A Modest Proposition

This is my first post since the Trump Administration took over.

I will not reduce this piece in any manner towards the 'ad hominem,' attacking the individual flaws, not a rebuttal to the premise of the opposition, found throughout this nation today.  Remember 'ad hominem' is a fallacy.

We are at a juncture in our nation's life where decisions for the future are now being discussed.  Taxes, Health, and Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness....

To whit:

In my treatise Metaeconomics, I define a non-tax structure of currencies to create a greater and more abundant state of living;

Seven Market Categories each with their own 'Class' of currencies calibrated to each market need.

1. Survival

2. Social

3. State

4. National

5. International

6. Bourses

7. Macrofinance

The premise and conclusion is that we are commodifying the bare necessities of life, and by not having a proper Benefit-Cost structure for everyone to agree to and reference, we inadvertently have put an actual dollar amount to the Earth, humanity itself, and the individual lives of citizens in general.

As such, I now entreat my recommendations to our present Administration.

The above scheme is well too complex for our current governments systems.  That said we need to talk about Milton Friedman's tax proposal the ruling party are now distorting vastly.  That is the little postcards we will be sending in to address nominally our annual tax portion.

I feel the current Congress wants to eat their cake and have it too.  It seems legislators take to tax exemptions like a cat to catnip-- they cant but help to assist their "constituent(s)" in being picked to 'win.'  Government shouldn't be in the business of picking winners and losers!

I. When all loopholes are closed: we only need an across the board tax of 11%, no loopholes across the board, to over-fund the Treasury, and begin to pay down the debt, and balance the budget.  And to be clear this is across the board-- capital gains, passive income, asset transfer, etc.

1.  First tier, and first moneys are tax free!  The first earned annual $15,000 Single, $25,000 Joint, and $250,000 Business are not taxed.

By lifting the burden of the underclass, we will create an operating market that functions freely at the initial or lowest levels.  This ideally stimulates the creative forces to invest in themselves, but does not allow any taxpayer to 'subcontract' to themselves, so as to only declare minimum tax-free income in, say, five different Taxpayer IDs, that still wholly are the account of that prime TIN in order to avoid taxes altogether.

In other words, just as the FDIC insurance only covers banked money up to $250,000, many elite create "Account ladders," where each portion of their cash wealth is held in as many $250,000 bank accounts, as needed, to insure the whole fortune. 

Similarly, business declarations must be transparent-- that is the premise of the postcards.  We already have the means to audit in real time all the electronic transactions (that would include all Federally approved institutions) nationally.  Cash and assets would only be investigated on sums above this initial threshold.

2. Second tier, 10%-  No deductions no loopholes and no 'motivational tax.'  It is in the interest of the State to ensure that every citizen has the freedom and liberty to pursue their specific happiness. The abundant tax breaks are designed to encourage a citizen to (a) buy a home, (b) get married, and (c) have kids.  That is the formula to create more citizens, a natural resource.  The more citizens, the more tax revenue, and so tax breaks have been tinkered with to create the byzantine code extant.

After initial first tier clearance, this second tier would cap at $40,000 Single, $100,000 Joint, and $650,000 Business.

For example:

Ralph Doe made $38,000 in a year, he would only have a "tithe to the state" upon the remaining $23,000-- thus a tax of $2,300-- and Ralph can easily estimate how much to save, every year.  

The Smiths earned $55,000 jointly, and because they could anticipate and easily calculate, they saved to pay the 'tithe;' ($55k - $25k = $30 x .1 = $3,000).

Acme LLC, a small cap C-Corporation, earned $422,000 in a year, and having been granted the first $250k tax-free to do as they need and want, they then earned an additional $172,000 above the exemption ($422k-$250k=$172k x .1 = $17,200). 

Sorry no write offs or loop holes, because when Milton Friedman made the tax simplification argument, it included ending all the bizarre and overly detailed escapes from taxation creating an effective net zero. 

Large cap businesses currently operate with most or all of their tax liability erased by every esoteric tax break currently on the books-- not the nominal 39%.  The savings for larger companies will occur with the redundancy of certain financial specialists they require to staff in order to have the "net zero" tax.

3. Third Tier, 12.5% after second tier and up to: $100,000 Single, $250,000 Joint, and $1,000,000 Businesses, annually.

4. Fourth Tier, 15% after third tier and up to: $650,000 Single, $1,000,000 Joint, and $10,000,000 Businesses, annually.

5. Final Tier, 20% after fourth tier and after fourth tier annual maximums.

All loopholes and favors are closed, except the ability to write off only donations to any 501c3 non-profit organization.  Other 501s, such as political organizations, or any other TIN classes are not "Tax Free," and have to conform to the above scheme.  (Maybe also keep the Mortgage Deduction, [and the State-level taxes] but again that begins the slippery slope of horse trading for more esoteric tax breaks.)

