bosun.j

Thursday Outlook: Commodities, Emerging Markets

The Author wrote:

"The Treasury auctions continue. While bonds are getting sold, the results in the aftermarket for them haven't been good. There are more bonds to be sold than you can shake a stick at which is why many want to short."

Indeed. The rest of the world has woken up to the fact that America is bankrupt in every sense of the word. Can't really blame them for that.

China is on a buying spree in an attempt to unload their $2T reserves before the dollar collapses or is seriously devalued.

Few outside America are buying America's bull anymore. Sooner rather than later no one will.

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

Thumbs up for your reasoned post. Much of your post is more truth than tale.

I want business out of medicine altogether though. No insurance company making profit and no hospital making profit. Pharma must be made to sell drugs at the same price they sell them for here in Thailand (about 10% of US price). No management flying around on private jets and no more million dollar parties. No huge bonuses. That will save allot money that can be used to build more hospitals and install better equipment.

Yeah, I know. It's just un-American to not have some scum sucking businessman making profit off of people's suffering!


On Feb 25 05:13 PM PainfullyAware wrote:

> Medicare and Medicaid pay 65% of all medical bills in the USA. They
> are one of the main contributing factors as to why the cost of medical
> care is so high.
>
> The second greatest contributing factor are the "Lottery Lawsuits"
> for malpractice. Nevada has been decimated because of these. The
> cost of Malpractice Insurance is staggering.
>
> The system that has just been passed in the stimulus bill makes it
> so that if a doctor does not do what the state recommends as "Treatment"
> they will not be allowed to practice. This consequently rules out
> all forms of "Alternative Medicine" and Innovation.
>
> When your health becomes a statistical accounting entry to the government
> you be come expendable.
>
> Rarely are doctors in the field as a way to make lots of money.
> By nature of the job, and the pain to obtain it, most are benevolent.
> Attempting to protect themselves from the government and the "Ambulance
> Chasing" Lawyers has caused much of the systems ails.
>
> The running of the "multitude of tests" are a way to get money from
> the insurance to offset the costs of Malpractice insurance and the
> free services that are given at the emergency room because by law
> you can not refuse someone help that shows up there.
>
> There are many factors of complexity that can not be accounted for
> with hasty generalization.
>
> One can come to any conclusion if they limit the data to only premises
> that support their paradigm.
>
> The socialization of the Medical System and the Education System
> should be implemented not in totality, but with an allocation that
> is attached to the person to receive the benefit; Without the mandate
> of where to spend it. Schools and Doctors would thus compete to
> succeed and those that do not perform well will not benefit greatly.
> With the other methods of socialization there is no incentive to
> do well and thus the system rots.
>
> Money achieved without effort is usually spent foolishly.

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

I'll readily agree Obama is more hope than change. Keeping Gates was the first thing that made me angry, Most of his cabinet posts are old line neo-liberals and neo-cons. About the only thing he's good for so far is he can complete a sentence and the rest of the world seems to be in love with him. Sorry to say even thats allot better than Bush.


On Feb 25 04:45 PM Robert Nabloid wrote:

>
>
>
> What it all boils down to is this: Obama is not fiscally responsible
> - neither was Bush.

Thoughts on Last Night's Speech by the President

Didn't know he's German, not sure it matters. Been to Germany many times. Some were like that many weren't. Austrians are still that way though.

I see the editors removed his racist rant post. Too bad. Free speech means knowing who you can trust. Not pretty, but safer than not knowing. Oh well, its their site.


On Feb 25 04:01 PM bricki wrote:

> He's a German. That's what they do.
>
> On Feb 25 03:43 PM bosun.j wrote:

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

As a retired merchant seaman I recall getting 100% no out of pocket healthcare from the public health service prior to chuckle nuts Reagan getting into office. First class care in every way.

After chuckle nuts Ray Gun got in he screwed us out of that so our next contract provided that the shipping companies had to contribute so much for each day on the ship into our health and welfare account. We then had to find private doctors pay them and submit triplicate forms to get reimbursed. Pretty screwed up. Mostly greedy shitty doctors. I preferred the clinic.

As I aged previous medical problems from my Naval service became serious enough that the VA started treating me. Great cutting edge doctors. Asshole bureaucrats to get through to see the doctor. A fine doctor at the VA hospital in Portland fixed a problem no other Dr could. Yeah, socialized medicine screwed me over. NOT!

Ronnie Ray Gun was one of those assholes who hated people too. (not saying you do!) Hated people, unions and just about anything that wasn't good for his corporate masters. I smile knowing that shitbag is burning in hell! I know his corporate masters are or will be right there next to him in hell.


