Liberals start to lose in Honduras.

This is actually happening throughout the world, whether Krugman likes this or not...

The Economist | Honduras’s presidential election: Mano dura wins the day http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21590900-new-president-violent-country-will-have-weak-mandate-threatens-brandish-big?frsc=dg%7Cb via @theeconomist

Absolute Tolerance Towards Conservatives

You should know, before we begin, I am not a fan of Sarah Palin. Neither am I a fan of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and a few others. I am also not a fan of Rachel Maddow, Keith Olberman or Cenk, from the Young Turks.
Why? All of them are guilty of saying some inflammatory comments towards the "other side" and it seems like people are not held to a certain standard.

When Rush called that younger women a "slut" because she advocated that the government should pay for all contraceptives, etc. for women in college, it became national news and rightfully so: he was an asshole.
Almost lost his job for that. I wouldn't have cared, however. I could careless about political commentators, of any side on the political spectrum.
What disgusts me, however, is the level of which "side" gets the most negative publicity in regards to their awful statements.
Take Bill Maher for example....called Sarah Palin the C-word and conservatives were fairly angry. Liberals didn't care much. In fact, it was not really in national news. Nobody really cared.....


Now, you have this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ_pbzmnxvQ

Despite your views about Sarah Palin's methods or how she talks to people, or her political views, let it be known that many liberal commentators are not held to the same standard as conservative commentators. Even though Rush apologized for his words.....they still hate him. Just like this guy....I wonder how many people will even care about his comments?

What about the above video? He apologized and felt really bad for saying such things....yet, he is known for making similar (though, not as bad) comments towards those he disagrees with....

UPDATE: He resigned. 

Occupy Wall Street and other topics...(Updated again, sorry)

Here, you hear a man discuss major socio-economic issues with members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Peter attempts to discuss the morality of getting unnecessary regulations out of businesses so they can hire young workers, why college tuition costs so much, why we do not have free trade in this country and why the Occupy Movement was protesting in the wrong direction.... He was sincere and polite, trying to reason with them. Some of them were certainly shocked about his ideas... being an advocated of such ideas myself, I am often labeled with nasty names fairly often. If you have time, it would be important to listen to the amount claims, forms of logic and differing ideologies amongst the crowd.

Listen to the emotions from these poor people.

For the level of intolerance that appears from my fellow Americans, I am surprised of the civil discussions that occurred here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahMGoB01qiA


In about 30 minutes into the video, you'll notice someone constantly not letting Peter talk. Accusing him of things like "wanting to go back" to some bad times.... When he does not. The younger fellow does not give him a chance to talk.....hardly ever.
This is actually fairly typical in debates....on both sides. Notice how he constantly tries to discuss that guy's claim every time but is not even given about 2 minutes to rebuttal those claims and accusations?

This is ongoing.

Even for me, people often confuse me of being a right-winger, or something. Even some friends of mine have accused me of such things....or being a "leftist." My favorite is when some believe they know my views yet are surprised at my opinions....

My favorites from social conservatives: "So, if you allow same-sex marriage, people will want to marry their animals." This one I feel like screaming after this is said. It's a ridiculous claim and fairly harsh towards same sex couples. Downright mean, actually. They're undermining someone's relationship based off of their viewpoints.....completely disregarding a couple's love for each other. For these claims, I often ask this person a simple question, after validating their claim: "Why are you, or those similar to you, against same-sex marriage?" Sometimes, the answer is just like the first claim. At this moment, it is nigh impossible to change their mindset on such topics....

My favorite from socialists: "You don't care if people get sick, that's why you're against everyone getting healthcare." This claim, being on par is a similar fallacy, though it's usually referred to the tin-man fallacy, meaning because you're against a politicians legislation to force people to buy health insurance, makes you heartless. No. I am against such policy (although some good things in there) overall because it just ensures something that the socialists hate in the first place: Private Health Insurance. Newsflash, we hate it, too.

I hear arguments about why "we" all need single-payer healthcare because it's better. I hear arguments of why our "free market" healthcare is failing.

I can easily rebuttal these claims using peer-reviewed research. If you don't want to, then fine. I highly suggest that you conduct you're own research. Google doesn't count.

Go into your college's peer-reviewed data base. Search EBSCO, business source premier, etc. and "click" on the scholarly link, to ensure it's only peer-reviewed. Search efficacy single payer or socialized medicine or access socialized or nhs efficacy or whatever words you can come up with. You'd be surprised that there are many things great about socialized medicine. I know this. However, giving people "access" doesn't necessarily mean they'll get actual coverage.....

Also, I know "our" system is also awful but I'll elaborate on that at a different time. Our system isn't so great either...

Some of you of who personally know me, would never say such disgusting things about me. You would know very well of what kind of a person I am. This bigotry in this country needs to stop.