This final nominal 20% should also be tithed upon all capital gains, estate, and transfer taxes above the fourth threshold-- and realize a net TAX CUT OF OVER 25%!

This is just a simple tithing scheme.

II. Trump Care (ACA)

Here I provide a simple testimonial;  The ACA saved my life.

I have been recovering my health since 2009 when I began experiencing what was diagnosed as Arthritis.  When I finally got ACA health care in 2014, I was allowed my pre-existing conditions to be treated, I began to successfully manage symptoms I would have died of probably by 2016 without healthcare.

It turns out I have been in chronic pain via fibromyalgia much of my life.

By creating a safety net for all citizens, we increase the Potential Energy of the Economy (promising intrinsic future GDP).

Health is critical.  I have argued in my last post extensively.

By allowing our overseas competition to fund free health care we compete with an implied reverse tariff against us.  By insuring their citizens, they relieve businesses of cost burden to carry Employees.

Further, if we just simply eliminate the age requirement for Medicare, and wrap the Federal Employee Insurance (that Congress and Federal Employees have), and the VA System in to the folds of Medicare and Medicaid, most citizens would be able to rid themselves of illness and diseases to improve our productivity.

This leads to one of the most serious issues for the general benefit and health of our citizenry: Environment.

III. Reconcile Environmental and Economic policies.

I am totally saddened by the situation in Japan of Fukushima.  The robots died within minutes of contacting the radiation pit spewing radioactivity into the Pacific Ocean and destroying our fisheries.  Not to mention Garbage Island.

We are at a juncture where if we fail to act and coordinate amongst ourselves as humans on this earth, Mother Earth will shake us off-- in 100, 1000, or 10,000 years-- at the rate we are going how much longer do you assume we can last?

The natural resources are being opened up to industry, and regulations are being diminished, destroyed and dumped like a bad habit.

Climate Extremity deniers have failed to prove their premise now for forty years!  Data regarding man-made carbon increases was first uncovered in the 1960's from a military surveillance in Hawaii.  By the 1980's James Burke appeared throughout the Western world attempting to explain the probabilities and ramifications of our unchecked growth.  In the 1990's Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., created the words, "thermodynamic system," in an earnest appeal to the public to help comprehend our situation of overall increasing temperatures.  By, 21st century, Vice-President Gore further explained that our ignorance is costing us RIGHT NOW, very dearly.

Which helps us to arrive at International Relations.

IV. The World occurs with or without us.

1. Environment: The Paris Accord has been the result of decades of International Negotiations-- Kyoto, Doha, and Paris-- representing monumental achievements of Diplomacy.

Our failure to embrace the completion of the International realization that we as a species have very little time to have any say in what world we leave the next seven generations is abysmal. This is no surprise to the "woke folk," including the 99.9% of Scientists that agree we are facing a Monumental Challenge as a species.

The people who doubt "Global Warming" have a point.  Earth still has winter.  But Snow (winter-- a Season, not a climate) doesn't disprove what is best termed Climate Extremity-- hurricanes needing a Category 6 level?  (Remember basic science: where if a molecule is heated the energy excites [expands], and that is how every day we boil water for coffee, tea, etc.-- hence oceans providing increasing water to the excited storms.)

2. Diplomacy: The 'talking tough,' emphasis on conflict in the International arena is a fools errand.

In my book (available as second draft [still haven't corrected the indexes]) Metaeconomics, I define Perpetual or Constant (k) Warfare (W).  Perpetual Warfare (kW) is impossible to sustain and is NOT STABILITY.  History bears this out over and over.

War makes profits.  It devistates the underclasses.  And it also destroys our Terra Firma upon which we succor.

V. Conclusion

We are simultaneously the Oldest Democracy, yet one of the younger nations.

In my various travels abroad, I have heard repeated many times the opinions that we are viewed as an Adolescent by the International community-- picking on the weakest Nuclear Power (NK), but also cozying up to the closest rival (Russia) and Bully.  We must shake off this juvenescence!

Until we can recognize the simultaneous pulls of on the one hand providing guidance to other democracies by best example and primary superpower, while on the other having the humility to learn from ancient nations (France, Japan, etc.), we will not be followed as a world leader within the International Community.

