I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

From the New York Times, June 5:

In February, more than 130,000 Minnesota residents who lack health insurance became eligible for coverage when the state expanded its Medicaid program under the health care reform law. That will save the state $129 million in the first two years alone.

Wisconsin, however, has chosen to take the path of indifference. On Tuesday, the Republicans who control the State Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee voted to reject the expansion of Medicaid, even though it would have covered 85,000 people at less cost to the state. The committee was marching in lock step behind the governor, Scott Walker, who claims to be worried that federal financing will run out. What’s really going on, of course, is that state Republicans have made poor people the victims of their ideological resistance to President Obama and his health care law.

That infection has spread to 25 states, mostly with Republican leaders, that have said no to the Medicaid expansion or are resisting it. As Robert Pear of The Timesrecently reported, more than half of all people without health insurance live in states that are not planning to expand coverage. Many of those states already do a terrible job of covering the poor and have no interest in changing their ways, no matter the financial incentive.

On Medicaid, education and many other issues, the map of the United States is becoming a patchwork of conscience and callousness. People on one side of a state line have access to health care, strong public schools and colleges, and good transportation systems, while those on the other side do not. The breakdown of a sense of national unity in Washington is now reflected across the country, as more than two dozen states begin to abandon traditions of responsible government.

Oh Blue - that dog, those eyes, that "I Peed on Everything" - that was our old lab Faro who lived to be 15 and the longer he lived the more separation anxiety he had...

Can't type much today - right arm nerves are "singing".

Blue - loved the New Zealand speech. 

OK cat and parrot - how adorable is that?

Bren - not sure I want to go, but we'll see. They do bring them over here - we just had one go back who was hopeless - poor bloke - they obviously hadn't trained him. I hate the whole outsourcing thing, it's our jobs that are ultimately threatened, why help in speeding that up. However, I do know they are worried they will lose key staff - we had 3 guys leave and join a project in another city for another insurance company and that shook them up a bit.

Blue - love the kitty and the parrot - so cute.

Glenna - that's GREAT to hear  about your son!! You should both feel really proud.

Belinda, I like you chic new avatar. :-)

Hospitals? Good experiences here.

I frankly don't worry too much about the NSA hacking my Verizon account - let me re-phrase that - the thought of it is alarming, but not the reality. Can you imagine the millions of calls they would have to troll through to find something really worthwhile? Human beings are just not as efficient as our technology allows. If the opposite were true, identity theft would not be possible. Arrest records would ALWAYS be checked and not only after someone has reoffended. The government would not have to take your fingerprints a million times because agencies would share data. So, no, I can't it bugs me to have the NSA have access to an account of mine.

Blue....one of my all time favorite songs.  Have to admit... since I was from a small town, for  some time I didn't quite get the song -- just liked it.  Then realized it was  a hippie drug song.  Sigh !!!!  I missed a lot being from a very small town...........but then, some of the things were great to miss.  Did not have some of the "troubles" others did.

I'm not too put out about my cell phone records.  I make two calls a year....maybe.  So go right ahead and get your jollies or whatever.  Seriously, early on I saw that looking over my shoulder and worrying about what I said to whom likely would not cut it at all........and now I find that at my age nothing much disturbs me as I have nothing to hide and the only thing that ever bothers me much are those darn obstructionist Republicans.  Worthless bunch.  Not brought up well, lack of morals.  Karma is a great thing though.....and you can't hide from that or talk your way out of it. 

Jackie