The Body Count Continues to Rise..

"Over 11,000 people are killed in the Mexican Drug War." We greet news like this with horror; as we should.




Why don't we have a tally of those killed North of that border?

"Isn't that strange? So far as I can tell, nobody has even tried to come up with a number.

6,487 dead Americans. Throw in overdoses and the cost of this country's paralyzing drug laws is closer to 15,000 lives." (Yes, 4,000 more American deaths per year than Mexico)





So, what caused Neill Franklin, a self-described "good soldier" in the Drug War, to research about legalizing all drugs?





"Franklin's turning point came in October of 2000. "I lost a very, very close friend of mine, a narcotics agent for Maryland State Police," he says. "His name was Ed Toatley. He was assassinated outside of Washington, D.C., trying to make a drug deal in a park. He had a wife, he had three kids. I had just spoken to him a couple of weeks prior to him getting assigned to this particular deal — he was finally going to bring this guy down, and lo and behold the guy kills him."





Definitely makes you think, doesn't it?





"Another turning point was 2002, when Angela Dawson and her five kids were murdered in East Baltimore by drug dealers. She had been trying to keep (them) from doing business in front of her house. "They fire-bombed the house late one night and the whole family perished," Franklin remembers."



"I started doing the research and asking the questions: What progress are we making on this thing? And it turns out that not only are we losing kids who are in the game, but we are losing communities and fellow cops. We had lost a number of police officers in Baltimore alone."




"I (the author) arrived at a rough estimate of 6,487 drug deaths. Using 75 percent, the toll rises to 9,731."
"And now we've got the cartel gangs coming up from Mexico," Franklin reminds me. "They're in over 130 cities in the U.S. already, and it's not going to get better."



There IS a solution, but.....



Neill Franklin's solution is radical: "You have to take the money out of it.

(Sounds simple. How would you do that?)



The ONLY way to do that is to legalize all drugs!



(I will give you a minute so that you can get that "HELL NO" out.)





Hear me out..



Make drug abuse a health issue, not a crime issue.



"Most drug-related prisoners are in prison for non-violent offenses. " In fact, non-violent offenders make up OVER half of all prison population.



Like Franklin says; "I do have sympathy. What they're dealing with is a health issue, not a criminal issue. And as long as you treat it as a criminal issue, we're treating the SYMPTOM and NOT the CAUSE."


"And WHY, exactly, don't we hear about a possibly overwhelming majority of police wanting to legalize — not just decriminalize, but legalize — major narcotics?"



"Selfish reasons," Franklin says. "There is a lot of money to be made in law enforcement. If we were to legalize, you could get rid of ONE THIRD of every law-enforcement agency in this country."



"Really? ONE THIRD?"


"And give back all the federal funds too. That's why very seldom will you see a police chief step forward and say, 'Yeah, we need to do this.'"



(They don't want to cut their own throats; financially, by legalizing. Why would they? This is a system gone bad for EVERYONE, folks.)





"The prison population is off the hook in this country," Franklin says. "In 1993, at the HEIGHT OF APARTHEID in South Africa, the incarceration of black males was 870 per 100,000. In 2004 in the U.S., for every 100,000 people we are sending 4,919 black males to prison. (We send many times more black males to prison, every year, than they did during Apartheid, in South Africa!)



And the majority of those are for nonviolent drug offenses."
"But, we'd rather send people to prison than give them information and treatment."
"I know jails are a big business and keep LOT of people employed, but it doesn't make it RIGHT."
(Emphasis is mine.)



"To review, using what seem to be very conservative numbers, our first unofficial tally of the drug war in the United States is staggering:


15,223 DEAD and $52.3 BILLION spent EACH YEAR — which is, incidentally, (and a bit ironically)
ALMOST ENOUGH TO PAY FOR UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE."








Now, isn't THAT just a kick in the pants?











p.s. "We've got serious constitutional issues involved, too," Franklin adds. "Improper search and seizure is occurring every day (because of the Drug War)....."

But, that's a subject for another day..

















http://www.esquire.com/the-side/richardson-report/drug-war-facts-090109?src=digg

Why Having Cutting-Edge Medical Technology Doesn't Matter

I would like to introduce you to Remote Area Medical, or RAM. RAM is a medical charity that was started by Wild Kingdom's own Stan Brock, back in 1985.


