Recent comments

  • Reply to: Is Obama Planning to Sign Congress' Health Care Reform Bill with Lipstick?   15 years 1 month ago
    Wendell, I too grew up in East TN and am very familiar with the mentality there and in many other parts of America. Now I live in the NYC metropolitan area and have experienced that point of view as well. The thing is, I do think a public option would unfairly compete against private healthcare companies. I'm not sure that is a bad thing, but I do think it is true. I keep wondering where medicaid comes into this equation. Could we not simply create a sliding scale for people to buy "medicaid" coverage? Or would this basically be the same thing as a "public option." It just sounds to me like we are re-inventing the wheel here, adding yet another "option" when we already have public healthcare (medicare and medicaid.) I am all for healthcare reform and getting everyone insured. We are all paying for the uninsured anyway either with high costs at the hospital which cover those who are not insured or taxes to subsidize public healthcare. I am just not sure we have not botched this attempt by rushing and caving in to too many special interests and crazy radio fanatics. Thanks for speaking out and helping get things on the right track.
  • Reply to: Puerto Rico: Not So Rico   15 years 1 month ago

    Entonces sería correcto decir que es conveniente ser esclavos de un amo rico el cual trata a sus esclavos generosamente pero siempre les recuerda quien es el amo y que en realidad no gozan de ninguna libertad.

    Al tiempo de la invasión americana, Puerto Rico era una de las economías mas desarrolladas en el Caribe. El puerto de San Juan llego a convertirse en uno de los más transitados entre España/Europa y las Américas. Es por esta razón que se conoce a Borinquén como el puerto rico. Es asi que Borinquen viene a llamarse como se le conoce hoy; Puerto Rico.

    Luego de la invasión las corporaciones azucareras americanas destituyeron a los agricultores puertorriqueños controlando todo el mechado agrícola entre Puerto Rico Y EE UU. Lo cual aun continúan haciendo. Los americanos devaluaron la moneda puertorriqueña, existente al momento de la invasión, en un 60%. La destrucción económica que padeció Puerto Rico fue tan agresiva que solo tomo de 10 a 15 años para llevar a Puerto Rico a décadas de depresión económica. Para finales de los años 20 la situación fue tan opresiva que llevo al pueblo puertorriqueño a reconsiderar su relación "beneficiosa" con los EE.UU. causando el resurgimiento nacional e independentista dirigido por Don. Pedro Alvizu Campos y reprimido violentamente por EE.UU.

    Después de destruir la economía puertorriqueña los americanos se vieron obligados a implantar una avanzada económica conocida como el proyecto "manos a la obra" (opration boots straps) lo cual cambio la encomia puertorriqueña de una base agrícola a una industrial basada en centros de trabajo de explotación o "american swet shops" y la expulsión de más de 500,00 puertorriqueños fuera de Puerto Rico hacia los EE.UU. Esta expulsión fue sutilmente disfrazada de "inmigración voluntaria" bajo el programa de braceros; trabajadores puertorriqueños que fueron sobre-explotados en EE.UU bajo un sistema racista el cual perpetuaba salarios de mínima subsistencia. Es por esto y por la continua explotación económica que continúa padeciendo Puerto Rico que hoy en día existe probablemente más puertorriqueños viviendo fuera de Puerto.

    Durante este periodo (décadas del 60 y 70) cientos de corporaciones americanas explotaron a Puerto Rico bajo el programa de exención contributiva del sistema de rentas internas federal conocido como la sección 936. Estas corporaciones pagaron pocos o ningún impuestos al pueblo de Puerto Rico por todos los miles de BILLONES de dólares que generaron en ganancias en Puerto Rico. La realidad es que si estas corporaciones hubieran pagado al menos la mitad de los impuestos que les hubiera correspondido pagar si se hubieran establecido en cualquiera de los 50 estados ameicanos ESTADOS UNIDOS AUN LE DEBERIA MILES DE MILLONES DE DOLARES AL PUEBLO DE PUERTO RICO.

    CONCLUSION: En términos democráticos Puerto Rico no ha sido diferente a lo que fueron las 13 colonias originales que fundaron a los EE.UU. Valga mencionar que de esto ya han pasado más de 230 años. En términos económicos Puerto Rico ha sido bárbaramente explotado tal y como lo fueron los esclavos negros bajo el sistema racista americano. Entonces; es correcto decir que es conveniente ser esclavos de un amo rico?

  • Reply to: Is Obama Planning to Sign Congress' Health Care Reform Bill with Lipstick?   15 years 1 month ago
    Obama has three health care principals: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/health-care-action-center/?source=feature o Reduce costs — Rising health care costs are crushing the budgets of governments, businesses, individuals, and families, and they must be brought under control o Guarantee choice — Every American must have the freedom to choose their plan and doctor – including the choice of a public insurance option o Ensure quality care for all — All Americans must have quality and affordable health care Some of us suckers are even out there working for Organizing For America getting signatures that say they support him on these three principals. The audacity to have us hitting the pavement for signatures and not stand behind us is too much to take. Public Option was 33% of the only guidance he's put forth to Congress. If he craps out on us then he's dead politically. The GOP would love to get rid of him, and no true progressive is going to lift a finger to help him come 2012. Why would we help this guy if he turns out to be a horrible liar. Thank you for clearly and accurately articulating the problem with Obama's wishy-washy spineless behavior lately. We have to keep him honest. He's getting corrupted and needs us to call him to the carpet. Of course my biggest concern is that without a public option, this nation is dead. I firmly believe we have to have single payer, but at the very least public option was an acceptable compromise for the time being.
  • Reply to: Is Obama Planning to Sign Congress' Health Care Reform Bill with Lipstick?   15 years 1 month ago
    This is the only word I can use to describe how I feel, not only about healthcare, but of this country: Despair. I can't tell you how upset I am with Obama and both parties. Obama made a big issue about his mother's last days, and how all she worried about was how she was going to pay the bills. It's as if he used his own mother's memory to sucker us. I have sent dozens and dozens of emails to my representatives (who really don't represent me); I have participated in rallies and held protest signs. All to no avail. One thing is for sure: If this plays out like we think it will, I will vote only on issues, not for people. Democrats are worse than republicans because they repeatedly fool us into voting for "hope". I'm so tired of all of it. Face it, America: You are a fascist country, run by corporations. The people are too stupid, too lazy, and too preoccupied with chasing after the next buck or the next hot stock. It's all about "me"; it's all about getting rich quick, getting yours, and not caring about millions of people who go bankrupt over health issues, or who die because they can't afford to get well. This is truly the sickest country in the world.
  • Reply to: CMD's Wendell Potter Interviewed by Amy Goodman   15 years 1 month ago
    I would like to know the statistics for the following question: What % of people in Canada were forced to declare bankruptcy due to an unforseen health emergency? My guess is that it is near zero. How many of the Canadians lose their homes and life savings due to health care issues? If you look carefully at the two statistics given, you'll see that 50% of patients waited less than 6 weeks for an MRI. I'll bet some of them got their MRI's right away when a medical professional deemed it necessary. And 75% waited less than 6 months or so for free cataract surgery. Having cataracts is not pleasant, but it is also not life threatening. I would be glad to wait a few months in exchange for no deductibles and co-insurance bills.

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