I hope we Americans can make something work to address all of the above.  But I wont be surprised if I am further ignored.... that's Okay, because I am pushing neither "Like," nor "Ignore" on my Social Media radar. Life is more subtle and complex than the simple binary matrices we prefer, just because it fits in our head.

In this day of instant gratifications, immediate knowledge, and mass sub-culturalism (where people only listen to what agrees with their world view, as opposed to facts of concrete reality) we must comprehend that facts, factors, and proven (amongst all the sciences here we reviewed, economic) theory should be respected, observed and obeyed.

I am not going to go for another 30 years with the elites arguing that 'trickle down economics' operates within the mechanics of economy, is somehow to the benefit of all, and good economic and social policy (lest we compare the environmental disasters we are regularly carrying out in this grand open chemistry experiment).

So 'snapoutofit' and create reasonable by-partisan laws with clear-eyed leadership, please.

American Fallacy: Health Care

Fact Check.org released "clarification" to all the false argumentation in the media (bloggosphere inclusive).

Now lets examine the tactics of rhetoric used by such false claimants:

PRO-INSURANCE LOBBY;

Government Will Decide What Care I Get; Appeal to Emotion (Fear)

Private Insurance Will Be Illegal; Appeal to Emotion (Fear)

The House Bill Requires Suicide Counseling; Straw Man with a dash of Appeal to Fear (for those who are religiously against suicide)

Medicare Benefits Will Be Slashed; Appeal to Fear (in sales we call this Fear of Loss)

Illegal Immigrants Will Be Covered; This is tricky... I am going to say in short order this is probably a Masked man fallacy, whereby substituting the word legal with illegal a whole barrage of fear and loathing can be unsheathed by jingoistic elements.

PRO-REFORM LOBBY;

The Bill Is Paid For; I would put this as a non-sequitur, but it could be more sinisterly interpreted as Irrelevant Conclusion, an argument that diverts attention away from a fact in dispute rather than address it directly.

Families Will Save $2,500; Bare assertion fallacy. Even though there may be some savings, the nature of that savings is internal not pocketbook according to the estimates.

------

So, we can see the Pro-Insurance Lobby is using pretty much a fear (argumentum ad baculum) to countervail the very factual fear invoked by (just one example of the argument) that "Medicare as-is will become bankrupt in less than a decade."

That raises legitimate fear for someone who is 58 ~ 64 who expects to have a life expectancy of 75 ~ 80 years where the last five to ten years require the most medical assistance!

The translation to Baby Boomers (all of you) = "Right when you need it the very most you wont have any guarantee for medical assistance or coverage!"

That pretty much should raise some fears for a generation which hasn't collectively been as kind to their bodies as they could have been (paging Doctor Leary).

***

The Pro-reform group seems, like many Democratic coalitions to have a broad range of messages, but in this instance not very many fallacies. I would not defend misstatements, misleading, misdirection, or, worst, false argumentation, but in this case there seems to be such an abundance of argumentum ad nauseam from the Pro-Insurance groups-- wherein a false thing is repeated over and over without nuance to the discussion, such that fatigue is the result (and by association the false assertion becomes true).

This morning a former British Minister for Health all but ridiculed the red herring arguments coming from the Pro-Insurance Lobby.

We in USA (ranked 37th in the World) are painfully misled by poor arguments by those who would interfere with the Hippocratic Principle in our democratic republics hope to become more respectable, lead a more decent lifestyle, and improve the health, welfare and happiness of our citizenry.

Peace goes perfect with Savings

I was unsure if I would even comment on "Silly Season," at all this year, but here is one man's humble opinion:

(A) Republicans-Romney-Ryan-R-r-r...

An 8 page plan, half of which is a critique of the Administration, where four competing ideas, are assured to us to somehow compose the basis to run an entire nation, is the only "detail," released by the R team.  The rest seems code, insider talk, and self reference for we dont like the current president-- for whatever reason.

Realistically, another "r" word, cutting taxes, reducing deficits, and balancing budgets appeals to the fiscal conservative in me, except that the fiscal conservative knows math, and economics.  This strategy will wreck Social Security, Obamacare, and probably eventually destroy medicare and other long standing social networks necessary for an empathetic and humanistic society-- unless there is fundamental change.

Ad naseums of trickle down sunsets from 1970 ~ 2008 are enough for me, just because the Republican says it (over and over) doesn't mean it somehow becomes true over time.  Just ask Romney's sons.

Republicans in general halted a majority of ordinary congressional business for the last two years-- dump the bums!


