Quote Of The Day: Cash For Geezers?
Letter to the editor of the New Times by Robert Pankhurst:
“On my drive home yesterday, an advertisement over my car radio told me how much the Cancer Society needed old cars donated to help them fight cancer. Then I remembered watching the Youtube video where cars were turned in for the government program called “Cash for Clunkers.”
They took in cars, some better than mine, and they poured sodium silicate, made from sand and lye, down the carburetor while the car was running. The cars stopped and will never run again. The cars were finally crushed. The plan was to help the failing auto industry because we would now have to build 500,000 new cars.
As I pulled into the driveway, I was thinking, “Is this the same government that I want to take care of my healthcare in my old age?” It all became quite clear this morning when I read the article in the morning paper about the government plan to pay doctors to have a yearly “end of life discussion” with their patients.”
Some people identify with their cars far too much …
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Death panels have been a fact in the insurance industry for a long time. They evaluate cost of repair vs. value and determine if your car is going to be fixed or scrapped. I lost a beloved Nissan Maxima this way years ago. End of life counseling should never be the determination of the government. I think I'm perfectly capable of determining weather my car is worth the cost of a new transmission or engine. Wait, we are still talking about cars here right?
Anyone who thinks I was criticizing government in general is sorely mistaken. I was simply commenting on the possible problems with any particular government that would choose to fund programs like these while neglecting to pay for other forms of health care. I personally support universal health care and am quite willing to pay my fair share of taxes to help maintain it. Maybe I'm just too 'Canadian,' but there it is...
I plan on dying in a very high speed, fiery crash in a late 60's muscle car. Do I get extra credit?
Ample interesting reading within this thread. I opt to have my component body parts torn asunder within the Mopar. Other issue, during the years-long battle against multiple cancers most of those "in the loop," including me and her husband, were in agreement that most (perhaps all) the doctors, medical facilities and hospitals involved viewed her as a regular huge money source to be treated in the most expensive manner possible using as many resources (various tests, scans, procedures, etc) to maximize income. The payment provider for almost all the resources was by the taxpayer from the years the old man (deceased over three decades ago) worked for the feds. Despite having married a couple years after her first husband's death (that was dad) mom was still covered by dad's insurance. Many multi-millions of dollars of claims paid with little scrutiny and bandied about pert-near willy-nilly. Admittedly, those extra funds DID assist in paying for the free medical care so many illegal "future citizen" aliens receive. Mom and hubby did try to notify the feds that they believed MANY of the tests, etc. ordered by the docs were unnecessary and merely greatly increased their income stream. (note: many testing firms are owned by doctors or various consortiums that pay for referrals, such as doctors sending their patients. The "medical industry is extremely complicated and convoluted with a horde of hands skimming wealth from the huge pile of bucks..... too many hands spoiling the...........). Anyway, eventually, mom said screw it and ceased all treatments, tests etc. and hospice set up her house to die in. The very powerful pain killer provided (some politicians, laws, statutes attempt to prohibit this due to the possibility the user may become addicted..???????? and in some locales USA citizens are condemned to die in agony!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) was used with discretion and as needed. I asked the visiting nurse who showed up at times and more often towards the end about "end of life matters" with one general question resulting in a nod towards the pain reliever and that in the latter stages when consciousness was fleeting or gone than a few extra drops orally would not be questioned in that particular state I had my answer but was assured the recommended dosage was adequate to ensure no undue pain, etc. etc. No, not a fun time but that's life. This tale is but ONE anecdote BUT I believe the most relevant aspect is that there are, in too many (all?) instances of medical care (and health insurance) within the USA that too MANY greedy hands, unneeded hands, are reaching out and grabbing dollars that should be going to medical care and necessary related costs. So much bloat. So much overhead. Created "costs" manufactured to provide a means for the unscrupulous parasites to skim off enormous amounts of wealth. Might as well put the Mafia in charge of all medically-related whatever. The overhead would likely be less and those blokes would ensure efficiency or else!!!!!! I noted the "reform" offered via Obama's "plan" ignored the "skim." Too many powerful/wealthy folks/firms/organizations/etc. involved. Oh well................ greed uber alles. Wear your seat belts, kids.