What Conservatives REALLY Dream About.

It needs to be shouted from the corner of EVERY STREET IN AMERICA, What Conservatives and Republicans dream of and Really Want.

1. Conservatives & the GOP want to DE-REGULATE EVERYTHING except UNIONS!

2. Conservatives & the GOP want to further push the tax burden on to the working class!

3. Conservatives & the GOP still think they haven’t gotten a fair shot at seeing if  SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS have            worked.

4. Conservatives & the GOP believes that taxes paid by corporations are far too high even though many pay ZERO!

5. Conservatives & the GOP are RIGHT NOW working hard to restrict voting.

I think that because of the above list… a few things need to be pointed out most vociferously.

1. Until about the time Regan took office Corporations paid $1.50 in taxes for EVERY $1.00 in taxes the individual  paid. Today Corporations ONLY pay $.25 (yes I mean CENTS) for every dollar the individual pays

2. People need to be reminded that during the WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS IN AMERICAN HISTORY (when the Government had even less than they do now) FDR passed the FAIR DEAL which included REALLY expensive things like
SOCIAL SECURITY and Unemployment Insurance. He did this by going to the rich and corporations and saying “you need to pay for these programs, because if you don’t you won’t get nearly as good a deal from the American public when they start voting to raise YOUR taxes by 200% or 300%”.

I am posting this here because I have VERY LITTLE faith in the Democratic party to make these points in a strong intelligent way that will have the impact that people just like us will have by making sure our friends’ are aware of these FACTS.

Look, I firmly believe that we are not far from the GOP and Conservatives dismantling of ALL TYPES OF SAFETY NETS INCLUDING SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE. And that will soon be followed by closing schools, cutting fire and police departments and a host of other programs that “ONLY” benefit society.

Feel free to let me know if you have any ideas on how to help get these “Inconvenient Truths” out.

And commit to telling 10 friends this information because if the Democratic Party won’t do it, maybe… just maybe, we can.

At what point will you decide you have had enough and decide it’s time to get up off you ass and start letting your member of Congress that he or she had better start worrying about PEOPLE…. REAL PEOPLE…  and not the  ”vampire people” that NEVER die and suck the lifeblood out of all of “U.S.”  you might  known them better as corporations?  And in case you weren’t aware of it the United States Constitution initially suggested that corporations should DIE at some point.

Will it be when you discover that 1 of EVERY 8 dollars “earned” in America goes to those in the top 1%? Or will it be when it finally sinks in that, “CEO’s “earn” an average of around 300 times the average of those of “U.S.”  in the crumbling middle class?

Will it be when you learn, as many of “U.S.”  learned this week, that those to 1%ers’  pay an average effective tax rate of right around 15% while those of “U.S.” that actually WORK for a living  pay an average of 26.5% of our income. And those same fat cats can pass along literally HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS DOLLARS TO ANYONE THEY CHOOSE, TAX FREE, because of something called “Carried Interest”. Which I can’t explain here, not because I can’t, because I would put you all to sleep, and I doubt I have the server space to quote all the different types of tax loopholes… no that’s not the right word for it… I’ll call it tax dodges, that are provided exclusively to those that are the wealthiest in the country.

What will it take for you to actually take action? What will it take for you to call your congressperson and tell them to quit looking out for those top earners and start REPRESENTING the vast majority of those of “U.S.” that can’t afford to pay an army of people to go to Washington and speak for the rest of “U.S.”

Will it be the fact that since the Citizen’s United Supreme Court ruling corporations and individuals can AND DO  spend unlimited amounts of money to get what they want, and quite literally seem to purchase members of Congress.

How long will you sit back and just watch as the GOP preaches “we can’t raise taxes on “job creators” even though those same “job creators” have enjoyed more than a decade of the  massive Bush tax cuts and still managed to somehow NOT CREATE JOBS, BUT ALMOST DESTROYED THE AMERICAN ECONOMY AT THE SAME TIME.

SO here’s my real question(s). Will you take the time to get involved and pay attention to what a few privileged individuals are doing to your life? Will you join me and help me figure out a way to impact those in Congress that ignore the VERY REAL HURT that the American Middle Class is going through? Will you call your congressperson and tell them to start worrying about the middle class and stop worrying about those “job creators” that only seem to create jobs in China?  Will you buy a share of stock in a corporation that holds its annual meeting near your home and go to that meeting and let them know what you think they should be doing instead of spending money on influence peddlers? Will you make more than one phone call to let those in Congress know that there are a lot more of “U.S.” middle class folk in this country than there are millionaires and that you’ll be watching how they vote on the issues that affect you and your family and your neighbors? That’s all I’m asking is that you get involved in the issues that will make or break your standard of living, because … really… is it fair that a guy that make $42 mil pays a lower tax rate than someone that make 25k?

