Republican Healthcare Plan injects vigor into Minnesota economy to benefit seniors

Joel Albers of the Universal Health Care Action Network - Minnesota said that the Republicans' plan is merely rhetoric intended to change the debate. "Of course the 'free market' and all of its assumptions does not exist because corporate health care operates as a monopoly allowing exclusive control over pricing," he said. "Fortunately, public opinion polls show that people see through the rhetoric and believe health care should be government- funded, as a human right, based on need ... and people supporting one another."

Sen. Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, echoed that sentiment in ECM. "I don't believe that Minnesotans think their health care costs will be lowered if we support giving more of those dollars to Wall Street traders," said Berglin. "What Minnesotans have told me over the years is that they want a provider and health insurance company that cares about their overall wellness, not high executive salaries."

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/article/2007/12/15/republicans-repudiate-single-payer-health-care.html

High executive salaries, Democrat Linda Berglin? That's you guys! You're the ones with endless high taxes (demonstrated once again in 2006, contrary to campaign promises), monopolistic non-profits draining the local economy of private sector healthcare providers, career government leaders, and no plan for the Baby Boomers' Minnesota healthcare in the coming years when the biggest federal social programs - Medicare and Social Security - along with
possibly MinnesotaCare and other Minnesota programs, must reckon with unfunded liabilities.
Local healthcare must be administered in a magnitude greater than ever before in the coming years to retain our best assets - seniors.
The Republicans' plan introduces private sector competition for providers into the economy to break the monopoly of high salaried non-profit executives colluding with Democrats at the highest levels in Minnesota and provide for our seniors' continued enjoyment of our state. But more than that it is a free market solution that will bring jobs, choice, security, prosperity, and younger folks to Minnesota to help care for our seniors and inject vigor into the Minnesota economy.
These are specific philosophic differences which are critical for Minnesota to be a sustainable retirement state.


A fellow St. Paulite and Republican friend recently posted evidence the Democrats are the party of the rich on e-democracy.org in the St. Paul Issues area:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071123/NATION/111230087/1002&template=printart

This directly refutes Linda Berglin's rhetoric that Minnesota Republicans are the party of Wall Street.

Last throes of Dead Tree media trade - comfort books rescued, preserved

At least 7 Bookstores closed in 2006, 2007:
Lee's in St. Paul
Rag n Bone
Charlie Orr (Calhoun Square Uptown)
Loom's Stillwater
Lien's Bookshop located at 507 East Hennepin Avenue (Hellenic Union Building) Minneapolis, MN 55414 [(612) 362-0763].
Book Bin 9360 Baltimore St NE Blaine, MN 55449-4378 Phone: (763) 784-5958 (closed 2006)
Ross & Haines downtown Hudson

I visited with Steven Anderson of Ross & Haines in Hudson Sunday who gave me the statistics above. There may be more 2006 and 2007 closings you may add to the list.
Dead tree media is in it's last throes. Steven is having a close-out sale. Loom's in Stillwater (approach the main street coming from the bridge and it's on the southeast corner) has a 75% off close-out sale. Depressing!
I usually buy antique children's books at Loom's and bought some more. I didn't need many more Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew juvenile novels having completed a first edition set of Hardy Boys 2 months ago and having many Nancy Drews. If you are familiar with the leading Hardy Boys Guide - Hardy & Hardy 5th Edition, by Tony Carpentieri and Paul Mular, http://synsine.com, you know it's amazingly detail-oriented collecting. A complete Hardy Boys set will include some copies few in number that until recently were known only to some ebayers and long time collectors as #4, #10, #11 (7 known), #17 and #34 (only 5 known). I feel it's important to preserve a somewhat comprehensive collection of childrens literature that shows our culture - good or bad - as the bookstores close. Included in the A-1 photo above are early Boys Scouts books, one of which ( On the Open Plains by Ralphson, MA Donohue, 1914 Chicago), may have inspired Edward Stratemeyer in his choice of similar silhouette end papers depicting scout-like activity for the Hardy Boys books. The Hardy Boys may have won trust of parents in 1927 partly because they were similar in some small aspects to the more rigorous, competing Boys Scouts books. The copy of Motor Boys In the Clouds by Clarence Young is the only book in the photo with an insert. The insert hides a hole in it's early 20th century "terra-cotta" DJ. In the notoation invented by David Farah and used in H&HI, A-1 is listed with a year the book was actually printed (not necessarily the copyright year). A-1 indicates the printing of the book. A means the first printing of that year (the year is extrapolated from the other titles on the DJ and is usually not the copyright year unless it is a first edition). 1 means first overall printing. So a 1927 A-1 #1 (Tower Treasure) is a first edition while a 1929 A-3 #1 is not, since the copyright year for #1 is 1927. The 3 means it is a 3rd printing. The A means it was the first print-run in 1929. A 1927 B-2 is a second overall edition #1 and the second print-run of 1927. 1929 B-4 is a 4th edition #1, and the second print run of the year 1929.

