A sullen mood shrouds the country.
People ask, "why," and receive no answer.
If this is a recession, why are prices going up?
If the economy is recovering, why can't I get a job/
The old folks complain,
Why are my investments deteriorating?
Why is the return so low on fixed investments?
Why do doctors spend more time on paperwork than on me?
Why does a renowned warrior fire himself by careless remarks?
Why couldn't he get the job done in Afghanistan?
Why are young persons dying in the service of their country?
What are they supposed to accomplish?
Why does government want to spend so much money?
What are they going to do for us that isn't being done already?
Why are our health insurance premiums going through the roof?
Why are they bailing out the mortgage of my deadbeat neighbor?
Why don't they let foreign vessels help clean up the oil spill?
Why do they want to stop all oil drilling?
Why do they plan to increase gasoline prices,
And all the energy costs for us homeowners?
Why can't my kids get a decent education in the public schools?
Why do teachers get an automatic raise every year?
Why do we need all these new bureaucracies to protect us?
Why can't we be trusted to make intelligent decisions?
Why are we pushing all this debt on our grandchildren?
Why are our grandchildren not able to get jobs?
Why is the federal government supposed to solve all problems?
What happened to individual initiative and self-reliance?
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Fascism
Fascism begins with popular acclaim,
Particularly after a national catastrophe.
A bright, shining leader promises a new beginning
Where change in governance will fulfill all hopes.
All will work together for the betterment of the country,
Factional differences will be submerged in
Striving for the common good in unity.
Government will be completely transparent.
Upon being elected by a substantial majority,
The new leaders demonize the former opposition.
Plans are made in secret with no input from
Anyone but those in the inner circle.
Major legislation is rammed through
A compliant parliament.
Whose authors do not have any idea
How their work will fare in the real world.
Principal sectors of the economy:
Big business, labor, education,
Are co-opted and reduced to servants
Of the central ideology.
The poorest of the citizens pay no taxes
But are promised health care and welfare
In exchange for their votes and
Support of the national agenda.
Goon squads are formed to crush resistance.
The military arm is purged of potential rebels.
The constitution is rewritten to assure
Continuance of the regime without challenge.
If the leader is very clever,
Both he and his country survive.
If he is not, the country flounders, and
Every ill is blamed on enemies, real or mythical.
Particularly after a national catastrophe.
A bright, shining leader promises a new beginning
Where change in governance will fulfill all hopes.
All will work together for the betterment of the country,
Factional differences will be submerged in
Striving for the common good in unity.
Government will be completely transparent.
Upon being elected by a substantial majority,
The new leaders demonize the former opposition.
Plans are made in secret with no input from
Anyone but those in the inner circle.
Major legislation is rammed through
A compliant parliament.
Whose authors do not have any idea
How their work will fare in the real world.
Principal sectors of the economy:
Big business, labor, education,
Are co-opted and reduced to servants
Of the central ideology.
The poorest of the citizens pay no taxes
But are promised health care and welfare
In exchange for their votes and
Support of the national agenda.
Goon squads are formed to crush resistance.
The military arm is purged of potential rebels.
The constitution is rewritten to assure
Continuance of the regime without challenge.
If the leader is very clever,
Both he and his country survive.
If he is not, the country flounders, and
Every ill is blamed on enemies, real or mythical.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Failure of MassCare
The problem with health care in the U.S.A.
Is not that everyone does not have health insurance.
The problem is that everyone in the U.S.A.
Does not have adequate health care.
In Massachusetts, every one is insured,
But not everyone has access to health care.
Mitt Romney, former governor and author,
Claims that MassCare is working well.
In the MassCare plan, each citizen
Has been issued a card that states:
Bearer is entitled to medical care,
His/her insurer will pay the bill.
The insurer is either an independent entity
Or an arm of the state government.
Those with insufficient means are subsidized
By those who can pay, i.e., the taxpayers.
The card bearers descended upon
The providers of health services.
And many were turned away at the desk
Because the providers cannot handle the crush.
Medicaid payment rates apply to the poorest,
So most physicians refuse to take them as patients.
Practices with a preponderance of Medicare recipients
Depend on high cost services to survive.
Hospitals are going broke
While doctor-owned clinics thrive,
Because they perform the same services
In a productive and less expensive way.
MassCare has turned out to be a failure
For mandating health insurance,
While doing nothing to ameliorate the
Increased demand for services.
Total MassCare costs are accelerating,
Busting the budget for the commonwealth,
Even though the federal taxpayer
Pays most of the bill as Medicaid.
If Medicare rates are reduced,
As per the ObamaCare plan,
Some of our best providers may fold up,
As the physicians take early retirement.
Addendum:
Let me point out that the federal bill contains a real positive
That fullfils what I was ranting about on March 24.
According to a WSJ article, fnding for community health centers
Has been doubled from $2 billion annually.
This was a program begun during the last administration;
Starting at the bottom, to provide adequate health care for all.
Of course, the states still allocate the their Medicaid funds.
As per agreements with the feds.
