google-site-verification: google1ebcbd3f9084755c.html Eclectic writing: Big 3 Bailout

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Big 3 Bailout

ON THE BIG 3

It has been on every channel:

How did the Big 3 arrive to the hearings? ~ In private jets. Outrage at the lack of connection between the lives of most Americans and the fact that they are arriving in luxury to beg for money. Except that they weren't begging, they were expecting it and demanding it.

Their level of perceived arrogance has not escaped the public. The latest poll shows that over 60% of the public does not want to bail out these people with loan that will pay interest.

To be honest, this is money we are likely to get back, as opposed to Paulson's dealings with the financial and insurance companies. Our great-grandchildren will most likely be paying off this horrific giveaway.

The Big 3 arrived the second time around for their begging/demanding session with Congress by more modest, less polluting ways, but is it too late? Are Americans too fried to give a damn anymore about big corporations when they are loosing, or have lost, their homes and jobs?

Who is bailing out the economy and rushing to make sure that the individual American does not have to hit in shame the food banks and food stamps just to have something on the table? Where is the rush to action?

Perhaps this is the reason we are sick and tired of these companies and their plights due to their lack of leadership, foresight and self control.

ON MEDICAL.

It is happening around the country; your parents or your kids, maybe even yours, medications are no longer approved by the insurance company you pay into. The elderly and disabled are on Medicare and they change to part D (XYZ) on a yearly basis to obtain the most coverage. A formulary is used by most to determine which way to go.

The book looks like a phone book, the paperwork and amount of scrutiny is time consuming and there are time limits in which to make this decision and can only be changed on a yearly basis.

Nothing prevents the pharma portion from changing what they cover, how much and how often. Now, to add insult to injury, the are pitting the medical offices against the patients by demanding prior authorization for a medication the ill person needs and has had covered for years.

The pharmacist states that it is no longer covered and to call the insurance company or pay out of pocket (no reimbursement on the horizon either).

The insurance company tells you to call the doc and have them request authorization, the doc calls the insurance co., and they say there was never a problem and to just have the patient call the pharmacy to refill the order.

You call the pharmacy and they call the insurance company who states to have the patient call the doctor's office and request authorization.

This was a typical day in the life of a spousal caregiver. Unfortunately, this one day was GroundHog Day because it lasted 2 weeks.

Smarty pants that I am, I started this before the meds run out completely, you see, my oldest has asthma and she could just drop dead if she has no inhaler and the attack is severe and in school. Nice, huh?

Well, then there is also the husband's meds. The ones that are supposed to alleviate one thing, and in exchange will produce all sorts of nasty side effects that will cause additional physical distress.

I find out from the doctor's office that the elderly people they provide services for are doing without their medication because they are being denied medications left and right. They are complaining that their reimbursements stink and often times they are not getting paid.

And yet, the medical community balks at the idea of a National Health Care system. Go figure!

Most of us are performing daily miracles and we have never asked for help or sympathy, but we sure as hell would appreciate not having to fight with an insurance company over covered benefits.

THE RICH & THE GOLD DIGGER.

I just read an article about "toxic wives" and how quickly the rats abandon a sinking ship. It is funny and sad all at once. Funny because of the macabre nature of these relationships and the sad because maybe at some level, the poor sap was under the impression that he was loved as a human being, not an ATM. The article is titled: Recession; when the money goes, so does the toxic wife. It is very well written and it gives us a little perspective on what their lives are truly like. Ah! to have those money problems! poor saps!

NEW ORLEANS? IS THAT NOT TAKEN CARE OF YET?

Nope! not yet, we still have people living on the streets, cardboard boxes and tents. Clean up is not done, displaced residents are unable to come home (what home?) and the FEMA trailers are a toxic disaster that are not being maintained because the formaldehyde and other cancer causing agents are too dangerous for government employees, volunteers and vendors to reside in or to work on.

Of course, it is perfectly fine for Katrina victims to reside in and raise their little ones there for years on end too. The health problems and increase in cancers, such as leukemia and breathing disorders are all in their heads, just like our economic woes.

I am sure you heard Bill Graham telling you we were a Nation of whiners and it was all imaginary (maybe that is the real reason McCain lost this election, because this bozo was his financial guru.... and Lord! even the most staunch Republican found this to be insulting).

Which brings us to the next financial whack-over-the-head to the average American....

CREDIT CARDS

Apparently, credit cards are now going to decide what your credit limit really is, without telling you.

You see, they need to protect themselves against your luxury spending (probably the way you are feeding your family and paying the heating bill).

Please be aware that there is a clause in your contract with them (the only part that needs to be honored, you see?) and if you go above your credit limit, there will be hell to pay, by way of penalties, increased percentage rate will be automatic (their current 28% is not enough), and Gulp! they could denmand payment in full (Ha! if you had it, why would you be using a credit card?) and close your account... and send the collection agencies against you... and put liens on your assets... and... Well, you get the idea.

