Local Global Political: 2011

Here is an article from CNN, which talks about Wisconsin Republican congressman Paul Ryan's budget proposal. Note the disconnect from reality within the GOP when they unveil a budget which actually LOWERS the tax rate on the richest Americans from 35% down to 25%. And this is after a majority of the American people have been screaming for the rich to pay higher taxes, and thus pay their responsible share of the US economy which affords them their wealth. Simply incredible. How does anyone actually vote for these idiots?

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Large cash prize for health risk algorithm interesting, implications frightening.

Company Offers $3 Million for an Algorithm That Predicts Whether You'll Get Sick 15 Years From Now (via PopSci Android App)

This article about the $3 million prize for an algorithm that can predict whether you will get sick is interesting, but doesn't have a lot of information. On first guess, this sounds like an attempt on behalf of insurance companies to find ways to continue charging more for the sick and the poor. I could see it used as a good engine for a preventative medicine and health improvement tool, but it doesn't sound likely that this is the case.

[Update] Upon further inspection, the company's website does say that they are not an insurance company and that they do not stand to gain financially by solving this 'problem', but I fail to see how this is a huge problem in the first place. Their website claims that there are $30 billion in unnecessary hospital visits a year, which doesn't sound accurate to me. People get symptoms, and doctors are unavailable, what do they do? Go to the hospital. This shouldn't be construed as unnecessary, as one of the main tenets of the Hippocratic oath is to ease pain. If more doctors aren't willing to make house calls or be on call 24-7, then they should expect many of their patients to go to the hospital for problems that could be easily diagnosed elsewhere. I also don't really see how this will decrease hospital visits, unless used as I described in heavily specified preventative medicine and health improvement, but I don't see this simply ending up in a 'HealthChecker' app...Seems to me like the method of use of this algorithm that the company is describing could only be used well in some setting like a website where your information was gauranteed to be private, and you could check in and track health, get tips, or check symptoms....kind of like WebMD.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Firefighters, Cops warn anti-union republicans.

Firefighters, Cops Warn Republicans Anti-Union Stance Has Consequences: via HuffPost

The GOP needs to check themselves before they riggedy-wreck themselves! Seriously though, they need to heed this warning.

Wisconsin GOP Rep. "I struggle to meet my bills" with $174,000 per year salary.

http://www.mediaite.com/online/video-of-rep-sean-duffy-complaining-about-his-174000-salary-hits-internet-wisconsin-gop-tries-to-get-it-off/

Here's a good article about Sean Duffy, the GOP Congressman from Wisconsin, talking about how he feels the pain of the budget crunch along with his constituents because he only earns a paltry $174,000 per year salary. Poor guy! In related news, the Democrats, in their never ending humanitarian efforts, have started a clothing and food drive...

GOP Rep. defends rights of drunk drivers....No, really. This is not an April Fool's joke...

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/31/montana-rep-alan-hale-says-dui-laws-are-destroying-a-way-of-li/ Seriously? Can the GOP sink any lower? This Montana Rep. says drunk driving laws are "destroying a way of life" that is important to Montana. Apparently, the freedom to drive drunk is more important to this guy than the freedom to live. Here is the Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_QNa-bCKc&feature=player_embedded

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Florida Gov. Scott would not have been elected if FL voters knew his true agenda.

Floridians May Be Starting To Understand Their Governor Is A Grifter: via HuffPost

Great article illustrating Gov. Scott's true colors.

GOP house rep.: "We are here to serve Wall Street." not the people.

GOP Congressman vs. Elizabeth Warren: via HuffPost

Wow. A blatant admission of Republlican priorities. How anyone votes for these people is beyond comprehension.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Scott Walker given 2nd chance to stop breaking the law.

Wisconsin Judge Blocks Further Implementation Of Union Law: via HuffPost

Great news for Wisconsin! Judge reiterates ruling, says anti union bill blocked.

Architect of RomneyCare angry at Mitt Romney

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/29/jonathan-gruber-mitt-romney-health-care_n_842153.html

Here is a link to an article in which Jonathan Gruber, the MIT genius involved in forming both Massachusetts and the Federal health care plans, explains much of the differences between the two. He also expresses his frustration at a politician who turned his back on a good piece of legislation...worth a read.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/25/news/economy/tax_increase/

Here is a link to an excellent article about why we have to raise some of our taxes. The article actually does a great job of explaining the major budget/deficit/debt issues, and why the GOP are kidding themselves with their anti-tax positions. Raising taxes on the richer Americans is absolutely necessary if we want to solve our current financial problems. We tax the upper incomes less than any other developed nation, and then sit around arguing about why we are in debt so badly, and how to fix it. I encourage any and everyone to also visit the Tax Policy Center website, and look through some of the historical information. It is interesting to see our highest income tax rates to go from 92% to 91% to 90% to 70% to 50% to 40% to 35% to 34%....visit the site here: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/index.cfm Say what you want about their leanings....History knows no partisanship.

Friday, March 25, 2011

GOP sees labor movement as 'anti-business'.

link:http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/03/23/maine.labor.mural/index.html A plan by Maine GOP Governor Paul LePage to remove a mural depicting the history of the workers movement from the state's labor department lobby and to rename conference rooms dedicated to union icons was met with outrage Wednesday from leaders of organized labor in that state. "It's a spiteful, mean-spirited move by the governor that does nothing to create jobs or improve the Maine economy," said Maine AFL-CIO President Don Berry. At issue is a 36-foot-long, 11-panel mural in the Maine Labor Department lobby that includes depictions of working children, Rosie the Riveter, a Depression-era strike at a shoe factory and workers casting ballots, among other scenes. Also at issue are such names as Cesar Chavez and Frances Perkins, which are affixed to conference rooms in the building. Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association. Perkins, the first woman to hold a Cabinet-level position in the United States, served as labor secretary under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. LePage, according to administration officials, decided to remove the mural and rename the conference rooms after visitors complained that they were anti-business. "We have received feedback that the administration building is not perceived as equally receptive to both businesses and workers -- primarily because of the nature of the mural in the lobby and the names of our conference rooms," wrote acting Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Boyett in a department memo on Tuesday. "Whether or not the perception is valid is not really at issue and therefore, not open to debate," she wrote. "If either of our two constituencies perceives that they are not welcome in our administration building, and this translates to a belief that their needs will not be heard or met by this department, then it presents a barrier to achieving our mission." To underscore the point, the governor's office recently released a written complaint from a visitor to the state's labor office to the Portland Press Herald. "In this mural I observed a figure which closely resembles the former commissioner of labor," the visitor wrote, according to the newspaper. "In studying the mural I also observed that this mural is nothing but propaganda to further the agenda of the Union movement. I felt for a moment that I was in communist North Korea where they use these murals to brainwash the masses." The letter writer identified himself as "A Secret Admirer," the newspaper reported. Adrienne Bennett, press secretary for the governor, told CNN that talks about the mural started months ago and that it was decided that the artwork in the labor department lobby and the names of the conference rooms should not show favoritism to either labor or business. "We understand the value of history and respect the artist -- we are now exploring options of where it can go. We want to find the appropriate place for it. We want to find a new home for it, " Bennett said. "There is no deadline for the removal." Bennett said the Maine Arts Commission is helping find a new site for the mural. Boyett said her agency will hold a naming contest for the conference rooms. Berry called the decision to remove the mural "an insult to working men and women." "The history of Maine is a history of hard-working people. The mural tells their story," Berry said. "And it's a story that deserves to be told and it deserves to have a place on the walls of the Department of Labor."