Free Market Healthcare and Why It Works (Soon, November 8th)

There will soon be a peer-reviewed paper about the complexity of our healthcare system, why the status quo is not working, why insurance companies and government funded insurance companies are making healthcare worse and why parts of the ACA actually induce these. Of course there will be more topics.

Some critics say that we have a "free market" in healthcare but how can that be true if half of healthcare is paid by government and most of it is regulated by government? That was a trick question. These simple facts enable that premise to be false: we barely have a free market oriented healthcare system. In fact, with the government tampering with producers, consumers the third-party-payers, it's no wonder why costs are out of control.

Here's a taste:


Many critics of the U.S. health care system argue that our practice of "freemarket"

medicine has been a failure, and we ought to follow the Europeans and

embrace "socialized medicine." We maintain, ho\\e\er.. that this country's "awkward

flirtation with the marketplace" (Whalen 2003) more closely resembles corporate

welfare than an experiment in free-market medicine. Therefore, we suggest that

before Americans abandon the free market, they ought at least to try it. 

Kroncke, C. & White, R. (2009). The Modern Health Care Maze. (2009). Independent Review, 14(1), 45-70.

Republican Healthcare Reform. Proof. Also, Krugman rant.

If you know me, then you that I cannot stand Paul Krugman. Not because he considers himself a liberal because that would be ridiculous. I have several friends that are considered “liberal.”

I dislike him because he let his Nobel Peace Prize go to his head and at this point, he only blames Republicans and conservative or libertarians for every economic/social ill known to humans.
The following are just a few examples of why he angers me.....

Here’s him being a coward: http://www.humanevents.com/2011/09/11/paul-krugman-coward/

Here’s him trying not to be a coward: http://www.humanevents.com/2011/09/16/paul-krugman-is-back-out-from-under-his-desk/

Here’s the actual evidence: http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/the-years-of-shame/?smid=tw-NytimesKrugman&seid=auto&_r=0

Him lying about the Bush tax cuts, getting the wrong information (this source has sources): http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/08/paul_krugman_is_a_liar_does_th.html

Lying about Mitt Romney: http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2012/10/paul-krugman-then-and-now.php  Seriously, actually making this stuff up… This has many other examples of him well, lying.

Here’s him blaming Republicans for all the effing healthcare problems: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/26/opinion/krugman-republican-health-care-panic.html

And again: http://finance.townhall.com/columnists/ralphbenko/2013/07/24/paul-krugman-shameful-floccinaucinihilipilificator-dies-in-derpistan-n1647538?utm_source=thdaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl

Making fun of republicans again: http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/the-power-of-incumbency-health-care-edition/

His idea of what the NHS is like, not really true: Maybe I should send old Krugster some reports that he’s wrong? http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/17/opinion/17krugman.html

Then you have ahem….this….guy. Same horrible idea of “Republican Healthcare Plan: Don’t Get Sick.” Simply childish. Why are some of these people leading our country? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usmvYOPfco     “It was a blank piece of paper” “Don’t Get sick”

Why would someone simply bash the other side? Alan Grayson, with all due respect, why were you so immature about this? This is not even remotely true.

Now.....
Why all of this immaturity towards Republicans? Why say “they don’t believe in reform” when in fact, they’ve attempted several times and you know what happened? DEMOCRATS VOTED NO!!!!

Want proof of these bills? Keep in mind that these are Republican comprehensive healthcare reforms BEFORE the Obamacare/Affordable Care Act (Everyone calls it Obamacare but I don’t like to).

Here’s one from Senator Mike Enzi, a Republican from Wisconsin n 2007: http://www.enzi.senate.gov/public/_files/BillText10StepstoTransformHealthCare.pdf

Another from Senators Burr, Corker, Coburn, Martinez and Dole: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/110/s1886/text

Bennett and ONE Democrat, my personal hero, Ron Wyden: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-111hr1321ih/pdf/BILLS-111hr1321ih.pdf

Burr, Ryan and Nunes: http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=d2f94455-368c-45b5-8d56-fc195a833884

From Tom Price: http://tomprice.house.gov/sites/tomprice.house.gov/files/HR%202300%20Section%20by%20Section.pdf

Not to mention these as well, endorsed by Republicans as a free-market oriented approach to healthcare: http://www.ncpa.org/email/book-article.pdf  and it’s summary: http://ushealthpolicygateway.com/vii-key-policy-issues-regulation-and-reform/p-health-reform/national-health-reform/models-for-health-reform/individual-pay-or-play/

Some thought....

If you don’t like the idea of a free-market oriented healthcare system, then please, do not tell me “to look at the facts, read a book or tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about” etc like typically happens from a certain political opposition. I am fighting back.