(B) Obama Administration, and Dems

Occupying the center on most rational issues, Romney has no room to create differentiations, and as they both agree on a majority of the Corporate Agenda-- Obama has come up very short on the progressive radar.

Over the four years he has made proforma moves long in the works, and the cornerstone of his efforts, especially when the Democrats held majority powers,  becomes Obamacare.

On that criteria alone, there was literally no difference between Romney, who created a similar program for Mass., and the President.  Only Romney pretending to be some different version of himself created some platform to repeal Obamacare-- easier said than done, and a total waste of energy, because it throws out many babies with the bathwater.

The major issues this election are Liberty, Freedom and Peace.


(C) Liberty, Freedom, and Peace

Not discussed, but actually alluded to by Obama on his recent appearance on The Daily Show, are the lifting of Emergency Powers and restoration of habeus corpus.  Without these actions by the executive we are still electing to be compared to the best of fascist regimes, not the best of all human governance systems.  We must restore the balance of powers, and lift the permanent state of war.

Freedom to start business, be lent money upon a equitable basis, and to succeed.  Onerous tax systems, fee and regulatory, and ambiguous State powers to assist Sole Proprietors, Small Businesses, and entrepreneurs all are part of the sluggish recovery.

Common sense and easy to understand regulations are necessary for entry, but then additional reorganization of the SBA and CofC systems to help all the incoming generations of highly distracted, creative and slightly entitled Americans are only secondary to furthering easy access to proper community development loans by the banks we allowed to survive past 2009 by making them loans as taxpayers with faith in the powers that be.

Yet, now the banks restored, have tightened guidelines, so the rich grow richer, and the businesses, and taxpayers, continue to render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.  Where are our new business loans?  Where are the mortgage streamlines?  Where are the forclosure forestallments?

Somehow the banks feel that their request for $6 trillion in 2008 was more imperative than the last person they just turned down for the foreclosure prevention.  The sense of corporate citizenship needed to be a part of the conditions for TARP funds.

But it all belies the pretext, which is we rely upon perpetual escalation, warfare, and conflict in order to justify our War Economy.  Neither candidate is offering a vision of Peace, pax americana, or otherwise, where we save Billions by suing for peace, and restoring multilateral order as organized by International Laws and standards.


CONCLUSION

When the US grows up and more nimbly interacts with it's allies to defend our allies, then a huge peacetime savings will accrue.  Interestingly, the $5 trillion deficit most economists agree the RR "5-points" would incur, I estimate could be saved once a complete peace has been negotiated.

Except neither candidate is talking about restoring Liberty, Freedom, or Peace!

I already voted, and refrain from endorsing either candidate.  God save the USA, and may we vote without consideration of party.  VOTE!

My Personal 3rd Memorial Project

As most of my friends already know, my stepbrother passed away three years ago from Prostate Cancer. He was 36, and first met him when he wasn't yet three years old as my Mom and his Dad (now my Father, for all intents and purposes) were dating.

As his barely older stepbrother, I watched and witnessed much of his life half-lived, if ever fully and with a special connexion to the Earth, and how that ended with the tragedy of profound illness.

A genuine humanitarian, he was more often than not something of a defiant optimist, or at least pleasant pessimist. He was always learning and growing as his comprehension and measure of the world expanded. And all, to whom I have talked to since his passing, who may have only merely even met him, remember the strong impression he left – most would say he was a purposeful and friendly person.

As tragic as the whole saga was, there is still a lot we can do for people here and now.

In a blog before the elections, I began training for a 10K and started to raise funds for a Memorial Race in honor of my stepbrother.

But that was postponed until somewhere into Spring of 2011, and last I heard they may turn it into some other type of event (like rock climbing)?

So, as part of my goal setting exercises for 2011, I found a solution that allows me to continue the physical training I need to work on for my short, mid, and long-term goals, and continues to raise funds and awareness for ZERO and all the good work they are doing to combat Prostate Cancer.

Here it is:

I have, as I write this, on the third anniversary of my stepbrother’s passing, the goal of raising another $240 by year's end, and that would make an even $500 for this year; then I would like to try and raise another $2000 through to April 2nd, 2011, when I plan on running (either a 10K or half-marathon) trail race; and finally my tentative goal is to be fit enough to run a trail marathon for mid-September – and complete this fund-raising project for ZERO by raising a final $2500 – a Total of $5000 in one year!

I know with your help I can do it, but for me the important thing was to find an activity (trail running) that I am enjoying and make goals that met those needs, too.

I then have the privilege to know my getting healthy has not only purpose, but that everyone who has already chipped (and who will chip) in is part of my Team!

