Canada's National Healthcare cost VS US Healthcare cost - 2007 data

Many in Obama's camp are parading Canada's "National" healthcare - and what the extolling virtues of that plan are - after all - they don't pay anything for a heart transplant or any other service. Well, my scholarly Obamites - let's compare Canada's tax rate and health premiums with the US (using my income/taxes etc)

NOTE: Please see end of post for source research links.


In the US (2007 rates):
Total Income tax on household - $21,000
Medical Insurance (Family of 4) - $3,600
RX Drugs - $900 (Thyroid disease - mine)
Office visits - $100 (10 /year - family of 4 for 2007)
Total Medical Expense + Taxes 2007 - $25,600

In Canada 2007 rates:
Total Income tax on household - $$40,894
Medical Insurance to cover additional expense (Family of 4 )- $3,600
(increased care provided to = what I have now)
RX Drugs - $720 (Thyroid disease - mine)
Office visits - $140 (10 /year - family of 4 for 2007)
Total Medical Expense + Taxes 2007 - $45,354

Difference in cost:
Canada: $45,354
US: $25,600
______________
$19,754 MORE in my pocket in the current US System.

DO I REALLY need to say more?????

SOURCE -
Canadian Info: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/faq/taxrates-e.html
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/170/13/1906
US Info: My 2007 tax return

Do you still think Obama's "National Healthcare" is such a great plan? We all know Washington gets very gluttonous with new programs and fees so the cost will likely be more than this. Personally, I prefer to keep the almost $20K in my pocket.....

Moms - have you let yourself go?

Recently, I was participating in an online board talking about the new Suave Commercials that depict a "Mom" who - after children - has let herself go to pot. There was a great deal of angst on the boards about how important your children are and that your looks don't matter. While I can definitely agree on the level of tasks, to do's and a myriad of other things on a Mom's "Most Important" List; I do have to agree with a number of bloggers here and there that many Mom's DO let themselves go - and join the "I want to look natural" group. This, ladies, is NOT the best choice you can make - for yourself, your children and - importantly - your marriage.

I am a 41 year old, red-headed Mom of 2; a Professional Software Architect; business owner; horse owner (barn chick cleaning 5 stalls daily). Despite the typical 16+ hour day, everyday I put on fresh, flattering clothes, do my hair with highlights, painted nails and apply some cosmetics - enough so my husband is well aware I am his wife, not his brother. I do this not only for my husband (which is ultimately for me) but for me and the whole family. I don't pretend to be anyone. It took work and effort to become who I am and I love that person - including every wrinkle, stretch mark and scar.

Why do I say that my looking put together - if not always professional is important to the family? Because it reflects on the family - your husband in social circles (ever run into an Exec from your DH's company or their spouse at the grocery/soccer/tutor's? I have - and I feel more confident when I have my "best face" forward.

When you show up at your child's school for a PTA meeting, Room Mom (yes, I do schedule time for this) or teacher conference in your sweats and bunny slippers, it makes you child look bad - sorry - it is true - first impressions are the only impression you get to make.

It is all about confidence. When you know you look good (not "date" night or fashionista) you walk taller. You project an image of confident ability. When you look like a schlumpy, frumpy, dowdy housekeeper, people assume you are a slob.

Sorry ladies - I know I will get roasted for this - but I don't care: the truth hurts. Your Au natural face is not (in most cases) the best you can look. A light quick cosmetically enhanced look is simple and important.

I do not mean full-on war paint. Tinted moisturizer or mineral powder foundation a little bronzer, mascara and lip gloss is the difference between looking old and tired - or young and fresh. You can do this in 5 minutes flat and there is NO ONE that doesn't have 5 minutes to themselves to feel pretty and confident.

It doesn't matter that some of you think you are being "feminist" and "strong" by rejecting cosmetics, heels, hose and dressing up. Pampering myself isn't "bad" or selfish - it shows respect for me - by giving myself time to recharge; it shows respect for my husband - I'm worth it, I deserve it and I love to spend that little extra time. I think that is being "feminist" - because it is MY choice.

I'm no super Mom - and don't pretend to be. I mess up royally sometimes - we all do. The fact remains, some Mom's let themselves go. Some look like washed out men with breasts. "Choose" to look as you like...bottom line, without a little care and attention; even the most beautiful 20-something "earth mother" gets to looking a little....haggard around the edges.

Image matters. You may not like to hear it, but it does. It may not be fair and you can protest all you want - but I would hazard a guess that if your husband came home and you had put a little time into your image (lip gloss, powder, mascara - 2 minutes girls) he would take a second look and notice. You may not care...but, he might.

Some guys commented on the board that they like it when women care how they look. Think they are cavemen? Perhaps your guy thinks the same. Maybe not....but remember - they spend their work day exposed to sharp women who DO care about their image. Then they come home...