For 15 years, Stan Brock, worked with the Wapishana Indians, in the Amazon. The idea for RAM came from his experiences there. "He lived with the pain and suffering created by isolation from medical care. He witnessed the near devastation of whole tribes by what would have been simple or minor illnesses to more advanced cultures. When he left South America to co-star in the television series, "Wild Kingdom, " he vowed to find a way to deliver basic medical aid to people in the world's inaccessible regions."


He did it, too.

However, here is where the story gets weird; approximately 64% of RAM's current medical expeditions are IN THE USA!

I was shocked by that fact.( You know, REMOTE Area Medical.) So, I contacted RAM. I wanted to know how they came to be providing free healthcare for residents in Inglewood, CA. Karen Wilson, the Executive Director, answered my email . (Thank you, Karen.) Here is what she said; "Soon after the airing of the Remote Area Medical (RAM) segment on 60 Minutes last year, we were contacted by several people and groups about the need in Los Angeles. A friend of RAM and its founder happened to be a resident there and offered to help organize the event. Since we understand that people can be as economically remote from medical care as geographically, we pursued it."


Please, pay special attention to her last sentence.


Since we understand that people can be as ECONOMICALLY remote from medical care as GEOGRAPHICALLY, we pursued it.


That is why, for MILLIONS of Americans, it doesn't really matter that we have cutting-edge medical technology available, because it isn't available to THEM.








Sources: http://www.ramusa.org/index.html
Karen Wilson, Executive Director of Remote Area Medical (RAM)
http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Money_g61-Counting_The_Pennies_p5770.html

Sincerely, Your Loving Descendants and Dependents

Dear Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents,




Listen; I know that some people on your favorite TV and radio stations have been hollering about "Socialized Medicine" that has "Death Panels" that are gonna kill you, if healthcare legislation gets passed.(The only question from any Death Panel is do you want a living will or not, pretty much.) You know; the things that people that can actually afford an actual lawyer asks.






I don't think that the elderly will get the short end of the stick. (I believe that is what worries them most about Medicare for all; that it will take valuable resources from them; a reasonable fear, really.)






But, it is mainly about reorganization of payment, folks.






Think of it this way; instead of seeing a doctor, then worrying about how you will pay for it, (Bankruptcy? Being Sued? Your insurance company denying your claim and/or dropping your policy?) You know, like we see a lot of, currently.


You would go to your doctor and he sends the bill to your not-for-profit healthcare Insurance agency that you would belong to. They pay it. That's it.





Insurance companies shouldn't get bonuses everytime someone has the bad luck as to get sick or old, after years of being faithful high-premium payers. But, they do tend to get a bonus when an employee saves the company money using rescission and denial of claims. (Around $300 million, last year.)






Making a fortune on the financial (and physical) ill-health of your (and my) families is just WRONG.

(In hippie-speak, it is "NOT Cool".)






7% of all of the USA's financial wealth is shared by 80% of the USA's population.( We pretty much ALL share the scraps already, folks.) I don't happen to think that 1% or even 2% tax on the very rich is gonna break them or permanently ruin investing.

We pool our money for our Police, Fire Departments, Social Services, Judges, and many other "public" agencies and we think nothing of it.

You know what? Not EVERYTHING has to make a profit beyond its expenses and salaries and we can STILL be a Capitalist country. It's true.


The law of the land is that if anyone goes into an emergency room, even if they can't pay a cent, gets life-saving treatment. They can't pay, so the federal government pays. Who is the Federal Government? That is US.





We pay out way more in federal money, right now, for healthcare than any "socialized medicine" country has to pay!





These countries have figured out a more efficient way and humane way to treat people. But, we can't seem to do the same and that doesn't speak well for us, in this country.


The actions of our Politicians is/ should be directly affected by citizens' thoughts and opinions You wanted us involved.
We are now involved.



Besides, making OUR insurance "pool" bigger, by adding younger and healthier people(and their money), gives you a BIGGER pool of money, compared to the older, smaller pool of money.



H.R.676/Extended Medicare for All



It (we) will be helping to PAY for your future healthcare too, Respected Elders.



Have some faith in your children and grandchildren's views, folks.



They can be wiser than you think.


They keep up on things.



Besides, they love you.




They will be paying for it for years to come anyway, right?


So, they should get a vote, too.