Here: http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/pubs/pdf/pa-633.pdf  

Here: http://faculty.chicagobooth.edu/john.cochrane/research/papers/Cochrane%20time%20consistent%20health%20insurance%20JPE.pdf

Only abstract: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167629606000105

From Hoover institution: http://media.hoover.org/sites/default/files/documents/9780817910440_1.pdf

Again: http://www.independent.org/store/book.asp?id=99#t-2

Again: http://www.ncpa.org/pdfs/sp_10-Steps-to-Universal-Coverage-without-Mandates.pdf

http://ushealthpolicygateway.com/vii-key-policy-issues-regulation-and-reform/p-health-reform/national-health-reform/models-for-health-reform/universal-health-savings-accounts/

This is a good one about Singapore (you need access from a college website, then search this title): http://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f4797.pdf%2Bhtml

A review of Singapores Healthcare ideas: http://theincidentaleconomist.com/wordpress/tag/singapore/

And another: http://www.aei.org/files/2012/12/12/-constructing-an-alternative-to-obamacare-key-details-for-a-practical-replacement-program_171532844111.pdf

Oh, and here’s some more peer-reviewed literature about free-market healthcare reform and one or two criticisms of it. Usually, the criticisms are “facts” founded by already set-in-the-brain misconceptions about what Republicans want, what conservatives want, how people distort the truth about the free trade.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, (2012). Frequently asked questions hospital value-

based purchasing. Retrieved from website: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-

Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/hospital-value-based-

purchasing/Downloads/FY-2013-Program-Frequently-Asked-Questions-about-Hospital-

VBP-3-9-12.pdf

Bolch, M. (2012). SHIFTING THE BURDEN: Employers Helping Employees Manage Costs.

Financial Executive, 28(10), 40-43.

Delamothe, T. (2008). Universality, equity, and quality of care. BMJ: British Medical Journal

(International Edition), 336(7656), 1278-1281

Kroncke, C. & White, R. (2009). The Modern Health Care Maze. (2009). Independent Review,

14(1), 45-70.

Fixing Medical Malpractice Through Health Insurer Enterprise Liability. (2008). Harvard Law

Review, 121(4), 1192-1214.

Glasper, A. (2013). The quality of care provided in NHS trusts reviewed. British Journal Of

Nursing, 22(19), 1136-1137

Haviland, A. M., Marquis, M., McDevitt, R. D., & Sood, N. (2012). Growth Of Consumer-Directed

Health Plans To One-Half Of All Employer-Sponsored Insurance Could Save $57 Billion

Annually. Health Affairs, 31(5), 1009-1015. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2011.0369

Herzlinger, R. (2007). Consumerism and controversy: a conversation with Regina Herzlinger by

Robert S Galvin. Health Affairs, 26(5), w552-9.

Herzlinger, R. (2009). Regina Herzlinger: a long-term vision for healthcare reform. Hfm

(Healthcare Financial Management), 63(11), 50-52

Marshall, M. (2009, October 10). Applying quality improvement approaches to health care.

BMJ: British Medical Journal (Overseas & Retired Doctors Edition). pp. 819-820.

doi:10.1136/bmj.b3411

Shepherd, J., & Stafford, K. (2012). Patient-centric? Third-party payers interfere. Journal Of

Family Practice, 61(4), 187

Santias, F., Consuelo, D., & Martínez, I. (2004). Healthcare services in the U.K. PRIVATE SECTOR

AND THE NEW CONSULTANT CONTRACT: KEY STATISTICS AND TRENDS. Revista Gerencia

Y Políticas De Salud, 3(7), 8-22.

 Tacchino, A. (2012). Health Care Reform's Effect on the Working Middle Class. Journal Of

Financial Service Professionals, 66(3), 43-50.

Taylor, J. (2012). Market-Based Reforms in Health Care Are Both Practical and Morally Sound.

Journal Of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 40(3), 537-546. doi:10.1111/j.1748-

720X.2012.00687.x

Tinkham, M. (2013). Pursuing magnet designation: the role of structural empowerment. AORN

Journal, 97(2), 253-256. doi:10.1016/j.aorn.2012.11.011

Tozzi, J. (2013). What the GOP Has to Love About Obamacare. Bloomberg Businessweek, (4345),

28-29.

Tu, H. T., & May, J. H. (2007). Self-Pay Markets In Health Care: Consumer Nirvana Or Caveat

Emptor?. Health Affairs, 26w217-w226. doi:10.1377/hlthaff.26.2.w217

Williams, H. F., Lopez, G., & Lewis, K. (2013). Certification -- Good for Business. Nephrology

Nursing Journal, 40(3), 247-254.

Williams, C., & Maruthappu, M. (2013, January). "Healthconomic Crises": Public Health and

Neoliberal Economic Crises. American Journal of Public Health. pp. 7-9.

doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.300956.

Note: You see how long it takes to dispel these silly little myths? I would defend Obama from the anti-same sex marriage crowd but I already agree with same-sex marriage. Pro-choice or pro-life? I wrote something about that years ago. Back when I could hardly even write. Now, I at least suck at this point. :)