I learned Sunday Loom's also has a huge theology and religious history collection upstairs.

Memorial Blood Center data breach highlights superior privacy policy of Republican Healthcare Plan

Memorial Blood Center is a great organization.
Nevertheless I feel compelled to showcase a concern I have. I am troubled by a growing trend to devalue IT security standards. What is a laptop doing with 268,000 social security numbers on it?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/09/AR2007120900009.html

This is only the latest in a long line of various security incidents across the country. It is a fundamental paradigm of IT architecture that no computers outside physically secured servers are to store any client data. Apparently in the absence of consultants tasked to track down mythical Y2K critters all IT discipline is lost in some companies.

Below is the letter where I receive my 3 phone numbers.

This incident was cited by Jim Abeler, a MN House Republican, in the argument for a medical card containing only patient data (not data on patients state-wide). It is part of a major healthcare reform push by the Minnesota House Republican Caucus. Security and privacy are huge components of the plan. There is also a Tort Court for frivolous lawsuits (Defensive Medicine), and a nation-wide cafeteria plan highlighting free market choice.
Some democrats join the House Republican Caucus in opposing Pawlenty's Health Information Exchange.

According to Marty, the democrats are not there on free market healthcare solutions.
The Democrats
want to increase provider tax
want to increase cigarette tax
may be for Health Information exchange (although some dont like it)
are for Single Payer health plan (the "single" component is the government. ie the government organizes everything). Marty warns Single Payer may be renamed to sneak it through in 2008.

http://minnesotamajority.org/

Best of Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson on religion and immigration

Mitt Romney

There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2007/12/019206.php


Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government.

Recall the early days of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, during the fall of 1774. With Boston occupied by British troops, there were rumors of imminent hostilities and fears of an impending war. In this time of peril, someone suggested that they pray. But there were objections. 'They were too divided in religious sentiments', what with Episcopalians and Quakers, Anabaptists and Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Catholics. Then Sam Adams rose, and said he would hear a prayer from anyone of piety and good character, as long as they were a patriot.

And so together they prayed, and together they fought, and together, by the grace of God ... they founded this great nation.

In that spirit, let us give thanks to the divine 'author of liberty.' And together, let us pray that this land may always be blessed, 'with freedom's holy light.'

God bless the United States of America.

[Paul]
There are three main points here. First, Romney will not allow authorities of his church, or of any other church, to exert influence on presidential decisions. Second, a president should not be expected to describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. Third, religion is a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the issues of the day, and our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.

There is, obviously, a tension between the second and third points. If religion is to be seriously considered in the context of the issues of the day, then it's conceivable that distinctive church doctrines are relevant.


Fred Thompson:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BQLFfTd2l44

I think its time for a little plain talk to the leaders of Mexico. Something like: hey guys, you're our friends and neighbors and we love you but it's time you had a little dose of reality. A sovereign nation loses that status if it cannot secure its own borders and we are going to do whatever is necessary to do so, although our policies won't be as harsh as yours are along your southern border. And criticizing the U.S. for alternately doing too much and too little to stop your illegal activities is not going to set too well with Americans of good will who are trying to figure a way out of the mess that your and our open borders policy has already created. My friends, it's also time for a little introspection. Since we all agree that improving Mexico's economy will help with the illegal-immigration problem, you might want to consider your own left-of -center policies. For example, nationalized industries are not known for enhancing economic growth. Just a thought. But here's something even more to the point that you might want to think about: What does it say about the leadership of a country when that country's economy and politics are dependent upon the exportation of its own citizens?

http://www.cafenetamerica.com (less)