H.R.676/Extended Medicare for All



Remember it.





Short and simple and based on existing services (Medicare).



No more worrying yourself sick about medical bills.



No more big-money incentives to deny ANYONE'S medical insurance claim...



Sounds nice, doesn't it?


Sincerely,


Your Loving Descendants and Dependents













(Please comment and cite sources if you find that I am wrong about any facts on this blog. Thank you.)
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?picture=feet-in-socks&image=146

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html


http://www.pnhp.org/publications/united_states_national_health_care_act_hr_676.php

Opinions are entirely my own.

Healthcare Providers in Mexico Doing a Booming Business

~IN A NUTSHELL: "The very wealthy can afford whatever they want, the very poor get it through aid, but the working and the middle-class have to struggle to pay insurance," That pretty much covers it.~



"Retired police officer Bob Ritz has health insurance that covers his medical and dental care in the United States.

"I pay $400 a month for my health insurance, and it's still cheaper to come to Mexico," says Ritz, 60, as he stood outside a sun-bleached pharmacy in Naco, a few hours drive southeast of Phoenix."

Bob Ritz{Retired Public Servant, no less.}

"The total number making the trip is unclear. But a recent study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research estimated that nearly 1 million people from California alone seek medical, dental or prescription services in Mexico each year."

"The very wealthy can afford whatever they want, the very poor get it through aid, but the working and the middle-class have to struggle to pay insurance," said Ritz, who worked as a police officer in Chicago for 28 years.

"I'm very lucky to live near enough to Mexico to get good healthcare at a reasonable price," he added.


~There just HAS to be a better way, folks. This is killing us. Insurance companies have priced themselves out of the market.

Daily, I hear about a bank buying out another one. Big Insurance company bought by a bigger Insurance company. Pharmaceutical company bought out by a bigger Pharmaceutical company, Huge cable monopolies, Phone monopolies, Hospitals owned by Doctors, and our options get fewer, AGAIN, while the prices continue to rise. Huge oil companies and Shareholders' Profits....

Are you getting my point?

Whatever we eventually decide about healthcare reform, change; it is coming.

"May You Live in Interesting Times"

Ancient Chinese Curse

Well, they ARE interesting and I understand now why it is a curse...~

Subject from: As U.S. health row rages, many seek care in Mexico
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090814/us_nm/us_usa_healthcare_mexico;_ylt=Av5noq7Alp8CGuIVZKcrYo5H2ocA;_ylu=X3oDMTJyY2llZTUxBGFzc2V0A25tLzIwMDkwODE0L3VzX3VzYV9oZWFsdGhjYXJlX21leGljbwRjcG9zAzUEcG9zAzUEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNhc3VzaGVhbHRocm8-
~Blogger~/the Cranky Quaker~

10 Things That Most Americans Don't Know, but Should.

1) 80% of the USA's population SHARES 7% of its financial wealth(money).

(Think about that a minute and reread number 1.)

2)Tommy Douglas was a Baptist Minister and Keifer Sutherlands's grandfather.

He (Rev. Douglas), the author of Canada's Universal Healthcare System, was voted by Canadian citizens as THE GREATEST CANADIAN OF ALL TIME.

3) -- This "angry mob" (above), which successfully stopped the recount in Miami-Dade County during the 2000 election standoff, was PORTRAYED by the MEDIA as an UPRISING BY FLORIDA VOTERS.(Emphasis is mine.)

1. Tom Pyle, policy analyst, office of House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.).

2. Garry Malphrus, majority chief counsel and staff director, House Judiciary subcommittee on criminal justice.

3. Rory Cooper, political division staff member at the National Republican Congressional Committee.

4. Kevin Smith, former House Republican conference analyst and more recently of Voter.com.

5. Steven Brophy, former aide to Sen. Fred D. Thompson (R-Tenn.), now working at the consulting firm KPMG.

6. Matt Schlapp, former chief of staff for Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), now on the Bush campaign staff in Austin.

7. Roger Morse, aide to Rep. Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.).

8. Duane Gibson, aide to Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) of the House Resources Committee.

9. Chuck Royal, legislative assistant to Rep. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.).

10. Layna McConkey, former legislative assistant to former Rep. Jim Ross Lightfoot (R-Iowa) now at Steelman Health Strategies.)