Thank you very much for your support, and Happy Holidays!!


-DONATE NOW-

New Tax Code

I really dont want to wade into the debate regarding the trial balloon, yet, but will say:

Close, but no cigar.

At least they didn't try to "please all the people all the time," and had political wisdom to understand that the recommendations wouldn't survive the congressional bile movements.

And I like they are starting down the road towards simplification, but some Tax deductions may be necessary.

That leads me to my only point;

They seem to forget that taxes, and the Relief therefrom, are the way to incentivize the citizenry and business alike.

Subsidies, tax breaks, and even certain "credit" type programs between the government and the citizens they propose to collect and protect (not be too cynical) from, can be made clear to create our future economy and growth from this recessionary hangover.

Ideas?

Status Updates

Although there is a ton of stuff I have yet to make comment on, at this juncture I just want to make some simple updates:

1. Only one Hemp Legalization Initiative made it to the ballot for November. This is the Tax Cannabis version sponsored by the Oaksterdam founder. I think there is only one problem with that, as articulated by the Jack Herer Initiative Sponsors, which is the tax is based upon pre-legalization commodity prices, and so is artificially high. Also, I would guess (blankly, as I haven't gone into the Budget Analysis) that this theoretical commodity price drop hasn't been totally accounted for once supply and demand equalize.

A further consideration is that there would be a "green wave" situation of markets in adjacent States trying to balance supply and demand, so the price should stay in the area of where it is now for a while, but only falsely (due to the pent up demand and high taxation estimated). How the Feds react is the XYZ factor....

Those are the two (the second consideration being a concern in the event of any of the proposed initiatives passing) things I can say that are against.

For: (a) re-prioritize prisons and law enforcement towards more problematic and anti-social problems; (b) generate much needed revenues (conversely, not included by the Budget Analysis [I further blankly guess] would be the knock-on to the state for "Hemp Tourism") for our State; (c) create tremendous small and medium business opportunities... in the non-intoxicating uses of commercial Hemp (building materials, food, paper products, etc.); and although I probably could drone on let's just round this out by saying that technically (d) this is a move to restore property rights, so that those illegal growers would leave our State and National parks alone (once they can just grow in their backyard, or for larger scale operations by permit on a farm).

Right now there is about a 50-50 chance of this passing, but Oaksterdam has quite a few rounds left (plus this could be a very colorful get out the vote season forthcoming).


2. Health Reform. They are now warming up the water that the frog is bathing in. In three years the frog will be ready to serve for dinner. That said, the bill is a pretty good start at equalizing the International disparities of competitive edges other International producers have over our system. We will still be one of the lowest taxed post-Industrialized nations, and still have a lot of room to improve the overall ability of the median person to receive good (let alone preventative) health care. I would like to see more emphasis on people not overeating, and doing regular exercise.


3. I just really want to repost this, because there is still a major disconnect between what is necessary for people to succeed at a fundamental level. Those who say there should be no tax and consequently no government are fooling themselves. The "good ole days," if ever there was such a thing was propped up by the New Deal, FHA, the GI Bill, and Jim Crow-- lest we should forget?


and finally


4. My sister and family continue the very personal battles which is the war on cancer. My step-brother's mother was recently made a board member to Zero. Congratulations!


I am still gathering my macroeconomic and ethical thoughts on the oil flooding into the Gulf as I write, but suffice to say I am at the very least very disappointed.

2010 CM Half Marathon Report

Here are my nieces that inspired me to raise funds for Gilda's Club. Thanks to everyone who helped and contributed-- we raised $750!


They ran the kids marathon the Friday before, where each kids has five weeks to run 25 miles on their own, and at the event they complete the last mile. They did an amazing job, and we had fun decorating their t-shirts the night before.


As for me, hanging out all day, teaching my nephew some football, and the stress of travel gave me a sore throat by Friday evening. I drank tons of fluids, just as I would, but further in anticipation of the humidity.


The morning of the race I my throat was okay, but now my sinuses were stuffed. So, I did my best to deal, and got off to the race on time.


Timing yesterday was perfect (for me): got on time to the Gilda's Gang photo shoot, and met a couple of the people there; got off to bag check at the opposite end of the park from where I met up; had a nice 5 minute stretch warm-up; was walking to my starting group when I heard the buzzer to start the race; and had just gotten into place when they were singing the anthem.


The run was a bit trying, (start was about 62' F and humid, two hours later was about 68'F and half an hour away from thunder humid-- felt 75'F) but with better rest (only got about five hours of sleep) and no cold-- I think I was on pace for the first ten miles to break two hours. I joked with a fellow on the shuttle bus that it seemed there were eight up hills and six downhills, and these were long and gradual ups and down-- so it was a challenge!


