Today in the NYTimes, David Brooks refers to the health care debate as a values question. Do we wish the security of a blanket of coverage for all or do we want the dynamic possibilites of unfettered national wealth? (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/opinion/24brooks.html)
I always thought the fundamental goal of universal coverage would cost the rest of us more than we are currently paying. I accepted that as a consequence of the obvious moral imperative.
As the final votes approach, it is clear that very little will be done to control costs. Finding a way to reduce malpractice costs through tort reform, reducing defensive medicine, changing the fee-for-service billing pattern, research on effective practices, a public option to create competition, interstate insurance are all ideas that are shot down by ideology of one sort or another. The end of it is that we will all be paying a hefty increase. Quite possibly, it will be enough to overwhelm some of us.
Much of the problem has to do with politicians posturing for advantage for themselves, their party or just for ideology so that little of meaningful accomplishment can get done.
David Brooks is right to say this is a values choice, but the cost of the moral choice may be a far more bitter pill than it needed to be.
Melvyn Polatchek
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Terrorist Trials
There have been many reasons given pro and con for having or not having the terrorist trials in NYC. For me there is one overriding concept. The atackers on 9/11 sucessfully deafeated our defenses for one day. We should give no indication that they have even begun to defeat us as a people.
We have aready compromised that principle. Out of fear and in great haste we passed the 'Patriot act compromising our own civil rights, hardly those of our enemies. We have launched two wars and tortured prisoners in the name of national security. We have kept our prisoners in a facility in Cuba for the very purpose of denying them trials. We have ceased to act like Americans.
By having the trial in NYC, we are sending the message to our enemies and to ourselves, that if we are attacked we will drag the perpetrators back here where they did the damage and hold them accountable, here.
It is time to stop showing our fear. Show our enemies and their sypathizers they have not weakened us.
Melvyn Polatchek
We have aready compromised that principle. Out of fear and in great haste we passed the 'Patriot act compromising our own civil rights, hardly those of our enemies. We have launched two wars and tortured prisoners in the name of national security. We have kept our prisoners in a facility in Cuba for the very purpose of denying them trials. We have ceased to act like Americans.
By having the trial in NYC, we are sending the message to our enemies and to ourselves, that if we are attacked we will drag the perpetrators back here where they did the damage and hold them accountable, here.
It is time to stop showing our fear. Show our enemies and their sypathizers they have not weakened us.
Melvyn Polatchek
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Fort Hood Speculation
David Brooks, in the NYTimes today-- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/opinion/10brooks.html?_r=1&ref=opinion-- wrote about the speculation that has taken place regarding the shootings at Ford Hood Army base. As he points out, it seems like everyone was bending over backwards to find an explanation that would not inflame opinion against Muslims. First we were told he was depressed over his upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. Well, in David’s words:
“Major Hasan was portrayed as a disturbed individual who was under a lot of stress. We learned about pre-traumatic stress syndrome, and secondary stress disorder, which one gets from hearing about other people’s stress. We heard the theory (unlikely in retrospect) that Hasan was so traumatized by the thought of going into a combat zone that he decided to take a gun and create one of his own.
A shroud of political correctness settled over the conversation. Hasan was portrayed as a victim of society, a poor soul who was pushed over the edge by prejudice and unhappiness”
It is quite likely that this was the action of a man playing out his jihad fantasy. Is that insanity? We may call it that, but a disease that absolves the man of responsibility will not be the verdict.
It now seems that the military and perhaps the FBI knew something of his leanings. The thought that some kind of political correctness kept the authorities from acting is frightening. As surely as Hasan will be punished those who exercised such poor judgement need to be held to account.
Hasan has placed a major burden upon us all. While he may not have acted under the direction or in conspiracy with others, like the Washington sniper (who has likely been executed as this is written) he is under the influence of his distorted belief system. There need be no communication among these individual terrorists. They know the jihad story by heart.
This truth contains the seeds of mass anger and distrust, but we dare not. We must hold on to respect for the millions of Muslims who are not jihadists. If we give in to anger at all Muslims we will all be destroyed. If we do nothing to protect ourselves we will not be better off.
The challenge is upon us.
Melvyn Polatchek
“Major Hasan was portrayed as a disturbed individual who was under a lot of stress. We learned about pre-traumatic stress syndrome, and secondary stress disorder, which one gets from hearing about other people’s stress. We heard the theory (unlikely in retrospect) that Hasan was so traumatized by the thought of going into a combat zone that he decided to take a gun and create one of his own.
A shroud of political correctness settled over the conversation. Hasan was portrayed as a victim of society, a poor soul who was pushed over the edge by prejudice and unhappiness”
It is quite likely that this was the action of a man playing out his jihad fantasy. Is that insanity? We may call it that, but a disease that absolves the man of responsibility will not be the verdict.
It now seems that the military and perhaps the FBI knew something of his leanings. The thought that some kind of political correctness kept the authorities from acting is frightening. As surely as Hasan will be punished those who exercised such poor judgement need to be held to account.
Hasan has placed a major burden upon us all. While he may not have acted under the direction or in conspiracy with others, like the Washington sniper (who has likely been executed as this is written) he is under the influence of his distorted belief system. There need be no communication among these individual terrorists. They know the jihad story by heart.
This truth contains the seeds of mass anger and distrust, but we dare not. We must hold on to respect for the millions of Muslims who are not jihadists. If we give in to anger at all Muslims we will all be destroyed. If we do nothing to protect ourselves we will not be better off.
The challenge is upon us.
