Robert P.'s blog

Greetings all! Health Care for All NC has begun its short-session "Two Over Ten" push, but this time it is not focused on Verla Insko's "Health Care for All" bill. Instead, this session the push is for House Bill 1897, which creates a Healthcare Policy Council that would make recommendations to the General Assembly on how to integrate public and private healthcare services to form an effective, coordinated system of healthcare for North Carolina.

Don McCanne writes the Quote of the Day over at PHNP, which one of the best quick reads on single-payer and its opponents. It is sent as a almost-daily email update if you are interested. This short video features Dr. McCanne talking about what is wrong with the Presidential Candidates' health care plans, and a Harvard business school professor talking about why she likes them (choice). Dr. McCanne's written comment is available after the break.

The AP is reporting that the universal health care plan put forward by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Robert Bennett (R-UT) could be operational by 2012 and be budget-neutral by 2014. A budget-neutral item brings in as much revenue as it costs. The kicker to this plan and one of the reasons it has a host of Republicans as co-sponsors is this:

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., one of the plan's co-sponsors, said the report showed it is possible to provide health care coverage for all Americans — including the estimated 47 million people who are uninsured — without a large tax increase. "We can get everyone in America health care coverage without breaking the bank," he said.

Universal Health Care without tax increases? How is it possible and where is the catch?

For part of 2006, all of 2007 and early 2008 my daily blogging life revolved around getting John Edwards elected President. During that time I did what I could to make it happen, not nearly as much as volunteers like NCDem Amy and Tom P. and not a drop in the bucket compared to the paid staff - Tracy Russo, Aaron Myers and the rest of the crew I got to know while volunteering at the office. When Senator Edwards dropped out of the race it felt like a kick in the groin. It was unexpected, it was painful. To me, John Edwards was really going to be the person that changed the system. I believe in him like people believed in JFK and RFK and as I told my wife "you only get one of these races every lifetime" and for me it wasn't or isn't about Obama it was about John Edwards.
But, he's out. So, after fluttering around for awhile I discovered the second-best candidate running in North Carolina, Dan Besse. Then, finally, I started blogging about the Neal/Hagan race. But, the thrill is gone. I'm all burnt out of candidate fights. I'm burnt out on fighting over he said/she said. I'm going back to issue blogging. At least, for now. So, this is it. This is my final blog on candidates.

J.D. Power and Associates is a name you are probably familiar with from automobile ads, touting their consumer satisfaction and reliability. But, J.D. Power has also undertaken the second of its surveys on consumer satisfaction in the health care industry. Factors studied are: "coverage and benefits; choice of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies; information and communication; approval processes; claims processing; insurance statements; and customer service."

I can't do this post justice, but I just felt I had to write something about this latest study. In the largest study of its kind, it has been found that smoking marijuana has no association with cancer. None. Not even if you are a heavy marijuana smoker. No association. Period.

The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.
"We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect."

So, why does smoking pot not cause cancer while tobacco kills more than 440,000 people in the US each year?

The people over at PopPhoto have digitally altered images of the candidates to show us what they'll look like at the end of their first term. Being President is hard work, just ask young George Bush.



See your Presidential Candidates in the future, below the fold.

Okay, hope I haven't crossed any lines here. WUNC has a link to download their shows, so I am hoping this is kosher. I think Jim did well in a fairly hostile interview. I have heard that Kay Hagan will be on the show today, so I hope Frank goes after her just as hard. Fair is fair.

This is how new media works. I open my browser and see that I have ten "Facebook Friends" online and what their status messages are currently. Janet and/or staff is smart enough to write "is watching my new ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bINDLVRey4o" as her status message. Click, Click. Here you go.

Just received this email from the Besse campaign, it seems that "one of North Carolina's leading African-American owned and published newspapers, has just endorsed Dan Besse for Lieutenant Governor!" That would be The Chronicle. Their endorsement:

"The crowded Democratic field for Lieutenant Governor doesn't have a shortage of qualified candidates either, but our choice is clear. Dan Besse has been a community-minded, dedicated member of the Winston-Salem City Council for more than six years and will bring those same qualities and more to the office of lieutenant governor.
Too many of those seeking elected office today, do so for personal glory and their own egos. Besse is what an elected official should be. Helping to make his city and state and the people who reside in them better are Besse's only motivations. In the race for lieutenant governor, Besse doesn't have the most campaign money or name recognition, but he has the most heart and the most zeal to work hard for the residents of North Carolina."