Solutions to our Economic Crunch - from an everyday ordinary person.

The economy is in shambles and all we hear is how Washington is scrambling to solve these “tough” issues. Well, I am no brain surgeon, but listed below are solutions to many of the problems facing us today.

The big problems in the economy?

The Fed -

• Lowering interest rates for over a year has devalued the dollar on the world market
  Inflation is at 17 year highs – we aren’t aware of this because Washington changed the way they calculate and report inflation since the 1980’s. If calculated in the same manner as it was 17+ years ago, today’s inflation rate is 11% (pretty Carter-esque isn’t it?)



• A devalued dollar is causing inflation on gas, oil, and food.
  If interest rates were increased .5 - .75% - the corresponding drop in oil prices would be (reported by an oil & gas analyst to Congress in January) 20 - 30 dollars a barrel.

Global Warming Hoax -

• We all hear the scare tactics on TV. Here are a few real facts (go ahead and Google or research these little tidbits, they are out there – it is just that no one looks because they get their news from TV…)



• The IPCC has accepted as correct and acknowledged the findings in a new climate change research report which finds that the so called Global Warming stopped in 1998. Since 1998, the earth has cooled .7 degrees.



• Global Warming has been changed to say "Global Climate Change". The UN, Al Gore's, etc want to keep "Climate Change" as a big issue because of the money it generates for these people/organizations.



• The US Presidential Candidates are all looking at a "carbon tax". Each of these Senators have been briefed - in the Senate - by leading authorities that there is no Global Warming, yet their platforms still insist on a carbon tax.

Lack of meaningful Energy Policy -

• This country needs to suck up a number of things to solve the "oil" issue once and for all. Political leaders need to have the cajones to put the Environmental Groups in their place. If these people had their way, we would all be sitting in the dark in a cave someplace freezing to death and not eating anything but weeds.



• We need to drill ANYPLACE there are oil reserves: ANWR; Off Southern Coast, etc - this doesn't have to be forever, just until we can get other alternatives up and running. The Caribou will be fine for a couple of decades.



• We need to build new Nuclear Power plants to produce cheap electricity. France runs 85% of their electric power on nuclear plants for over 35 years and have had no problems or issues. They also use technology to re-use their fuel rods - cutting down on waste by over 80%. (Are we not at least as smart as France?)



• We have more than the equivalent of Coal Reserves in the US that Saudi Arabia has in oil. Through new technologies that are environmentally clean, we can produce liquid fuels (Gasoline, home heating oil, diesel, etc) from coal - with 100% of the CO2 captured - which can then be used to improve oil wells production in the form of underground pressure. This results in no increase of CO2 in the air. (though, if you read above, you will be able to infer that Al Gore's model of direct increase in temperature based on increase in CO2 is flawed since CO2 has risen since 1998, yet temperatures have fallen.



• Electric; gas electric; diesel electric cars are the answer to transportation questions for the future. Battery technology is improving. There are currently cars being tested that have a 400 mile range on a single charge.



• Solar and wind power can be used in new home construction to improve energy efficiency.
  If we instituted these changes, in 4 years we could have much of the infrastructure in place and online and in under 10 years (like 8) we could be free of ALL foreign oil. (Not just Mid-east, but ALL - Canada, Mexico, etc) This set of changes would also create MASSIVE amounts of new jobs - at all levels, blue collar, technical, white collar; thus improving our economy.

Politicians -

• Many of the politicians in Washington have never worked or succeeded in any other arena than politics. Without skills outside of politics, they know nothing in depth about this country and its people.



• Regular people in the US - teachers, doctors, community leaders - all need to take up the banner and replace the career politicians with honest ordinary people. This is the model the Founding Fathers envisioned - people serving their country in this way for a short time - and then going HOME to their REAL lives.

"We The People" need to be encouraging and DEMANDING that our political leaders do the same, we will all be much more successful in our own personal lives - and the shining country would be back where we all want the US to be - a world leader. If not, we can send them home to give a new career a try – I’m sure it’ll do them good.

Why not pass this on to your Representatives in Washington…Maybe they will wake up.

Higher Taxes - No, REALLY!

I am distressed with the budgetary hearings that have been reported in the news. The Bush tax cuts are one of the only good things in the economy right now. I say that because our citizens were in a similar position in the 1970's with extreme interest rates, staggering inflation and high taxes. Our economy and employment failures and troubles were legendary. With the Democratic budget proposal we face all of that and more.

$683 billion dollars in tax hikes – including the .50/gallon proposed fuel tax to fight the fictional man-made global warming, plus the ridiculous run up in fuel prices caused by the oil futures speculation market will bury citizens and the country. Aiming tax rate increases on those who are making $30k for individual and $60k for couples is ludicrous. Most people who have a degree and are 2 worker families are making those amounts of money. They are also struggling under record fuel prices – which are driving record food prices.