Is not that everyone does not have health insurance.
The problem is that everyone in the U.S.A.
Does not have adequate health care.
In Massachusetts, every one is insured,
But not everyone has access to health care.
Mitt Romney, former governor and author,
Claims that MassCare is working well.
In the MassCare plan, each citizen
Has been issued a card that states:
Bearer is entitled to medical care,
His/her insurer will pay the bill.
The insurer is either an independent entity
Or an arm of the state government.
Those with insufficient means are subsidized
By those who can pay, i.e., the taxpayers.
The card bearers descended upon
The providers of health services.
And many were turned away at the desk
Because the providers cannot handle the crush.
Medicaid payment rates apply to the poorest,
So most physicians refuse to take them as patients.
Practices with a preponderance of Medicare recipients
Depend on high cost services to survive.
Hospitals are going broke
While doctor-owned clinics thrive,
Because they perform the same services
In a productive and less expensive way.
MassCare has turned out to be a failure
For mandating health insurance,
While doing nothing to ameliorate the
Increased demand for services.
Total MassCare costs are accelerating,
Busting the budget for the commonwealth,
Even though the federal taxpayer
Pays most of the bill as Medicaid.
If Medicare rates are reduced,
As per the ObamaCare plan,
Some of our best providers may fold up,
As the physicians take early retirement.
Addendum:
Let me point out that the federal bill contains a real positive
That fullfils what I was ranting about on March 24.
According to a WSJ article, fnding for community health centers
Has been doubled from $2 billion annually.
This was a program begun during the last administration;
Starting at the bottom, to provide adequate health care for all.
Of course, the states still allocate the their Medicaid funds.
As per agreements with the feds.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Fearless Fosdick's Financial Forecasts
Financial forecasts are the consequences of trends.
Trends may be disrupted by cataclysmic events.
But it helps to have some idea
Of how trends might affect the financial future.
For example, the (almost) free ride called Medicare
That oldsters receive from the taxpayers
Is about to go bust,
Leaving recipients holding the bag.
When Medicare dies, health premiums will skyrocket
For those with substantial resources.
Those without will be thrown to Medicaid,
Which effectively means no health care at all.
Climbing out of recession, productivity has improved
But unemployment continues at a high level.
Two plus two still equals four
So a lot of lost jobs will never return.
The wage differential will continue to narrow
Between developing and mature economies.
Just as water seeks the lower level, wages for
Similar work must decline in the latter.
The hurt becomes especially painful
For those with college degrees
Who have no job and student loans yet to pay,
Resulting in a surplus of over-educated applicants.
The (formerly) richest country in the world
Has acquired third world characteristics.
The republic can no longer afford to be
The keeper as well as the guardian of its citizens.
The next casualty of taxpayer largesse
Will be the gradual demise of Social Security.
This gigantic Ponzi scheme will be no "security"
For the hordes of Baby Boomers ready to retire.
The good side is that increases in tax deferred investment plans
Will expand the capital available for invention and innovation.
The down side is that the indigent and feckless
Will be more dependent on the kindness of strangers.
It is a sober picture of a widening gap
Between the haves and the have-nots.
As the median standard of living in the USA
Sinks slowly toward the base line of emerging nations.
Demand subsides as consumption decreases.
The national economy reaches stasis at a lower level.
Immigration, legal or not, slows to a trickle.
Population begins a gradual decline.
Trends may be disrupted by cataclysmic events.
But it helps to have some idea
Of how trends might affect the financial future.
For example, the (almost) free ride called Medicare
That oldsters receive from the taxpayers
Is about to go bust,
Leaving recipients holding the bag.
When Medicare dies, health premiums will skyrocket
For those with substantial resources.
Those without will be thrown to Medicaid,
Which effectively means no health care at all.
Climbing out of recession, productivity has improved
But unemployment continues at a high level.
Two plus two still equals four
So a lot of lost jobs will never return.
The wage differential will continue to narrow
Between developing and mature economies.
Just as water seeks the lower level, wages for
Similar work must decline in the latter.
The hurt becomes especially painful
For those with college degrees
Who have no job and student loans yet to pay,
Resulting in a surplus of over-educated applicants.
The (formerly) richest country in the world
Has acquired third world characteristics.
The republic can no longer afford to be
The keeper as well as the guardian of its citizens.
The next casualty of taxpayer largesse
Will be the gradual demise of Social Security.
This gigantic Ponzi scheme will be no "security"
For the hordes of Baby Boomers ready to retire.
The good side is that increases in tax deferred investment plans
Will expand the capital available for invention and innovation.
The down side is that the indigent and feckless
Will be more dependent on the kindness of strangers.
It is a sober picture of a widening gap
Between the haves and the have-nots.
As the median standard of living in the USA
Sinks slowly toward the base line of emerging nations.
Demand subsides as consumption decreases.
The national economy reaches stasis at a lower level.
Immigration, legal or not, slows to a trickle.
Population begins a gradual decline.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Scott Brown, U.S. Senator
The people of Massachusetts spoke -- loudly.