Although I was running my race even through mile 11 or so, the last hill and a half hit me pretty hard. My right hip was cranky, and with everything else I found I could walk faster than I could run at that point (a similar experience when running the two mile up hill for the Nike Women's Half-Marathon). Actually it felt good to race walk and stretch out the hips, but I was probably pacing about 14 minute miles to guess (I am still away from my computer as I write, and have been unable to load my Nike+ runs with other people's computers, so I am not totally sure about some of the particulars on pace).


I got to the last downhill, got to the last stretch which was flat into the stadium area (not into the stadium as I had somehow construed), and did my half mile dash-- like I did in the KP Half.

So, I did the damn thing, went big, and still came out faster than my first, but slower than my last. Not bad for fighting off a cold and running on fumes!

So, back to timing, seems I had alot of it: got on the first shuttle bus, met my mom for pickup right on time, and then as I was walking to the van it began to rain. And rain it did! I understand that not two hours later they ended up diverting anyone who was still running the marathon, and not long after that, they outright called the race-- shuttling people from various mile markers to the finish line!!!

But I was alseep at that point. My goal was to ice bath, hydrate, eat and then sleep; I ice bathed, half hydrated, and all but collapsed in exhaustion to just catch up on my last night's sleep. When I awoke in early afternoon, I finished hydrating, ate much food, and as I write this am glad to see I have no real injuries.






Finally, a big shout out to my sister, www.chemobabe.com, who continues to inspire me, as I hope she is inspired by my efforts to raise funds for LLS and Gilda's Club! Happy Birthday sis, and to those of you who don't know yet, she has been restaged to the lowest stage (1A) in the diagnosis of her breast cancer, and the probable outcome of survival and recurrance. Best birthday present ever.

Lost in the forest of arguments... The REAL big Business Argument for Health Care Reform

Okay lets start with some data:

As per http://bit.ly/MwulQ

HEALTH CARE SPENDING PER PERSON
Rank Countries Amount
# 1 United States: 4,271
# 2 Switzerland: 3,857
# 3 Norway: 3,182
# 4 Denmark: 2,785
# 5 Luxembourg: 2,731
# 6 Iceland: 2,701
# 7 Germany: 2,697
# 8 France: 2,288
# 9 Japan: 2,243
# 10 Netherlands: 2,173
# 11 Sweden: 2,145
# 12 Belgium: 2,137
# 13 Austria: 2,121
# 14 Canada: 1,939
# 15 Australia: 1,714
# 16 Finland: 1,704
# 17 Italy: 1,676
# 18 United Kingdom: 1,675
# 19 Israel: 1,607
# 20 Ireland: 1,569
# 21 United Arab Emirates: 1,428
# 22 New Zealand: 1,163
# 23 Spain: 1,043
# 24 Greece: 965
# 25 Portugal: 859
# 26 Slovenia: 746
# 27 Singapore: 678
# 28 Argentina: 654
# 29 Uruguay: 621
# 30 Bahamas, The: 612
# 31 Barbados: 601
# 32 Korea, South: 470
# 33 Lebanon: 469
# 34 Saint Kitts and Nevis: 408
# 35 Czech Republic: 380
# 36 Bahrain: 358
# 37 Hungary: 318
# 38 Brazil: 308
# 39 Chile: 289
# 40 Slovakia: 285
# 41 Costa Rica: 257
# 42 Poland: 248
# 43 Panama: 246
# 44 Estonia: 243
# 45 Mexico: 236
# 46 South Africa: 230
# 47 Colombia: 227
# 48 Dominica: 208
# 49 Trinidad and Tobago: 204
# 50 Grenada: 193
# 51 Lithuania: 183
# 52 Antigua and Barbuda: 179
# 53 Venezuela: 171
# 54 Latvia: 166
# 55 Jamaica: 157
# 56 Turkey: 153
# 57 Saint Lucia: 151
# 58 Maldives: 150
# 59 El Salvador: 143
# 60 Namibia: 142
# 61 Peru: 141
# 62 Jordan: 139
# 63 Iran: 128
# 64 Botswana: 127
# 65 Gabon: 122
# 66 Mauritius: 120
# 67 Syria: 116
# 68 Thailand: 112
# 69 Tunisia: 108
# 70 Burma: 97
# 71 Dominican Republic: 95
= 72 Fiji: 86
= 72 Paraguay: 86
= 72 Romania: 86
# 75 Belarus: 85
# 76 Belize: 82
# 77 Malaysia: 81
# 78 Guatemala: 78
# 79 Honduras: 74
# 80 Bolivia: 69
= 81 Kazakhstan: 62
= 81 Bulgaria: 62
# 83 Ecuador: 59
# 84 Nicaragua: 54
# 85 Guyana: 51
# 86 Swaziland: 46
= 87 Congo, Democratic Republic of the: 40
= 87 China: 40
= 89 Cape Verde: 37
= 89 Philippines: 37
= 91 Albania: 36
= 91 Zimbabwe: 36
= 91 Bhutan: 36
# 94 Kenya: 31
= 95 Nigeria: 30
= 95 Turkmenistan: 30
# 97 Sri Lanka: 29
= 98 Cote d'Ivoire: 28
= 98 Ukraine: 28
= 100 Uzbekistan: 25
= 100 Papua New Guinea: 25
= 102 Senegal: 23
= 102 Zambia: 23
# 104 Haiti: 21
= 105 Ghana: 19
= 105 Mauritania: 19
= 105 Guinea: 19
= 108 Pakistan: 18
= 108 Uganda: 18
= 110 Vietnam: 17
= 110 Cambodia: 17
# 112 Georgia: 16
= 113 Gambia, The: 13
= 113 Tajikistan: 13
= 115 Benin: 12
= 115 Bangladesh: 12
= 117 Nepal: 11
= 117 Malawi: 11
= 117 Mali: 11
= 117 Kyrgyzstan: 11
# 121 Rwanda: 10
= 122 Burkina Faso: 9
= 122 Central African Republic: 9
= 122 Togo: 9
= 125 Indonesia: 8
= 125 Mozambique: 8
= 125 Sierra Leone: 8
# 128 Chad: 7
# 129 Laos: 6
= 130 Niger: 5
= 130 Madagascar: 5
= 130 Burundi: 5
# 133 Ethiopia: 4