You have to eat – and feed your kids and you have to drive to get to work. Short of those 2 activities, people will not be doing much this year. The price of milk has risen from $1.99/gallon last summer to over $5.00/gallon now. That is a 280% increase in under a year. Ground beef has risen 167% in that same time frame. Boneless chicken has risen 220%. Gasoline has gone up 132% over the same time last year. ($2.53/gallon to $3.35/gallon - I am so happy I keep track of these prices in a spreadsheet)

If you average those numbers together, you get an average increase of 139% over last year on necessary items – that is an inflation rate on those items that is much higher than the government reported rate of 3.4%. 3.4% - WHERE do they get that number?

I do not know about you, but my salary has not risen at the same rate as consumer goods. In fact, my salary stayed the same this year – due to cost cutting measures. So, I lost purchasing power and we have tightened our budget. That is true of most Americans.

My suggestion to all of our officials is to cut the baloney and act in a way that will help – not drown the people they represent. Otherwise, many political leaders may find themselves looking for a job in November. I suggest Nancy Pelosi and her counterpart in the Senate get a real clue on how Americans feel.

NOW how good do Obama and Hilary look to you?

Reference to the Tax Hike information: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,337588,00.html#

The Ripple Effect from Oil Speculation

I would like to know WHAT our elected leaders are doing to help Americans with fuel prices. Please do not talk to me about supply and demand. Our supplies are at a high – we have put gasoline into the reserves for the past 18 weeks. Do not talk to me about crude oil inventories. Our crude inventories have gone up – and a drop was reported last week – which sent prices higher – because the crude was off the shore in Houston due to heavy fog.

No, what I want to hear our “leaders” talking about is the oil speculation market. The oil futures/speculation market has driven the price of oil to extremes over the past 3 – 4 years. It became a noticeable evil in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast. Let me give you a few facts that are on the internet – easily able to be verified through some Google searches. About 8 years ago, there was ~9 billion dollars invested in the oil futures market. It drove prices, but it was not bad. Today, there is over $250 billion dollars in that market. I would not be surprised to hear that most of our elected officials are heavily invested in that market.

It needs to end. Caps need to be set on that market. The Government (God help me for saying this) needs to step in and shut those swindling thieves down. Why do I say that? After all, this is a capitalist society, right? Wrong. This is a closed market. There is no entrepreneurship in this club. I cannot go out and start my own oil company or refinery. It is a closed market. That makes it a monopoly and since the Administration was all interested in Bill Gates monopoly in software, why are they doing nothing about the oil market?

I do not want to hear any more about OPEC or any other influences. OPEC is right. The US has botched this market SO BADLY that it has been one of two driving factors in this recession. Yes, we are in a recession.

When the cost of milk goes from $1.99 to $5.00+ a gallon in less than a year, which is a lot more than the Administration's 18% price increase reported in the news – that indicates stagflation – after all, my salary did not go up to meet that increase. Those price hikes are across the board – ground beef - $1.79 a pound last summer is now $2.99 a pound less than a year later. What is the Administration waiting for? People are giving up out here, for God’s sake – the Administration thinks a stupid $600 check is going to solve this? I cannot believe the House and the Senate would be that stupid.

Do you think Americans are idiots? They know that oil prices drive gas. Gas prices drive food, clothes, and etc prices. Using corn ethanol (another staggeringly stupid move to appease Iowa farmers and the farm lobby) is cutting into the food supply. That in turn raises food prices. It is also forcing ranchers to kill their beef sooner and not replace it. Beef is going to go sky high here in a few months. Then what are people going to eat? WHAT is the Administration waiting for?

Let me go further – at $4.00 a gallon for fuel now – and at least $4.50 or more likely $5.00 a gallon this summer, people will not be able to afford to go to work. I do not want to hear about “public transit”. That solution is not viable in North Texas – and many places across the country. Let me give you my example: with public transit, it would take me 4 hours to get to work – part of that involves a ~2 mile distance that is not spanned by any transit bus. Imagine walking that in the summer heat and then sitting down with clients. Yeah, nice. Then another 4 hours home – adding 8 hours to an 8 hour day. Not very realistic is it?

So, not only can people not afford to go to work, they will not go anywhere. No summer vacation. That tanks your tourism industry. Hotels are hit; the movie industry gets hit further (adding to the fact that no one wants to see their America bashing films); manufacturing is hit because people aren’t buying anything. Then, unemployment rises – and things just get worse.

If our elected leaders do not step in and do something smart –you know – shut down the speculator market on oil; tell the fed to stop cutting interest rates because it devalues the dollar when they cut rates and put more money into circulation – something like that; we are looking at a spiral that could very well result in a 1930’s style depression. Does the President really want that on his watch? I cannot stress this enough – DO SOMETHING before it is too late.