Heartland Murmurs: Recent Comments

Comment on Stereotypes

2010-02-20T15:44:29Z

Me and my girlfriend come to your site very often. We love reading your posts. Thank you!

Comment on Get Out Of Our House

2010-02-03T15:13:51Z

I hear you. I was blogging almost every day at first. Now, it's become harder to find the time. Makes you respect these guys who write every day.

Oh yeah, that GOOOH thing? Absolutely unbelievable. Mr. Cox is brilliant. Politicians always tell us "you have term limits already ... it's called the ballot box."

OK ... it's time to show them they are correct. If you are tired of the self-serving, arrogant, phony concern and "we know what is best for you" attitude of today's career politicians, join this grassroots organization and help us take governing back to the people.

I have to go now ... I see the President has come on TV live to make his daily speech. I rest his case.

--Clay Riness, C4 Summit Czar in Perpetuity

Comment on If You Want It Done Right...

2009-10-29T14:53:22Z

I ask readers like you do customers; if you like what I offer tell your friends, if you don't, tell me. Please feel free to ciculate at will as this choir small indeed.

Comment on If You Want It Done Right...

2009-10-29T11:18:41Z

Touche' Frank. You nailed it! Now let's circulate this. Try Ryan first. He at least knows math.

Comment on A Dose of Truth Would Be Best Medicine on Health Care Debate

2009-10-15T19:59:42Z

Thanks for checking in Bren,
I used to know, somewhere in the 3000 to 5000 range, what is it now? But my point here is not to claim there is no room for improvement in the current system nor deny congress has a roll in prudent regulation. The problem here, as I have always maintained, is that they are using a broadaxe for a surgery where a scalpel would do.

You hit the right key, affordability, all measures should be aimed at cost reductions. Having government pay for it does not reduce costs it just shifts them to taxpayers. The irrefutable laws of supply and demand are not subject to legislative ammendment. When something is "free" demand increases, when demand increases supplies decrease, when supply decreases prices increase, and or there are shortages. This ill advised meddling will result in both.

When I was a health insurance agent pregnancy was considered a pre existing condition and automatically disqualified any applicant. (if you think about it though this fair because they are a defacto higher risk but that's another argument for another time). If congress had any imagination as to your specific concern they could deregulate and allow companies to develop and market pregnancy wellness and insurance as a stand alone product. In addition to the affordability question addressing this and other seeming unfairnesses should be the reform being debated, not the deconstruction of a trillion dollar industry to better serve trial lawyers and unions.

The whole idea of pregnancy as a disease was one of the tipping points that got me out of that racket. That and being party to a system where screwing customers out of claims helps profits - - something just fundamentally immoral. So I am not one of those strawmen we keep hearing left yammer about wanting to maintain the staus quo. I have yet to hear anyone say the system doesn't need reform - - no one. That said however it's looking more and more like maintaining the status quo would be prefferable to their proposal which will make it worse.

Comment on A Dose of Truth Would Be Best Medicine on Health Care Debate

2009-10-14T15:41:02Z

If I could chime in for the 18 to 35ers.

Yeah, we're healthy, but do you know how much it costs to have a baby (and we're usually the age group taking care of that...)? Just to HAVE it, before you can even get it home?

You're a Dad, so I'm sure you do...so you have to admit that the uninsured cost of a hospital delivery is necessarily prohibitive to the young, who have only just started their retirement accounts (because they can't rely on social security), are still paying off their school loans (because the government is a harsh creditor), and trying to establish themselves in the world.

Of course, I would rather pay for my own doctor, than be told that my citizenship entitles me to one, thank you very much. But something DOES need to shift in the matrix--it's gotta be more affordable. Is it Congress' job to make that happen? Maybe. But it's mostly on the shoulders of the health care profession itself, the pharmaceutical companies, and the insurance companies.

Just a note from the future baby-makers of America...

Comment on President Maxi Me

2009-10-02T05:37:14Z

Sir Frank, Honorable Political Czar of the recent C3 Summit:

This is your best blog entry yet. And the thoughts on racism which end this piece? I couldn't more agree. The only people race baiting are the racists themselves...those on the political left. It's tiresome, cheap and transparent, for what will they do when they can no longer use race as a political tool?

My president is NOT a color. He's a weak, appeasing American who happens to be the current President. I don't like his leadership, but I don't think about his race. I just don't like his leadership, that's all.

Comment on It's Not Always Gratifying Being Right

2009-09-16T22:59:13Z

Thank you Ms Mountain. I agree it is too early to start counting regained seats, and that is probably exactly why they decided to bite off so much so soon in the term, to allow for the healing spin work it's magic on the 2010 election. On the other hand, it IS only 14 months til Nov. 2010 and if the present trends continue I don't see how it can turn out any other way than the way it did for Clinton in 94. All we need now is another Newt. Any ideas?

Comment on A Dose of Truth Would Be Best Medicine on Health Care Debate

2009-09-16T22:52:10Z

Thanks for stopping by, and the input George. I like them apples, but they do not compare very well to my oranges, I'm thinking more along the lines of Soc Sec. Medicare, Medicaid etc.

I apprecitae the technique employed to admonish my overstating the incompetence of government. Your work I presume? Good show. Always open to clever retort here at the murmur. I will maintain though, that if you mean to say that the trains running on time somehow qualifies government as medical consultants then I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Besides even if they are competent, that alone does not grant them an extraconstitutional authority to force a benefit on it's citizenry, let alone alone give them a place at the table with your family and Doctor at the end of life. Lord knows Roe/Waders would never tolerate that privacy invasion right?

Also, could not help but notice many of your examples are of the private/public variety, and all of thm rely on the very iffy premise that a private entity could not do it better at a lower cost.

Comment on It's Not Always Gratifying Being Right

2009-09-16T15:13:03Z

Excellent analysis here, but Obama's administration is making changes in our nation at an extremely swift rate. Will patriotic Americans have enough time to undo those changes, even if the Republicans regain Congress in 2010 (which, btw, is considered unlikely to occur)?