And if you would like to get involved with Blog Liberally just let me know and I’ll set you up with your own blog on this site. And just because it’s called Blog Liberally doesn’t mean we won’t allow at least a few conservatives to get involved. Because until we stop shouting and actually start talking we’re SCREWED. So, just let me know or click the link to become a liberal blogger and maybe, just maybe we can start to have an IMPACT on how things happen in your town, your state and our Country.

And always remember… Blog Liberally!

Cheers,

Steve Lanier

Occupy Wall Street and the other groups around AMERICA and the GLOBE is perhaps the most important movement in the past 40 years. I applaud the efforts and wish I was able to join those involved in OWS. (money and medical  crap prevents my participation) .

I would like to offer a few ideas that might make a difference in the way we ALL are governed.

1. Perhaps the most important thing OWS  should demand is that corporate money be banned in the election              process. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT Corporate money might be the most influential part of national                               elections  and that money buys a whole LOT  of  influence for the corporations that pony up the cash.

2. DEMAND forgiveness of ALL STUDENT LOANS.  As someone that is now permanently disabled and on the             brink of losing my home because of student loans that are  CRUSHING so many people that worked hard to get                 that degree. Then only to find they can’t find a job and are forced using deferment after deferment and all the time             interest accrues  making those student loans even more expensive and CRUSHING loans.  I Figure that                          AT LEAST A LITTLE OF THE OVER 700 BILLION IN BAIL OUT MONEY THAT THESE MONEY                    VAMPIRES RECEIVED  SHOULD  FILTER DOWN TO THOSE THAT ARE SUFFERING THE MOST.

3. At some point there will be a need to look at electing folks that are supportive of OWS and all the different “chapters”         around the country. While protests draw attention to the MASSIVE foot on the necks of the 99% there will                 come a time that protests will become a “normal” part of the city they are in. At that point the impact of the protests         becomes pretty much background noise that people are too familiar with and then the leaders need to look to                     putting forth candidates for elective office. It WILL NOT BE EASY BUT IT EVENTUALLY MUST BE DONE.

The time to move to electing representatives is fast… VERY FAST… approaching and needs to addressed as soon as possible.

I FIRMLY believe the OWS is something good for this nation and the next logical step is to start to consider electing people to positions that can take action to level the field for ALL AMERICANS.

Coming soon (In my next post) WILL A SECOND TERM FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA  BE ANY BETTER THAN HIS DISASTROUS  FIRST TERM? Is it as odd to you as it is to me that when the President negotiates with the GOP he starts halfway to their position. It is time for our President to grow a pair and take on the GOP head on. But that will be for next time. But I will tell you that I am NOT HAPPY with the President I worked and voted for.

Cheers,

O¿O in the crowd

(Face In The Crowd)

I decided to add this post because it is one of my major PET PEEVES

First let me say up front that I am someone that has to deal with, what is know in the medical community as INTRACTABLE CHRONIC PAIN. I personally can’t remember the last time I lived a day without pain. Some days are better than others but the pain is ALWAYS there… ALWAYS.

And now the representatives of the people in OHIO have created yet more hoops that those of us that deal with chronic pain are required to jump through with the enactment of perhaps the most draconian rules dealing with pain patients in the country.

The HARDSHIPS added to the already costly “rules of engagement” for pain patients and the doctors that treat them, have made it nearly impossible to get treatment for chronic pain in the sate of OHIO.

These new rules, dreamed up by the reactionary morons, in my home state of OHIO inflict on those of us that require treatment for intractable chronic pain is what I call THE PAIN TAX. These new rules (and a lot of the old rules) just add to the problems that all of those that need to be treated for conditions that, because of various state and federal agencies, many doctors are no longer willing to do.

For more than 5 years I have been attempting to get some kind of relief from the old rules for those of us that suffer with chronic pain. And now these new rules have added yet more hoops that those of us that suffer with chronic pain have to jump through.

Due to all the CRAP that pain management patients, like me, and the doctors that treat pain patients have to go through I have taken to calling it THE PAIN TAX. The added costs that are associated with the treatment of chronic pain create a nearly impossible situation for many patients that can’t afford to pay all of the added costs they are forced to pay because of the rules created by the Ohio House and Senate, the State Medical Board, Pharmacy Board and the DEA.