On Feb 25 03:52 PM Robert Nabloid wrote:

> I don't see where we have a difference in values? We both want people
> to have good health care. My country does socialized medicine and
> is fiscally responsible (most of the time). We do not normally run
> massive defecits to pay for it (though we are going to be running
> a big deficit to "stimulate" the economy (which I don't agree with)).
> In my province 40% of the budget is health care, but we do pay for
> it with higher taxes and mandatory state run health insurance. I'm
> not arguing FOR or AGAINST socialized health care it right now.
> I'm argueing that the US of A can't afford it at the moment without
> raising taxes for ALL, which could in turn hurt the fragile economy.
> If you want socialized medicine, that is fine. But the list of services
> the government is promising continues to grow and none of this is
> fiscally responsible until you honestly tell the American people
> how it will ALL be paid for without taking on more debt. You can't
> tell me Obama, or anyone, is the saviour of fiscal responsibility
> for as long as there is a deficit, PERIOD.
>
> I'm here to tell you, the grass isn't really greener on the other
> side of the fence. We have serious labour shortages for doctors
> and nurses, much worse than in America... wait times ARE killing
> people and this problem is just as bad as not having health care
> because that is essentially what it is at times!
>
> Whether it is socialized or not, the money comes from the same place...
> the people and economy. We can pretend the government pays, but you
> must not forget where the government gets its money - either way
> it comes from the economy THROUGH AN INCREASE IN TAXES OR AN INCREASE
> IN DEBT WHICH CARRIES INTEREST AND HAS TO BE SERVICED WITH TAXES.
>
>
> Why am I mentioning this? This article is on fiscal responsibility,
> not on whether or not we should have these services to begin with
> - that is for another article and is a whole 'nother debate which
> I might be on the same side of with you. We humans need health services,
> we all know that. The argument seems to be over who pays for it...
> when in reality we pay no mater what way you slice it (assuming you
> work). The poor don't generally pay for such services anyways.
> I'm not arguing against socialized medicine - I'm telling you it
> isn't perfect and it still has a cost that the entire society bears,
> whether or not you are rich or poor. Yes, even the poor pay, just
> not out of pocket.
>
> And to answer your question... I don't think the banks should get
> trillions... obviously. We can't afford to give them trillions without
> raising taxes (or going into massive debt of which we now have to
> pay interest on...). I wasn't in favour of bailing out corrupt banks.
> You can't use our fiscal irresponsibility as a reason why its okay
> to be fiscally irresponsible on other matters... I agree, it would
> have been a better fiscally irresponsible use of money to spend on
> health care rather than banks...
>
> The way I look at it, they are bailing out banks, they want to have
> socialized medicine, SS, and a billion other services to be controlled
> by government. All I'm saying is you can't call any of this fiscally
> responsible unless you increase taxes to pay for it. So let's be
> honest here. So far, none of this is fiscally responsible. It becomes
> fiscally responsible when you find a way to pay for it other than
> taking on more debt or printing money out of thin air.

JPMorgan's Dividend Cut Is a Clever Move

A fluff piece.

"we're good! Really! NO, REALLY! WE ARE! Don't need to take us over even though we'd not be here if you hadn't given us BILLIONS to stay afloat! We're th good guys! YES WE ARE!!!!!!

Earnings Preview: General Motors

Citi, now there is a reliable stock rater!

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

I get that we aren't going to agree. Its a fundamental difference in values.

That said, addressing your fiscal responsibility argument. I agree there are allot of interests lined up at the trough for their piece of the pie. So, should people die for lack of medical care because the government gives TRILLIONS to Banksters who then pay themselves BILLIONS in bonuses they claim to have "earned" running their banks into the ground rather than spend a fraction of those TRILLIONS on healthcare? What? Hmmm?


On Feb 25 03:16 PM Robert Nabloid wrote:

>
>
> The jist of my argument is that socialized medicine will hurt America's
> governmental fiscal situation in a very negative way. Whether it
> is socialized or not, the money comes from the same place... the
> people - don't dare lose site of that. We can pretend the government
> pays, but you must not forget where the government gets its money
> - either way it comes from the economy.
>
> What you don't seem to get is that this article is on fiscal responsibility
> and I'm trying to point out that it is going to be quite hard when
> you add up all the things that people want to be done... If you want
> socialized medicine, go for it.

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

OK, let's assume your premise is correct. At one time America had a great healthcare system.

Easy to understand why it was, if it was! Greedy insurance companies weren't insuring ultra high risk investment vehicles and weren't pissing away your premiums on fleets of private jets and million dollar parties for fat asshole management turds!


On Feb 25 02:45 PM jksisco wrote:

> America, at one
> time had a great healthcare system, let's figure out why that was,
> and then eliminate whatever caused it to get where it is and then
> keep it that way, end of problem.

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

The jist of your premise is reflected in your contention that you are healthy and others are not. It goes to values. Such as in valuing humans more than money. Such as in none of us are better than the least of us and we can only be well off if we make sure the least of us are taken care of.

As for the cost, as that's your focus...money, how about the cost of people without jobs or insurance going to county hospitals emergency rooms for care? They not paying there! No money, no job, no insurance! Guess who pays? YOU PAY!! SO you are gonna pay either way. How about medical insurance? Some schmuck pays into insurance for years never makes a claim....gets some rare form of cancer and the insurance asshole won't pay all of the bills because his insurance caps at $1m per incident. Who pays? YOU DO! Your insurance goes up because the for profit fucking hospitals gotta raise the cost of services because they got screwed by the same shitbag insurance asshole they play golf with! WHO FREAKING PAYS? YOU DO! Congratulations!