Melvyn Polatchek
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Crime of the Great Recession
The Great Recession is the direct result of self-serving actions taken by the financial industry, the government, the media and American homebuyers. An unconscious conspiracy of self-interest wreaked financial devastation. Former fed chairman Alan Greenspan, explaining his support of deregulation, admitted error in believing self-interest would lead companies to minimize risk in order to preserve themselves. He did not balance that impulse against the motives of commission driven traders and brokers who cared not if their company or the country survived the cynical processes that earned their massive bonuses.
The wisdom of the marketplace was compromised by misinformation that real estate prices would rise forever. The false premise was repeated until it became common financial wisdom. Homebuyers, assured of dramatic short term increases in their property value, were thrilled to get an easy deal. The quick buck artists in the mortgage companies and investment banks were ready to supply those deals and reap the massive commissions and fees that came with high volume lending. The government, in the thrall of conservative deregulators, did nothing as widespread abuse ate into the nation’s economic well being.
Inevitably, as real estate prices fell and mortgages defaulted financial institutions found themselves holding “toxic” assets.. Some banks and investment companies failed. The Lehman Brothers collapse alerted the world the entire financial system was about to collapse.
Along c ame Treasury Secretaries Henry Paulson and Timothy Geitner to save the day. . .for the financiers. After a line of Treasury Secretaries who were investment bankers, some may wonder why the President always chooses the Secretary of Treasury from the banking industry. Now we know. When they had nearly destroyed the economy, with no consideration of other strategies, people they knew gave the investment bankers money from the U.S.Treasury. The financial industry was saved. They were the only ones.
A far stricter approach was applied to the auto industry, which was barely given a lifeline with no implication of continuing aid.
With unpaid mortgages at the root of toxic assets the government might have intervened massively to help pay mortgages and solve the problem at its root. A halfhearted attempt has resulted in some inadequate programs, which have helped only a few. The financial industry was saved. A small number became very wealthy. The rest of the nation suffered grievious losses. That is a crime.
The wisdom of the marketplace was compromised by misinformation that real estate prices would rise forever. The false premise was repeated until it became common financial wisdom. Homebuyers, assured of dramatic short term increases in their property value, were thrilled to get an easy deal. The quick buck artists in the mortgage companies and investment banks were ready to supply those deals and reap the massive commissions and fees that came with high volume lending. The government, in the thrall of conservative deregulators, did nothing as widespread abuse ate into the nation’s economic well being.
Inevitably, as real estate prices fell and mortgages defaulted financial institutions found themselves holding “toxic” assets.. Some banks and investment companies failed. The Lehman Brothers collapse alerted the world the entire financial system was about to collapse.
Along c ame Treasury Secretaries Henry Paulson and Timothy Geitner to save the day. . .for the financiers. After a line of Treasury Secretaries who were investment bankers, some may wonder why the President always chooses the Secretary of Treasury from the banking industry. Now we know. When they had nearly destroyed the economy, with no consideration of other strategies, people they knew gave the investment bankers money from the U.S.Treasury. The financial industry was saved. They were the only ones.
A far stricter approach was applied to the auto industry, which was barely given a lifeline with no implication of continuing aid.
With unpaid mortgages at the root of toxic assets the government might have intervened massively to help pay mortgages and solve the problem at its root. A halfhearted attempt has resulted in some inadequate programs, which have helped only a few. The financial industry was saved. A small number became very wealthy. The rest of the nation suffered grievious losses. That is a crime.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Elder Clusters
11/1/2009
My mother, 95, lives in a senior complex. There are a few conveniences associated with living among other elderly residents. There are bus services that go directly to her door. The complex is a HUD project so the rent is partially subsidized. Of course, politicians seeking the senior vote know where to go. I can’t think of many more. Oh, yes, they help each other more than most neighbors.
Two of my mother’s best friends recently passed away, one this week from cancer, her third and final bout. There have been several more deaths of people she only knew in passing. Both of her friends suffered long illnesses.
I can’t think of a time since she gave up her private house that she has not been dealing with the illness or mourning the passing of a friend or neighbor. Someone is always ill. Someone is always falling.
These clustered seniors, suffer with each friend or neighbor who passes and each person who falls ill. They suffer for their friends and worry for their own limited mortality.
My wife and I live in a remarkable apartment complex populated with many children, young adults, some younger seniors and a few quite elderly persons. We have little to remind us that much of our life is behind us and no need to dwell on it. We rarely see an ambulance. Our surroundings do not cause us worry and sadness. Those in senior housing, assisted living and nursing homes are victims of this worry and sadness every day of their lives.
Why can’t we provide our senior citizens the services they require in age-integrated neighborhoods? Why do we cluster our senior citizens? There are very few conveniences and quite a lot of depression.
My mother, 95, lives in a senior complex. There are a few conveniences associated with living among other elderly residents. There are bus services that go directly to her door. The complex is a HUD project so the rent is partially subsidized. Of course, politicians seeking the senior vote know where to go. I can’t think of many more. Oh, yes, they help each other more than most neighbors.
Two of my mother’s best friends recently passed away, one this week from cancer, her third and final bout. There have been several more deaths of people she only knew in passing. Both of her friends suffered long illnesses.
I can’t think of a time since she gave up her private house that she has not been dealing with the illness or mourning the passing of a friend or neighbor. Someone is always ill. Someone is always falling.
These clustered seniors, suffer with each friend or neighbor who passes and each person who falls ill. They suffer for their friends and worry for their own limited mortality.
My wife and I live in a remarkable apartment complex populated with many children, young adults, some younger seniors and a few quite elderly persons. We have little to remind us that much of our life is behind us and no need to dwell on it. We rarely see an ambulance. Our surroundings do not cause us worry and sadness. Those in senior housing, assisted living and nursing homes are victims of this worry and sadness every day of their lives.
Why can’t we provide our senior citizens the services they require in age-integrated neighborhoods? Why do we cluster our senior citizens? There are very few conveniences and quite a lot of depression.
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