Compare (as per http://lauraschneider.wordpress.com/2009/06/20/where-does-america-rank-in-healthcare-quality-and-efficiency/);

Table 1. Overall efficiency in all WHO member states
[Country names shortened by blogger]

1 France 96 Fiji
2 Italy 97 Benin
3 San Marino 98 Nauru
4 Andorra 99 Romania
5 Malta 100 St. Kitts & Nevis
6 Singapore 101 Moldova
7 Spain 102 Bulgaria
8 Oman 103 Iraq
9 Austria 104 Armenia
10 Japan 105 Latvia
11 Norway 106 Yugoslavia
12 Portugal 107 Cook Islands
13 Monaco 108 Syria
14 Greece 109 Azerbaijan
15 Iceland 110 Suriname
16 Luxembourg 111 Ecuador
17 Netherlands 112 India
18 U.K. 113 Cape Verde
19 Ireland 114 Georgia
20 Switzerland 115 El Salvador
21 Belgium 116 Tonga
22 Colombia 117 Uzbekistan
23 Sweden 118 Comoros
24 Cyprus 119 Samoa
25 Germany 120 Yemen
26 Saudi Arabia 121 Niue
27 U.A.E. 122 Pakistan
28 Israel 123 Micronesia
29 Morocco 124 Bhutan
30 Canada 125 Brazil
31 Finland 126 Bolivia
32 Australia 127 Vanuatu
33 Chile 128 Guyana
34 Denmark 129 Peru
35 Dominica 130 Russia
36 Costa Rica 131 Honduras
37 U.S.A. 132 Burkina Faso
38 Slovenia 133 Sao Tome & Principe
39 Cuba 134 Sudan
40 Brunei Darussalam 135 Ghana
41 New Zealand 136 Tuvalu
42 Bahrain 137 Côte d’Ivoire
43 Croatia 138 Haiti
44 Qatar 139 Gabon
45 Kuwait 140 Kenya
46 Barbados 141 Marshall Islands
47 Thailand 142 Kiribati
48 Czech Republic 143 Burundi
49 Malaysia 144 China
50 Poland 145 Mongolia
51 Dominican Republic 146 Gambia
52 Tunisia 147 Maldives
53 Jamaica 148 Papua New Guinea
54 Venezuela 149 Uganda
55 Albania 150 Nepal
56 Seychelles 151 Kyrgyzstan
57 Paraguay 152 Togo
58 South Korea 153 Turkmenistan
59 Senegal 154 Tajikistan
60 Philippines 155 Zimbabwe
61 Mexico 156 Tanzania
62 Slovakia 157 Djibouti
63 Egypt 158 Eritrea
64 Kazakhstan 159 Madagascar
65 Uruguay 160 Viet Nam
66 Hungary 161 Guinea
67 Trinidad & Tobago 162 Mauritania
68 St. Lucia 163 Mali
69 Belize 164 Cameroon
70 Turkey 165 Laos
71 Nicaragua 166 Congo
72 Belarus 167 North Korea
73 Lithuania 168 Namibia
74 St. Vincent & the Grenadines 169 Botswana
75 Argentina 170 Niger
76 Sri Lanka 171 Equatorial Guinea
77 Estonia 172 Rwanda
78 Guatemala 173 Afghanistan
79 Ukraine 174 Cambodia
80 Solomon Islands 175 South Africa
81 Algeria 176 Guinea-Bissau
82 Palau 177 Swaziland
83 Jordan 178 Chad
84 Mauritius 179 Somalia
85 Grenada 180 Ethiopia
86 Antigua & Barbuda 181 Angola
87 Libya 182 Zambia
88 Bangladesh 183 Lesotho
89 Macedonia 184 Mozambique
90 Bosnia & Herzegovina 185 Malawi
91 Lebanon 186 Liberia
92 Indonesia 187 Nigeria
93 Iran 188 Congo
94 Bahamas 189 Central African Republic
95 Panama 190 Myanmar
191 Sierra Leone