Just a few of these added cost that those of us that suffer with intractable chronic pain are:
The RULE that doctors are not allowed to put refills on certain prescriptions.And even though I am told that doctors can provide 3 different prescriptions that are marked “do not fill until mm/dd/yyyy”, But, good luck, finding a doctor that will do this. Doctors are SCARED TO DEATH of the Medical Board and the DEA and I have NEVER found a doctor willing to do this. So I have to go to the doctor EVERY MONTH and pay the office visit fee, and most pain management doctors require payment in cash, even if you have insurance. The average fee for pain management doctors is $250.00. So instead of just going to the doctor 4 times a year I have to go a minimum of 12 times a year. This adds an additional $2,000.00 out of pocket costs (8 (additional office visits annually) x $250.00) per year to the cost of being treated for pain.

Because of this new rule there are NO pain management doctors within the county I live in. I have been told that any doctor, including a primary care physician can handle pain management. But, again, good luck finding a primary care physician that will treat pain and prescribe narcotics. There are NONE in my county willing to treat pain, because once again, they are SCARED TO DEATH of the State Medical Board and the DEA.
This new rule that was just instituted forced my local doctor’s office to close because the doctor that was seeing patients was a fill in doctor (because the doctor that owned the clinic had surgery and would miss more than a year) so now I have to drive 100 miles (one way) EVERY MONTH to get treatment. So we add the cost of gas and THE PAIN TAX goes up more.

Then you have to add the day of missed work (if you are lucky enough to be able to work, I can’t) and the lost wages because you have to make the 100 mile trip, see the doctor, then drive back. By the time you do all that you miss a full day of work. Lets assume that your job pays the minimum wage of $6.75 (I think) $6.75 x 8 (hours) x 12 (1 office visit every month) = $648.00 in lost wages annually.

Then there are the drug tests and the pill counts. The drug tests cost, on average, around $700.00 (my insurance reports a cost of $750.00). However if you don’t have insurance and have to pay cash THE PAIN TAX goes way up. Then there are the pill counts, these require that you drop everything and go to a pharmacy or the doctors office RIGHT NOW so they can make sure you aren’t taking too much or too little medication, leading to more missed work. I know people that have lost their job because of BEING REQUIRED to leave work and go have their pills counted.

I could go on and on and on and on, but I think you get the idea of the massive amount of problems that both pain patients and pain doctors have to deal with when being treated for chronic pain or providing treatment for chronic pain.

I have also heard the argument that the reason refills aren’t allowed on certain medications (and not just pain medications) is to prevent “DIVERSION”. THIS IS A JOKE! Why is this a joke you might be asking about now… right? Well, let me tell you why. When I called the DEA and the medical board, to express my frustration, I was told that doctors could provide three new prescriptions with the “Do Not Fill until mm/dd/yyyy”, stamped on them. (again good luck finding a doctor willing to do this I’ve NEVER found one).
As I was “discussing” these problems with the DEA they told me the the same thing as the medical board and pharmacy board “refills aren’t allowed because it helps prevent diversion” but my doctor could provide three prescriptions with “Do Not Fill until mm/dd/yyyy”, stamped on them. But, and this is a REALLY BIG BUT, the VERY NEXT SENTENCE OUT OF THEIR MOUTH was “Your doctor can also write you a 90 day supply that you can fill through a mail order pharmacy” Now, I admit, it’s possible that I’m just stupid and don’t really understand exactly what “diversion” is. It was explained to me as someone taking their medications and selling them on the street, (and don’t forget, I admit, it’s possible I’m just rock stupid), but if someone is going to “diversion” their medications they will be a lot more successful “diversioning” if they have a 90 day supply in their hands’ as opposed to a 30 day supply. I would even go so far as to say that a prescription with 2 refills on it would NEVER allow an individual to have more than a 31 or 32 day supply in their hands at any given time, because no pharmacist is going to fill a prescription on Monday and then refill it 2 days later on Wednesday. And that is why I consider this “diversion” argument a joke, but, hey I could be wrong.

Anyways that’s my story and I KNOW that there are a LOT of other patients out there that suffer because of THE PAIN TAX. I would also like to point out the cost of these rules to Medicare, Medicaid, Insurance Companies and most importantly the Patients that MUST go to the doctor EVERY MONTH.

I believe that BILLIONS of dollars in savings could be achieved OVERNIGHT by just allowing doctors to be doctors, and allow them to use the education and experience they have when deciding the proper course of treatment for a patient, and if in their judgement, the patient needs a medication on an ongoing basis then allow the doctor to include refills on ALL PRESCRIPTIONS he or she deems necessary for their patient. The Billions in savings would come from fewer doctor visit fees each year by the millions of patients like me, that currently MUST go to the doctor every month. As I mentioned above it would save me $2,000.00 a year, (just multiply that $2,000.00 by the number of patients like me).