Martha Coakley did not lose the race;
Scott Brown won, going away.
His latest ad included these statements:
"We can send another rubber stamp to Washington,
Or we can try something new:
We can elect an independent voice for all of
Massachusetts, and that's the
United States Senator I promise to be.
The choice we make will send a powerful message to
The big spenders in Washington.
They need to quit expanding our government and
Defending wasteful spending, and start
Expanding this economy and defending out jobs.
I want to be a voice for the people.
I'm alarmed that our nation's spending and debt
Has risen along with unemployment.
I do not think we should plunge ahead with a
Health care bill that will raise taxes, increase
Spending, and lower the quality of care.
I'd like to see us start over and take our time
To do it right.
I got a chance to fully appreciate the true spirit
Of the people of Massachusetts.
They are the most patriotic, hard-working and
Optimistic people in the world.
I have come away with a much
Deeper love and appreciation for them.
For all that, and for the privilege of meeting
With you in you neighborhoods, your homes, and
Where you work, I thank you."
You can't help but like this guy.
The pickup truck, the barn jacket,
The aw-shucks demeanor won people over
All across the commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Remember Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?
Here he is, and a seasoned pol to boot.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Strategy and Objectives
The president wants to make it clear that
The U.S. commitment in Afghanistan is not open-ended.
How many additional troops would be sent, he asks,
And what is the timeline for their presence in the war zone?
The war is now in its ninth year and is
Claiming U.S. lives at a record pace.
Military leaders say the Taliban
Has the upper hand in many parts of the country.
(AP dispatch, November 12, 2009)
The old management professor asks,
What are our interests in this theater?
What are we attempting to accomplish?
How will we know that we have succeeded?
Then, and only then, can the following decisions be made:
A plan for getting the job done.
The resources necessary for executing the plan.
Measurements of success at stated intervals.
If we don't have these in place, we are throwing
Young lives into futile gestures.
The president is correct in raising concrete demands.
He answers to the people whose sons and daughters are at risk.
The U.S. commitment in Afghanistan is not open-ended.
How many additional troops would be sent, he asks,
And what is the timeline for their presence in the war zone?
The war is now in its ninth year and is
Claiming U.S. lives at a record pace.
Military leaders say the Taliban
Has the upper hand in many parts of the country.
(AP dispatch, November 12, 2009)
The old management professor asks,
What are our interests in this theater?
What are we attempting to accomplish?
How will we know that we have succeeded?
Then, and only then, can the following decisions be made:
A plan for getting the job done.
The resources necessary for executing the plan.
Measurements of success at stated intervals.
If we don't have these in place, we are throwing
Young lives into futile gestures.
The president is correct in raising concrete demands.
He answers to the people whose sons and daughters are at risk.
Monday, November 2, 2009
From a Minor Prophet
In the third century of that great nation, a false messiah captivated the people.
He promised to make their bodies whole and their spirits soar.
He tried to achieve peace with foreign countries by apologizing for past wrongs.
He wasted the lives of young warriors in futile pursuit of fleeing enemies.
The word of The Lord came to the prophet in a dream.
Proclaim the errors of the king to all who would listen,
For he is wasting the substance of his subjects.
Soon both the treasury and the granaries will be no more.
The king would not listen.
He was not an evil man, but a proud man,
Who believed that The Lord had anointed him to accomplish the impossible.
By wishing, and by speaking, he could make miracles happen.
The prophet warned him that he was worshiping hubris, a false god.
The warnings of the prophet were echoed by wise persons.
You will be judged by history as a wastrel, full of empty ambition.
So the king repented, and put on sackcloth and ashes.
He withdrew his brave young people from harm's way.
He stopped the plan to cure all illness with money alone.
He banished the courtiers who would control all aspects of his subjects' lives.
He restored the soundness of the treasury by eliminating needless spending.
He sought common ground for the improvement of the nation and the world.
And The Lord rewarded him for wise rule by giving him a peaceful reign.
He promised to make their bodies whole and their spirits soar.
He tried to achieve peace with foreign countries by apologizing for past wrongs.
He wasted the lives of young warriors in futile pursuit of fleeing enemies.
The word of The Lord came to the prophet in a dream.
Proclaim the errors of the king to all who would listen,
For he is wasting the substance of his subjects.
Soon both the treasury and the granaries will be no more.
The king would not listen.
He was not an evil man, but a proud man,
Who believed that The Lord had anointed him to accomplish the impossible.
By wishing, and by speaking, he could make miracles happen.
The prophet warned him that he was worshiping hubris, a false god.
The warnings of the prophet were echoed by wise persons.
You will be judged by history as a wastrel, full of empty ambition.
So the king repented, and put on sackcloth and ashes.
He withdrew his brave young people from harm's way.
He stopped the plan to cure all illness with money alone.
He banished the courtiers who would control all aspects of his subjects' lives.
He restored the soundness of the treasury by eliminating needless spending.
He sought common ground for the improvement of the nation and the world.
And The Lord rewarded him for wise rule by giving him a peaceful reign.
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