No I didn't die

I've been one of the clone-drones participating in Linden Lab's SecondLife:
http://www.secondlife.com/

where indeed there are political discussions and pretty much everything else in the virtual world as there is in real life. There is even a group or two who protest the rampant consumerism that exists in SecondLife. Anonymous is there, replete with flying phantom boxes and pictures of old men getting it on with other old men and bedsores. Anonymous has land there on SecondLife (no I won't say where. Let's just say that as a bisexual woman, I am willing to ignore the ribbing of gays and feminists because I support Anonymous when it comes to Scientology.) A.A. meetings are there. So is an active Aspie community as well as some t.b.i. survivors.


A brief synopsis of what I think about some of the current events going on:

1. It appalls me that President Bush welcomed the Pope with such open arms. Used to be that fundamentalist Christians were equating the Pope and the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church with such things like the Beast, the mark of the Beast, and going to hell. Okay, so politically the President couldn't snub the Pope I suppose. But did Bush really have to go pick up the Pope himself? On the plus side, as far as I know, no rounds of golf were shared by the two of them during the Pope's stateside visit.

2. I am sorry that the government is giving most of us a rebate check because the country is in financial debt. On the other hand, I could use the money. Anyone who really hates the idea is welcome to send me their cash.

3. I am weary of the Clinton/Obama run-off. I want them to get it over with and just pick whoever is going to run on the democratic ticket. And I am not convinced that the country will be better off with either of those two as president (if the Democrats "win.") I mean, some folks wanted a Democrat-controlled Congress. So far I haven't seen any great things come out of this Congress.

4. I hate VESID.

spike

MORE MESSING WITH HEALTH CARE SICKNESS 1/26/07

Our politicians are at it again. President Bush wants to re-vamp medical insurance in such a way that would involve tax cuts for those buying into less-comprehensive less-expensive policies. There are perceived advantages for part-timers perhaps. And some threats and fears. Some critics have speculated that employers will not continue to fund most of the expense for health care, for example. Then there is the rising cost of health care coupled with inflation. The insurance companies themselves are not crying "foul" but the proposal has already been sacked in Washington.

As expected, most of the Dems don't want anything to do with the plan proposed by Bush 41. The current three Dem contenders for the 2008 race have different plans. Clinton as in Hill the Pill wants universal health care for all, Obama wants it for all within the next six years, and Edwards is willing to increase our spending deficit to do it.

Ted Kennedy naturally wants to expand the public dole by putting everyone on Medicare. As much as I have my reservations about Bush's idea, I sure don't think Medicare for all is a great thing to do. Folks I know who have been forced onto Medicare due to disabilities are complaining that they are getting large doctor bills. Medicare does not pay the physicians "enough" so instead of writing off the rest to taxes, many physicians are billing their patients for what Medicare will not pay.

Medicare is a busted system and fixing it does not mean opening the doors for everyone to get it. Universal health care was a flop when proposed once before. Focusing on getting health care for all American children has garnered popularity as a feel-good thing to do. Not as "the right thing to do." Unfortunately, the Bush 41 plan would strip some coverage mandates-- preventative care in some cases and treatment to keep people from killing themselves in others.
I believe in preventative care and certainly in treatment for mental health disorders. Yet, I think that the Bush 41 proposal should be the subject for serious study of how to tweak it in order to make it workable.

Once again, radical sapphoq wishes to remind all the universal health care advocates that there will be no universal health care in this country unless it provides as good or better as what the rich folks currently have. No rich folk want to give up what they got. As far as ownership vs. entitlement, radical sapphoq is squarely on the ownership side of things but thinks that the Dems prefer entitlements.

radical sapphoq