Sarah Palin Governor |

The health insurance reform debate boils down to two sides. Health insurance industry profits and the health of the American people.

Those on the insurance side want to kill the “public option” as they know it will create competition for the insurance industry which will force them to give adequate care to their customers (which will hurt their bottom line which is all they care about.) Those on the side of the people’s health know that the “public option” is a very important part of health care reform.

Polls show that the people of the US are actually on the side of the American people (surprising, isn’t it?) Despite all of the lies that have been spread by the right wing media (such Fox News) most people in the US understand that having more options is a good thing for them and would help to improve their quality of health insurance whether they stick with their private plan or choose the public plan.

According to a new poll, support for the “public option” to be included in health care reform is at 65% among the American populace as a whole. How often is this overwhelming support talked about on the news? Not often enough. They spend most of their time focusing on a few ignorant people screaming at Town Hall meetings instead of focusing on the fact that average informed Americans strongly support real health care reform!

It should be no surprise that Democratic voters support the “public option” most strongly with 81% for it with only 12% against. What’s really amazing is that there are actually Democratic Senators who are not coming out in support of something that is obviously the right thing to do and also has a huge amount of support among those who voted them into office.

What may be surprising is that even a plurality (although not quite a majority) of Republicans support the “public option.” Despite this, not a single Republican Senator seems willing to part from the party line and actually side with their constituents instead of the corporations for once. 47% of Republicans are for it, while only 42% are against.

Independent voters are also in support of the “public option” by over a 2 to 1 margin. 61% of unaffiliated voters are in favor while only 30% are against it.

This is a real test of our democracy. Who do our Senators work for? Do they work for us, or do they work for the insurance industry. We will find out with their votes on this very important issue.

Resources:

(1) Health Blog

(2) Widespread Support For The Public Option

(3) Obama’s Health Care Speech

The story of immigration is merely the story of humankind’s zest to seek out new lands and cultures. Whether it is for economic gain, religious strife and intolerance or humble curiousity, people have been undertaking often perilous migrations for pretty much all of human history.

Of course, whenever and wherever they’ve moved, people don’t just have to overcome the elements and the geography, but the people who already live wherever it is they end up. Historically, these clashes can probably be said to be as ancient as the time when homo sapiens (people just like you) barged into the Neanderthals patch in Northern Europe during its last period of major glaciation.

The incomers didn’t just have a different style of dress and come with their own culture and beliefs, but by most accounts ‘ethnically cleansed’ Europe of its natives. In terms of integration, this would not be held up as a beacon of achievement, and anyone with a chip on their shoulder about immigration should remember that things were a whole lot worse in the ice age.

Putting quips to one side for a second, most people think that problems really arise when it comes to the relatively modern idea of countries. Much is made of of our national character and the supposed morality for which it stands. Little wonder that we treat interlopers from the outside with a beady eye of resentment. They look different. The food they eat smells and tastest different. They sound different.

In the not-so-distant past, immigration was just a matter of hopping aboard a ship, stepping off in another country and finding some means of employment. But as the modern idea of the ‘nation’ grew from the 17th century (and right through to today), this freewheeling approach was swamped by ideas abotu control. Fuelled by the likes of Malthus, who predicted that resources were finite and that this would create chaos, governments began to impose controls on those who entered their country.

Few people still subscribe to the philosophy of Mathus. We know that resources can be stretched in a way that he could never forsee. We also understand that sometimes people are not motivated purely by finanical reasons to seek refuge in another country.

Despite all this, the trend is towards ever greater control. Perhaps more obviously, emigrating to America has perhaps started to reach a ‘tipping point’ in terms of complexity. New complexities creates new loopholes to be exploited by those with the means to do so. As communication gets better, our notions of “borders” suddenly seems a bit quaint.

We would all be better if we took a more understanding and open attitude to immigration.

