Midas1

Who's Cashing In on All Those Clunkers?

Domestic or domestically-produced? The Ford Fusion is built in Mexico. The Toyota Camry is made here, as well as some of the Corollas. Honda also builds the Civic here. Toyota and Honda are much more domestic than what many consider "domestic".

Employee Healthcare Deductibles Are Becoming Punitive

I pay $405 per month for a $3,000 deductible/$3,000 co-insurance plan, $6,000 maximum out-of-pocket. My plan pays for MD visits with my $25 copay, but will not pay for diagnostics until the $3,000 is met. I do not agree with bailing out GM when Fox reported the money is going to fund retiree benefits. Excuse me, but when are GM employees entitled to healthcare at taxpayer expense. GM's employees whined when they had to pay a $10 copay. In reality, the rest of us have been paying that and much higher for years. I believe in exercise, supplements, good diet, and putting effort into my healthcare. I do not want to pay for the epidemic of obesity which involves poor choices leading to diabetes, renal failure, etc. Diseases and accidents happen. Insurance was meant for those situations. If I break my leg, my insurance will kick in and I will negotiate payments to the hospital to meet my deductible and co-insurance. I agree with you, iThinkBig, that insurance is not an entitlement. I only wish that hard work and integrity were rewarded at other businesses. If you're a rude, crude, overbearing, obnoxious, lying, cheating, scumbag, we can't seem to do enough for you. If you work hard, diligently with integrity, your pockets are the ones that keep getting picked to pay for others' misuse of the healthcare and other systems.


On Nov 17 11:07 AM iThinkBig wrote:

> So why is it better as an employer to have a vast increase in taxes
> to support universal healthcare? As a business performer, I prefer
> to pay $1,500 a month for the best family coverage I can buy and
> work harder and smarter to be able to afford it. And our family spends
> time and funds on preventative medicine. Let's face it, one way or
> the other medicaire is non-sustainable so the quality of care is
> going down whether employees pay more or the employer pays more.
> Frankly, I provide full health insurance to all employees. They perform
> and create sustainable revenue or they wander the market learning
> the hard way that they are not "OWED" top pay and health benefits
> with lackluster performance.

Auto Industry Business Model Needs a Major Overhaul

It's simple. Develop a car that is fuel-efficient and focus on quality to every minute detail. Most people want transportation that gets them from point A to point B and back to point A. What's so difficult about this concept? Focus on a few models, turboboost quality, keep the same design for three to five years and you'll make money. If one or all of the big three would have developed a fuel-efficient car after the 1974 oil embargo, they wouldn't be in this mess. Plan long-range, not short-range. There is a large market of car buyers right now---looking for reliable transportation that won't bankrupt them at the gas pump. Give the market what it wants!