4)Definition of Astroturf-- Astroturf refers to APPARENTLY grassroots-based citizen groups or coalitions that are primarily conceived, created and/or funded by corporations, industry trade associations, political interests or PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRMS. (Grassroots support is people-wealthy and money-poor. Astroturfing is money-wealthy and people-poor.)

5)The DCI Group, a Lobbying and Public Relations Firm, is behind The Coalition to Protect Patients' Rights (CPPR), an ANTI-healthcare reform group.

The DCI Group also worked for the tobacco industry, setting up fake "smokers' rights" groups to fight public health measures.

(Props must be offered to the DCI Group. They seem to be very good at their jobs. They were very helpful in stopping the 1993 Healthcare Reform.)

Many Americans have died, due to lack of healthcare, since then.

See, also: Astroturf

6)Rep. Mike Pence, a Representative from Indiana, DOESN'T seem to KNOW that Medicare IS Government-run Healthcare.

Rep. Pence made CONTRADICTORY statements about Government-run Healthcare on the SAME DAY.

a) "If you oppose government-run health care, call your congressman." -- Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), 7/28/09

b) "I support Medicare." -- Pence, 7/28/09

Yes, in the same interview, he says both things, in all seriousness.

(Let me provide "Rep." Pence with a clue; Medicare IS a Government-run Healthcare Program.)

7) Canada has BETTER Healthcare outcomes than the USA in ALL of these categories:

(a)Circulatory disease deaths

(b)Child maltreatment deaths

(c)Digestive disease deaths

(d)Infant mortality rate

(e)Intestinal diseases death

(f)Proability of not reaching age 60

(g)Respiratory disease child death

(h)Heart disease deaths

(i)HIV deaths

(You get the point. If this is “socialized medicine,” sign me up. Please and Thank You.)

8) Michelle Bachmann (MN-R) claims that the government can provide cheaper, and better care than the private sector, and that this is something that we should be afraid of. In (her) Republican thought, it is more important to protect the private sector than it is to fix healthcare.

(Can someone explain this to me, because I am just not getting it.)

9) If you take all of the hysteria out of Birther situation you have a bunch of people that don't want to pull up their big-boy and big-girl panties and get to work on anything meaningful...period.(author)

Michael Medved, a leading FAR-RIGHT voice, recently referred to the Birthers as "the worst enemy of the conservative movement." He added, "It makes us look weird. It makes us look crazy. It makes us look demented. It makes us look sick, troubled, and not suitable for civilized company." (I agree completely; scary.)

10) The Canadian system of Healthcare is NOT like H.R. 3200. It IS like H.R. 676.

Without something Single-Payer Healthcare, like H.R. 676 in place, like Medicare, something already proven by use, then they ("Representatives in Washington) are just putting on a political MAGIC show for the voters.

(and are already bought and paid for by Insurance companies and big business.)

See, also; Medicare ; popular (Government Controlled) Healthcare SAFETY NET for American Seniors.

(We are becoming a Third World Nation when it comes to a lot of important things, like lack of access to a doctor, and I am trying to say, in this article and in my own weird and pacifist way, that it is UNACCEPTABLE to let it CONTINUE.)

Exception: See, also; Medicare ; popular (Government Controlled) Healthcare SAFETY NET for American Seniors.

All sources for this article are cited at the bottom.

All opinions are strictly my own.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://sociology.ucsc.edu/whorulesamerica/power/wealth.html

http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/top_ten/nominee/douglas-tommy.html

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blfloridagopmob.htm

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Astroturf

http://www.prwatch.org/node/8480

a) http://www.mikepence.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3603:healthcare-one-minute&catid=48:speeches-and-floor-statements&Itemid=94

b) http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/29/medicare-flashback/

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/141534/you27re_also_more_likely_to_be_eaten_by_a_sasquatch_in_%27socialist%27_canada/

http://www.politicususa.com/en/Bachmann-public-option

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_07/019176.php

Why Are Americans So Scared of "Socialized" Healthcare?

These days, all you have to do is mention the term "Socialized Healthcare", to see a lot of people have screaming hissy fits. A lot of it comes out as anger, but I believe that most of that anger is really fear.

