News

While I was in Seattle, I had no radio. This meant no National Public Radio (NPR), my primary source of news. NPR gives an unbiased source of news and goes IN DEPTH into important issues.
In Seattle, I relied on TV, with the crappy, flashy, and SUPERFICIAL coverage of NBC, CNN, and MSNBC. (No, I don't watch fox.) Most of the newscasters fail to ask good questions. They simply read off screens that are owned by big media conglomerates, who own all of the media.

There are some good people who ask real questions and go into the issues. Tim Russert on Meet the Press, Chris Matthwes on Hardball, George Stephanopolis on ABC, and Wolf Blitzer on CNN all are decent newscasters.

But CNN, once a respected source of news has been following fox in becoming a flashy, superficial network. They recently have gotten rid of their last notable shows. Inside Politics, with the good news anchor, Judie Woodruff, is going off the air. They are getting rid of the long time politics show, "Capitol Gang" as well as the always fun, Crossfire.

I challenge you all to listen to NPR for a week and hear the difference. Go to NPR.com to find your local station and awaken your mind.
And finally, for all the best fake news check out the The Daily Show with John Stewart.
Keep informed and Be Active.

You pay for the Uninsured

For those of you who think that the uninsured are not your problem, this new study might make you think twice. If you don't think you should have to pay for "lazy people who can't afford health insurance", well it turns out you are. Most uninsured are working class people who's employers don't offer health insurance. The money comes from somewhere when they need care. Individuals and businesses end up paying for it with their private insurance. Wouldn't it be better if we worked out a different system????
Here's the report: Families USA Uninsured Report
Here's an excerpt:

"This study quantifies, for the first time, the dollar impact on private health insurance premiums when doctors and hospitals provide health care to uninsured people. In 2005, premium costs for family health insurance coverage provided by private employers will include an extra $922 in premiums due to the cost of care for the uninsured; premiums for individual coverage will cost an extra $341...

Without insurance to pay the tab, the uninsured struggle to pay as much as they can: More than one-third (35 percent) of the total cost of health care services provided to people without health insurance is paid out-of-pocket by the uninsured themselves...Through this study, we found that the remaining $43 billion is primarily paid by two sources: Roughly one-third is reimbursed by a number of government programs, and two-thirds is paid through higher premiums for people with health insurance."