On Feb 25 02:48 PM Robert Nabloid wrote:

> In 2007 Canada spent almost 11% of GDP (almost double what you thought)
> and it isn't enough and that is why we must increase it faster than
> our GDP grows to catch up and try and reduce wait times. Why should
> this matter anyways? We are talking GOVERNMENT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
> in this article. Do you want this 11%-16% of your GDP to become
> government spending? - and it's increasing faster than the GDP can
> grow!!! You do know where they will get that money to pay for it,
> right? That money comes from us anyways.
>
> As a healthy human who takes care of myself quite well, I don't visit
> doctors, so it would cost me zero percent. Unfortunately over 40%
> of my money is stolen to pay for others who drink a gallon of Pepsi
> a day and eat way too many potato chips while they do BC Bud and
> binge drink every Friday night.
>
> Regardless, right now we are talking about GOVERNMENT FISCAL responsibility.
> If you want socialized medicine, fine. Just don't complain to me
> when you wait 8 months for a surgery for a life threatening illness.
> We pay high taxes and we still end up having to go to other countries
> and paying out of pocket to get treatment right away when we need
> it... Not saying socialized medicine is evil, I'm just trying to
> tell you there are downsides... if you want to do it in a fiscally
> responsible manner you must raise taxes dramatically on everyone,
> not just the rich. Then you have the wait times. Line ups when
> you're dying are no fun - I can wait 8 to 12 months for regular treatments
> on non life threatening issues - but I will not wait for life threatening
> things. That's why so many canucks head down to America, Mexico,
> Brazil, Thailand, etc, and pay anyways, even though they already
> paid for it in their taxes...
>

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

I don't give a flying flip whether you believe it or not! Do your own damned research within these pages and you'll see where others seconded the 6% of GDP number and corrected my outdated research some months ago to reflect 16% of GDP in Yank land rather than the earlier 12% of GDP I had read months earlier.


On Feb 25 02:45 PM jksisco wrote:

> Since we're throwing numbers around without any facts to back it
> up, I think Europeans spend 60% of GNP on healthcare, perhaps that
> includes other social programs, not sure, don't really care, just
> so sick of the whole socialized is better argument. America, at one
> time had a great healthcare system, let's figure out why that was,
> and then eliminate whatever caused it to get where it is and then
> keep it that way, end of problem.

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

Canadian? Sorry, you sound so much like a tinkle down extremist-capitalist neo-CON I made the incorrect conclusion (assumption) you're a Yank. My mistake.

That said, I'd be very surprised that the cost of socialized medicine in the great white north exceeded 6% of GDP Which is in line with all other western economies. Furthermore I'd be very surprised if it came anywhere near the 16% of GDP the Yanks spend!


On Feb 25 02:09 PM Robert Nabloid wrote:

> You don't spend much time in Canadian hospitals and haven't looked
> at a Canadian budget obviously.
>
> In socialized medicine they do all the same tests, just simply because
> they are free... (though they aren't).
>
> How can the US have socialized medicine and not have fiscal problems?
> This article is about fiscal responsibility. Think about it. <br/>

International Competitiveness: U.S. Rank Is Slipping

The rah rah rah sis boom bah we're number one crowd is going to come out of the woodwork on this one!

Fiscal Responsibility: Obama Takes the Reins

Oh freaking please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

America spends more than twice % of GDP on healthcare as the other western economies do and gets a lower standard of care. Get the greedy insurance companies out of the middle of the equation and we'll all be better off.

Don't believe it? Eliminate all the bullshit unnecessary tests that Drs do to protect themselves in the event the screw up anywhere in the proceedure. An American quack wanted to do $12000 worth of tests before he'd do a $1500 proceedure. Reasoning? I had a heart attack 10 yrs previously.

Waited until I got home to Thailand and had the procedure done for $750 by a board certified surgeon!

You're getting screwed and you're damn proud of it!!!!




On Feb 25 01:28 PM Robert Nabloid wrote:

>
> Oh and a word of warning... if you want socialized health care, which
> is certainly on the agenda... be prepared to have ~40% of your government
> budget go toward it or don't even attempt it. Go do some research
> on it first and then figure out where that money will come from...
> it will take some fiscal responsibility to pull it off. Lucky for
> us, we have the saviour of fiscal responsibility in the Whitehouse...
> we don't need to worry about such issues. He's taking care of it
> for us. Where can I get some of this kool-aid. I'm thirsty but
> can't seem to find any...

Thoughts on Last Night's Speech by the President

Yes indeed! The shit bag that held the office until 1159 20JAN09! He certainly screwed the pooch!


On Feb 25 12:00 PM Donald Johnson wrote:

> Has a president ever
> had so much power and ambition to make colossal mistakes that will
> cost America even more than we've already lost?