonds/mortgages. This keeps underperforming executives from being paid when they don’t do their jobs.

c. This backstop will cost less than $50 billion—a small fraction of the current proposal.

II. MARK TO MARKET

a. Remove mark to market accounting rules for two years on only subprime Tier III bonds/mortgages. This keeps companies from being forced to artificially mark down bonds/mortgages below the value of the underlying mortgages and real estate.

b. This move creates patience in the market and has an immediate stabilizing effect on failing and ailing banks—and it costs the taxpayer nothing.

III. CAPITAL GAINS TAX

a. Remove the capital gains tax completely. Investors will flood the real estate and stock
market in search of tax-free profits, creating tremendous—and immediate—liquidity in
the markets. Again, this costs the taxpayer nothing.

b. This move will be seen as a lightning rod politically because many will say it is helping
the rich. The truth is the rich will benefit, but it will be their money that stimulates the
economy. This will enable all Americans to have more stable jobs and retirement
investments that go up instead of down.

This is not a time for envy, and it’s not a time for politics. It’s time for all of us, as Americans, to
stand up, speak out, and fix this mess.