I also believe in trusting patients and their doctors to determine the best course of treatment and allowing doctors to actually practice medicine. It appears to me that a culture of suspicion that has taken root in certain federal and state agencies and the result is that doctors are refusing to handle patients that need pain management care. This forces many patients to use urgent care facilitates and emergency rooms as their main provider of pain management care. And it’s not just pain medications that are restricted to no refills many other medications are also restricted. Some of these include certain cancer medications, psychiatric medications, and others.

I also believe that practicing law enforcement over the shoulders of doctors and patients is lazy law enforcement and intrusive. Rather than using the information gathered by all the different tracking systems used to follow pain patients, the law enforcement community and the public would be better served by law enforcement going after those people that are producing or importing illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine, heroine, etc… rather than looking over the shoulders of folks that actually need treatment for pain, psychiatric conditions, cancer etc… and the quickly dwindling number of doctors that are willing to, quite literally put their career, home and property on the line, to provide this much needed care. See certain agencies send in “undercover patients” with counterfeit medical records and if a doctor provides care to these patients more than once, these agencies can seize the doctors home, car, practice etc..

Finally, I would ask that the state of Ohio appoint someone that suffers with chronic pain to the medical board. I believe that unless you have had to deal with the pain, not having slept more than 3 hours at a stretch in more than 17 years and all the other regulatory CRAP involved in getting treated for chronic pain, the medical board will NEVER truly represent the public and the patients that quite possibly use more medical services than any other category of patients.

I have been holding off on posting this particular post in hopes that I might see the beginnings of some kind of spine growing in the Democratic members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, but… no such luck.

First, I should let you know that I am NOT a “Progressive” I am a LIBERAL… the full on bleeding heart kind that believes in universal health care for EVERYONE, Social Security, Medicaid and the national safety net “system” for all Americans. I DO NOT believe that corporations are “people” unless you believe blood and life sucking vampires are people. On a totally different subject, I also believe that auto insurance should be paid for by a gas tax (hey… the more you drive the more you pay) and insurance companies would be forced to compete on SERVICE not price.

Now on to the Democrats, the President, and the lack of spines, balls or any other word you want to put to the way the President and Democrats have been bent over backwards to “compromise” with the GOP and their wall street overlords. And the worst part of all this is that they have done this without so much as a peep to call out the GOP and the fact that all the GOP cares about is those Wall Street overlords that dictate the policies of the Republican party.

So now we have a 12 member ‘Super Congress” that is going to take on the responsibility of deciding just exactly how we are going to cut the deficit. What this boils down to is which “people’s” backs we are going to balance the deficit on, the poor and the middle class or those group of people also know as CORPORATIONS.

I hate to have say this but I am going to predict that if you happen to be in those classes of people known as the middle class or those that receive ANY kind of government assistance you should prepare to be hammered on and called all kinds of names before being hung out to dry.

It is time for the PRESIDENT to grow a pair and start to get ANGRY… REALLY ANGRY and start calling out the GOP and even the DEMOCRATS that are willing to hurt the people in this country that are already hurting the most. There is only so much those of us in the lower and middle classes can carry on our backs before they break.

So its time for “U.S.” to start to call out those in Congress AND the President and let them know that if we continue to be the fall back position for any type of deficit reduction plan “we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore”.

It’s time to think about primary challenges for those members of the House and Senate that continue to believe that the GOP will be fair when it comes to negotiations. It is also time to think about a primary challenge for the President, because what he promised in the last campaign has been forgotten and he may need a reminder that without us liberals he really doesn’t stand a chance of being re-elected.

This site is here to offer the liberal and progressive blogger an option that allows them to ACTUALLY be a blogger! Most of the existing liberal and progressive blogging sites have made some fairly harsh changes to what is allowed and more importantly what is not allowed.  If you are angry that you can’t post an original thought, or worse did you blog at a site that now you can only comment on topics that someone else thinks is important then Blog Liberally is for you.

We allow original thoughts and you can post pretty much anything your heart desires.

Blog Liberally is and always will be a work in progress. We encourage your input and ideas on how we can make Blog Liberally better and more user-friendly.

We will be adding a store and a place you can list items you want to sell.

There you have it… The beginning of a new site that will continue to grow and you will be a big part of how we progress and expand. So don’t be bashful let us know what you think and if you have experience in web design and promotion please let us know we welcome the help and sure can use it.

Finally remember to always Blog Liberally!