Where is that fear coming from? From what I have seen, mostly talking points without a lot of data to back it up. Frank Luntz is in the business of making sure we keep the status quo, which means SCARING PEOPLE away from change, of any kind, that might hurt Insurance Companys' bottom-line.
(http://blog.sunlightfoundation.com/2009/07/16/health-care-word-soup-luntz-memo/)


While I realize that change is scary, sometimes the alternative to change is self-destruction. In the case of a lack of Healthcare Reform it is the deaths of the poor and middle class. I find this unacceptable. So, I did some digging. (You just never know what you will find, while digging.lol)

Here are some interesting bits of information that I found concerning USA (For-Profit) Healthcare and Canadian (Socialized) Healthcare:

Circulatory disease deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 219
United States: 265

Child maltreatment deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 0.7
United States: 2.2

Digestive disease deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 17.4
United States: 20.5

Infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births
Canada: 5.08
United States: 6.3

Intestinal diseases death rate
Canada: 0.3%
United States: 7.3%

Proability of not reaching age 60:
Canada: 9.5%
United States: 12.8%

Respiratory disease child death rate per 100,000
Canada: 0.62
United States: 40.43

Heart disease deaths per 100,000:
Canada: 94.9
United States: 106.5

HIV deaths per million people:
Canada: 47.423
United States: 48.141

Socialized Healthcare does not make a Socialized Country. The USA is a wonderful melting-pot of people, cultures, and ideas; some Capitalistic, some Socialistic, etc. You get the idea.

For me, though, caring for my fellow citizens is stronger than my fear of change. If the above is the results of Socialized Healthcare then sign me up.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/141534/you%27re_also_more_likely_to_be_eaten_by_a_sasquatch_in_%27socialist%27_canada/

EDIT: Here is some information about Socialized Healthcare from some UK Citizens. (Horse's mouth, you know.lol)

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090721075851AAphiOk

What Do U.S. Prisons and U.S. Healthcare Have in Common?

More than what you might think, folks.

For one thing, both have went from a Society Obligation to major Big Business profits.
So, what has the privatization (for profit) of our nation's Healthcare and Prison Systems done FOR us?While it is true that a few people have made a LOT of profit from both Industries; what about the U.S. Citizenry as a whole?

According to the New York Times; 1 OF EVERY 31 adults is in prison, parole or probation, at a cost of 47 BILLION dollars to states, in 2008. "Criminal correction spending is outpacing budget growth in education, transportation and public assistance, based on state and federal data."* (sidenote: Taxpayers pay for these budgets, folks.)

In other words; "The United States has LESS than 5 percent of the world’s population. But it has almost 25% of the world’s prisoners."**(sidenote: About HALF of ALL people incarcerated are for NON-violent offenses. More than the combined populations of Wyoming and Alaska. *****)

(Wow, I had no idea that incarceration was so much more important than education, transportation AND caring for our poor and sick citizens! Good to know where we stand, though, isn't it?)

Now, let's look at the privatization of Healthcare and its effects on the U.S. Citizenry.

pbs.org compared Japan, the U.S.A, Germany, Switzerland and the UK, regarding Healthcare.

Some quick comparison examples:
1)The U.S. spends MORE (percent-wise) of our GDP on Healthcare for our citizens than the other 4.
2)The U.S. has the LOWEST life expectancy (at birth).
3)The U.S. has the HIGHEST infant mortality rate.
4)Japan has almost TWICE the amount of MRI machines as the U.S. (number per million population).
5)Japan has almost THREE TIMES the amount of CT machines as the U.S. (number per million population).***

Not so amazingly, The Urban Institute estimated that 22,000 adults died in 2006 because they did not have health insurance.(ie. access to healthcare.)****

(Folks, we are NOT getting our money's worth.)

So people, decide for yourself if having for-profit Healthcare and for-profit Prisons are the way to go.

But, MY opinion is that both Healthcare (LIFE) and Incarceration (LIBERTY) is too important and should NOT be controlled by shareholders that are just out to make a buck. (Or a billion.)

I also have a question. I wonder how many of our Representatives have invested in Insurance Companies and Prisons? (And since they make the laws, that would make such investments VERY secure, wouldn't it?)

*http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/us/03prison.html?_r=2
**http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/us/23prison.html
***http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/etc/graphs.html
****http://familiesusa.org/issues/uninsured/publications/dying-for-coverage.html
*****http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2006/05/23/con-nation/

(This article is my opinion; albeit, with facts and sources cited)