Please check your balance and current credit limit before they get you in a new technicality.

KATRINA AND IKE

Katrina's disaster is not the only thing that has not been taken care of. If you live in Texas you know full well that you got 30 miles of debris with rotting corpses that has not been cleaned up as promised by your favorite son (the one that is moving back in with you come January). Maybe the fact that Bush is moving back to Texas, that alone will light a fire under him to clean up the mess that Ike left behind. One can only hope. Read about it here, straight from Texas.

Katrina is just going to have to wait, all those billions of dollars meant to help people have disappeared as quickly as the billions "missing" in Iraq and the Billions Paulson can't account for... WHAT? Paulson? Say it is not so....

PAULSON

Apparently, the Treasury does not know where the 700 billion went or are going, or how much is left and there is no oversight and no accountability (which is how we got into this in the first place).

If you wish to read the full report, you can find it here.

In the meantime, Paulson keeps fighting to get the remainder and continue to inflate the banks with money they are not lending to the consumers but the Congress is not happy with the above report and a monkey wrench is being thrown into Paulson's... Plan? ... does he have one? ... is he making it up as he goes along?... The Associate Press article fully describes the GAO report in more easy to understand terms, but the bottom line is that the lack of transparency and accountability are a sort of concern (ya think?), and there is a disturbing stubborness to continue to pay executives a king's ransom just for being their arrogant selves..... Oh, boy!

GEORGE W. BUSH

More than a lame duck, an inefficient, ineffectual and incompetent moron. On his latest interview with Charlie Gibson he stated that the most regretable thing in his administration had been the faulty intelligence that led to the war in Iraq.

Fair enough, now shut up and don't say another word.... but no, he continues to answer questions. Charlie Gibson flat out asked him, "... if he had knowledge that there were no weapons of mass destruction would we not gone to war with Iraq?" This is the point where someone in a dark suit should have come in and claimed "urgent matters" and end the interview, but no, he had to answer with: "I don't know, it is not a do-over".

Okay now, The Weapons of Mass Destruction was the ONLY reason to go into Iraq, so if the intelligence had stated that there would not be any, this guy thinks that we would have gone into Iraq anyway?... he is not certain that we would not have.

Can you say OIL baby? OIL, that is all this was about and we could not even manage this right. Oh, wait, we did. H.burton is swimming in it. Good job!

PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA

Thank God we are going to have grownups running the show. Great new team filled with not only intelligent people but people who have demonstrated their skills and abilities and have the same goal in mind: The American People. Who would have thunk it? civil servants at the beck and call of the people. Someone should write a Constitution about a government being by and for the people. Maybe it will happen.

The best part of this new Administration is that is not filled with incompetent fools that are kindergarten chums, or drinking buddies of yester- year... or a cousin of a good friend. We are actually getting grown ups!

WAL-MART FRENZY

Who is responsible?

I am going out on a limb on this one, but I am willing to say that it is the store because they lacked security, they build up a frenzy of a mob mentality and did not take their employees safety into consideration.


Others will disagree, but I think that when a mob mentality is fostered and people behave badly (like beating up people because they are of different religion, race, ethnic background, etc), then those who incite that mood and encourage that attitude are responsible, period.

Really, how desperate are times where a man gets trampled to death so some "lucky" shopper can purchase outdated technology for $20.00 less?

No crowd control, no training and lots of hours of people in line. Wally World is at fault in my opinion.

Okay folks! Have a good evening and as always...

PEACE to you all

http://www.spousalcaregiver.com/

http://www.wellspouse.org/ for support and information

2 comments:

  1. It makes me sick to see the auto companies expecting hand outs. If the CEO's and presidents of these companies would cut their own salaries in half and put it back into the companies, maybe they wouldn't need a hand out.On a different subject....I'm very disappointed to read in Newsweek that President Elect Obama is backing off on some of his campaign promises, in particular ending the tax cuts to those who make over $250,000 a year and helping out the Middle class. Promises are things that you are supposed to follow through on. If you don't it looks like you are just saying whatever to get elected. If he does back out of this promise then what else will he back out on?I know that you are in an extremely difficult position Mr. Obama, but you got elected by a majority of the middle class and we need to believe in what you say.

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  2. Hi, Freelance, I was just adding (finally) to my lostliberty blog and I saw your comment again. Unfortunately, I think I'm in the early stages of senility and I'd forgotten about your blog. I'm going to figure out how to link to it one of these days. I've been "blogging" for about five months and still don't know what I'm doing.

    I did want to say something about Obama. I'm afraid your trust in him is misplaced. He is very closely linked to the Council on Foreign Relations and the Trilateral Commission. This doesn't bode well for our national sovereignty. Then again, McCain had the same connections. Either way, we were destined to lose the election.

    Was it you who put me on to the $300 million GM plant in Russia? You might be interested in an article in the Oct. Reader's Digest. It deals with the tax law that gives American corporations incentive to invest overseas and some of the companies that have taken advantage.

    Rick

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