And finally this from the OECD:

Country Life expectancy Infant mortality rate % of health costs paid by government
Australia 81.4 4.2 67.7
Canada 80.7 5.0 69.8
France 81.0 4.0 79.0
Germany 79.8 3.8 76.9
Japan 82.6 2.6 81.3
Norway 80.0 3.0 83.6
Sweden 81.0 2.5 81.7
UK 79.1 4.8 81.7
USA 78.1 6.7 45.4

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So, really the argument comes in this last part.

Lets take the #1, France, and see that they have a competitive advantage of about 33% on base costs 54 cents on the dollar-- in other words my American Company has to pay about 15 extra cents for every dollar a French company pay in Health Care costs for care that ranks 36 places worse!

Lets take the silver medalists, Italy: In 2005, Italy spent 8.9% of GDP on health care, or US$2,714 per capita. Of that, approximately 76% was government expenditure. My American Company has to pay a premium of (~44% @ 64 cents per) ~ 28 cents extra for every dollar my Italian competitors pay for health care that ranks 35 places better.

Finally, the bronze, Singapore (I couldn't find adequate stats for the other four ahead of this one). Overall spending on health care amounts to only 3% of annual GDP. Of that, 66% comes from private sources, according to the WHO. So my American company will be paying an adjustment of 101% against their costs, but their cost are about $678 per person! pretty much straight forward math then ($4271-678)*.99= $3557 per person more for health care that is about 30 places less efficient!

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Do you get the picture?!

We subsidize corn, oil, and all sorts of other industries, yet somehow we let our workers and the companies who want to care about them compete against other countries who have government advantages!

This is equivalent to allowing every country to dump subsidized products from every sector onto our market!

Think about it....

Top Ten Triggers For the Snowe Health Bill Compromise Proposal

10. When there are more than 100,000 homeless people without health insurance coverage

9. When there are more than 100,000 people who lose health insurance (and can't afford the COBRA) when they lose their jobs

8. When Real Unemployment average for the USA is over 10.00% (currently ~17%)

7. When the average Californian has a 1 of 5 chance of claim denial by the top six insurance agencies (currently ~22%)

6. If a "death panel" of Insurance Actuaries, middle managers, and cost comptrollers deny someone coverage because of a "pre-existing condition"

5. If a "bankruptcy panel" of Insurance Actuaries, middle managers, and cost comptrollers deny someone's claim and they have to declare Bankruptcy

4. When the next 15,000 Americans become uninsured (that would be tomorrow)

3. When Insurance cost efficiencies exceed 15.00% (they currently average ~30%)

2. Before the next grandmother, a.k.a. "Granny," dies because a life saving treatment is denied by the health care coverage (HMO, Insurance, etc.)

1. Before the next child dies because a life saving treatment is denied by the health care coverage (HMO, Insurance, etc.)

Ethics 505: Health Care Solution-Koan

For all who would have an impact on treatment, care, practice, regulation, profit, expense, or any other involvement between the ancient and sacred connexion between physician and patient, they too must forswear all else for the primacy of the Hippocratic Oath, "Above all, Do No Harm."

(That includes Insurance companies, HMOs, Hospitals, Hospices, State and Fedral run Health programs... et. al.)