Despite the recession, the state  reply to HIV - along with the assurance of enough resources to accomplish wide access to HIV prevention and treatment, fully fund AIDS research and strengthen underlying health systems - cannot be compromise while waiting for the economy to spark.  Present economic woes across the US, budget cuts is not surprising. However, this fact doesn’t lessen the pain of the $85 million budget slash aimed at AIDS programs across California. Hardest hit in the cuts are HIV education and prevention programs, testing and counseling services, home services and early intervention services. The Governor has acknowledged the difficult decision to cut AIDS programs. The governor’s budget proposal would cut $12 million from the AIDS drug assistance program and eliminate $68 million that funds counseling, testing, prevention and education, epidemiology and housing programs.   The proposed cuts are unprecedented and will definitely eliminate the Office of AIDS in California. In addition to eliminating state funding, agencies will also not be able to receive federal funding that requires state matching.

California’s most vulnerable population has its services on the chopping block again in the latest round of proposed state budget cuts. Deprived families relying on welfare and Medi-Cal, children of low-income families, and individuals suffering from HIV or AIDS were all part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s May budget revise reductions. The proposal also includes to cut all general fund contributions to up to 220 state parks, which could include the La Purisima Mission and parks along the Gaviota Coast. The governor’s proposed elimination of the CalWorks program is expected to affect 3,500 families in Sta. Barbra County as reported by Kathy Gallagher, the director of the County Social Services Department. The CalWORKs program provides temporary financial assistance and employment focused services to families with minor children who have income and property below State maximum limits for their family size. Most able-bodied aided parents are also required to join in the CalWORKs GAIN employment services program. Adhering to the considered budget cuts would make California the only state and the first world country of civilized nations in the world to not have a catch program for the poor families.  Abating the welfare program, which gives cash aid and services to qualified impoverish California families, would placing the load directly on the county, making such idea totally wild.

The  planned reduction of  the state’s general fund contribution to AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) and other AIDS services, including counseling, testing and home-based care, would also result to widespread HIV infections and deaths.Each year in California, an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 people become infected. About one in five are unaware that they have the infection. California has one of the highest infection rates in the U.S. with more than 100,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, according to the California Department of Public Health Office of AIDS.   The state´s ability to identify people living with AIDS HIV is now harshly crippled—creating an gigantic obstacle to the prevention of new infections and linking those who need it to treatment. Not only will the Governor´s callous funding cuts devastate those living with HIV/AIDS who rely on the services the state provides to stay alive and healthy, but today’s cuts also pose a serious threat to our shared responsibility to combat the spread of HIV in California.

Very few high school graduates will find themselves in the enviable position to be able to pay for their college tuition as they go. Most college newbies end up getting student loans to fund their education.

The student loan that is most popular these days is the federal student loan. There are different types of federal loans that exist for students. The loans most commonly used are subsidized and unsubsidized.

Students that have a valid financial need (per regulations of the Federal Government) would get a subsidized loan. The student does not have to pay interest as long as they are in school on a full or part time basis, grace or deferment periods.

The financial need of the student is not a factor in unsubsidized loans. This loan will acquire interest during the loan period. Unlike subsidized, interest is accruing while the student is in school, and during grace and deferment periods.

A form of unsubsidized loan is a PLUS loan. This type of loan is acquired by parents who have children that attend college. PLUS loans are also used for professional and graduate students. These federal student loans help to pay for education expenses. Interest is accrued throughout during this time.

These loans have a simple application and approval process. Students have to fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The process has been made easier by submitting it online.

Students must have their application completed and submitted by June 30 of every year. Parents will have to submit their most up to date tax information if they have a dependent student. Students not living under their parent’s roof will be required to submit their own tax information.

The monthly payments are bearable on these loans and the interest is low. After you have been away from college for about nine months, repayment will begin. You will absolutely have to pay federal student loans back.

After you get out of college, and if you are not employed you can get an extension for a certain period of time. If these loans are not paid back, the borrowers will have consequences to deal with. Since they are federal student loans, the Federal Government can impose a number of penalties.

You can expect the Federal Government to withhold tax refunds, garnish wages, or litigate in court as a penalty for failure to pay back the loan. If you are thinking about filing bankruptcy, you should know that the Federal Government does not allow student loans to be included in a bankruptcy.

