Tag Archive for services

Anti-Anti?

September 22, 2014 2 comments

It’s a little confusing, but it had to happen–pendulums being pendulums.  It seems that people are discovering that all those tax cuts and breaks for the wealthy are destroying their middle-class everyday services, such as police and fire protection, schools, and libraries.  They want those services and are willing to pay for them.

This is leading to a new attitude: anti-anti tax cuts.  It’s so serious in Kansas, a staunch Republican state, that people are saying they’re ready to vote in a Democrat for Governor so they have a chance at recovering the services they want and need.  Kansas farmers are really upset, but many other citizens are also watching their state go broke.  They see less and less money coming into the coffers while all the belts have been tightened so far they’re binding up people’s vital internal organs.

The anti-anti tax cut attitude is spreading.  It will be interesting to see how many of the 30 states currently with Republican governors stay Republican after the next election or if that party decides it would be wise to pull back on their current tax stance.

 

 

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Immigration Oddities

February 13, 2013 Comments Off on Immigration Oddities

Immigration is a hot topic right now.  People are determined to stop all those service-sapping Illegals from violating our Southern borders.  May I offer two observations?

1) Most of the immigrants in Santa Clara County have college degrees.  Most immigrants find jobs and pay taxes.  Why can’t we offer services that help the rest of them become self-sufficient, taxpaying workers?  Isn’t that a win-win situation?

2) If we’re closing our Southern borders, why aren’t we doing the same in the North?  Is it more okay for all those immigrants to come in illegally from Canada (or overstay student and work visas)?  Are European Illegals desirable when Hispanics are not?

………I was just wondering…….

 

 

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Medicare Care & Cost for 2013

January 14, 2013 2 comments

Medicare will be more user-friendly this year.  The Affordable Care Act addressed several problems the older generation was having with the program.  In 2013, these provisions kick in.

One is free preventative services (including help to stop smoking) to make us healthier.  Also, we’ll get a much clearer summary of benefits (larger print, understandable language, definitions of terms used). It will contain other useful information, as well, like how to read it and report what we feel is fraud.  Next, the “donut hole” that people who use the prescription drug plan have been facing shrinks.  It will take another seven years to close, but at least it’s getting smaller.  In addition, mental health coverage is increasing.  If you go to a psychiatrist, for example, your co-pay will be less, and many of the prescriptions he writes for you to treat your mental disorder will now be covered.

Of course, with all the improvements to the program, we’ll have to pay a little more this year.  Our premiums will increase by a few dollars per month.  However, I think those few dollars added up for a year will be a small amount compared to what I would have had to pay for the added services, meaning I’ll save money and get better care.  I like that idea.

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