Federal student loans are some of the best loans for students to have. Each student’s financial need can be met by choosing the right student loan.

Who would of thought that survival living would be a reality in America?

We in America are spoiled.  We have so many choices at the grocer that it is beyond the imagination that food won’t be there.  Although there are plenty of right here in the US who head off to bed hungry on a consistent basis, the true food lacks which have sparked riots in other nations have therefore far escaped the States.It is not wise to think we are immune forever.  

Wendell Berry mentioned in his book’The Unsettling of America’ 31 years ago that food was too vital to be used as a weapon.  People have ignored that idea for 30 years because - WE have food on the grocery shelves and it can’t be that bad.  

Society looked the other way as dairy farmers struggled to hang on to herds of a couple hundred cows and maintain their lifestyle.  It looked the other way again when small hog farmers were buried under 9 cent hogs, a price that meant ham alone brought twice what the whole pig cost.  Some farmers gave hogs away as it would cost them to sell or keep them.  

This will eliminate many alternatives for our food.  While we see now that with oil those who have it can, will, and do dictate the price folks don’t see the flashing neon sign that our food supply is in the same scenario.  Indeed, consumers are for the most part so ignorant of it that they continue to purchase on cost, generating income for the few of company entities that hold the majority of our survival food storage.    

Archer Daniels Midland - ADM - bills itself as’supermarket to the world’ and had a 67% increase in profits while Cargill - resented by little farmers across the globe - had an 86% profit increase.  

Most consumers have no idea what some ingredients in their products really are.  
for example, sorbitol is a hydrogenated sugar alcohol derived from corn, which is employed in sugarless gums and candy, as well as being an ingredient in polyurethane.  

As one of the largest processors of oil seed, ADM produces soybean powder and meal for human and animal use.  Extracted from that may be a crude oil used not only for eatable oils, plant oils and lecithin, but also for industrial oil, biodiesel, and polymers.  

Cargill - enjoying record profits - has its hands in baked goods, cereals, drinks from alcohol to alcohol-free drinks to fruit drinks, candy and chocolate, dairy, health and organic ( think sports drinks, vitamins ), beef and chickens, pharmaceuticals, prepared foods ( condiments, jams/jellies, side and main dish mixes, puddings, sauces and much more ) and break foods.  You won’t see’Cargill’ on grocery store shelves brazenly labeled just like you won’t see the other majority players, but it’s’s there and much of what you eat comes from them.  

Rest warranted when it comes to maintaining those record profits that they will have that in mind before those too poor to buy their foods.  Cotton farmers in India, pushed out by Monsanto cotton, have committed suicide at the prospect of losing their livelihood, and farmers in many other {nation|countrie|state}s do not even want them as neighbors.  If it comes to their finances or yours - theirs will take precedence.  Monsanto and Cargill each own 50% of an organization that markets GM foods globally.  

Monsanto eagerly pushes farmers into courtrooms where a little farmer has no chance of winning, whether or not they’ve ever planted their seed.  One farmer was held responsible for planting their genetic altered seed on land he didn’t even own - which made no difference in the courtroom.  Comprehensive power corrupts fully is a suitable adage to explain what’s happening.  

With these corporations holding the vast majority of our food supplywhat takes place when they raise prices and demand more profits?  We will do without fuel - but we will not do without food.  Sadly, the headlights are approaching and American consumers don’t have any idea to move off the road.  

Corporate America exists for one thing - Money.  They’d give a token amount for charities but profit comes before anything.  Lower costs drive the ‘reasons’ for GMO products, which the majority don’t need to eat and farmers don’t want near their fields.  

If your checkbook is drained and they’re showing record profits do you think they will barter with you as tiny farmers will?  Do you suspect they’ll feel sorry and say’here’s groceries until you get on your feet?  Not going to happen - it cuts into their profit.  Farmers have seen it - customers don’t and are not aware of it.

Looking for Ideas For essential survival gear, go to http://essentialsurvivalgearcatalog.com