Here's a bit of advice to those who claim the health care overhaul now before Congress is a scary step toward socialism. Look around! Some 87 million Americans (29 percent of the population) are already covered by government (socialistic) insurance on the federal, state and local level. Medicare, serving 45 million of the elderly and disabled, is federally run and is the nation's biggest single insurer. Also providing socialistic medical insurance are Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, Veterans Administration, Tri-Care for the military and its retired, the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan (which includes members of Congress), the Indian Health Service, and many other state and local government programs.

Today, half our state's population is covered by tax-financed public/socialistic health insurance. That's why a robust public health insurance option must be an integral part of the health care overhaul now before Congress.


Single-provider goal

Insurance coverage is not medical care. The purposed forced insurance farce to transfer trillions of dollars to Wall Street, banks and insurance companies while doing zero to improve and expand medical care is another Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Moment of Shame for capitalism. It's also a disguised tax.

Remember Paulson before Congress demanding and getting $700 billion and open-ended future sums? No accountability, no disclosure, no criminal or civil action against him, the administration, Congress or Wall Street.

Every dollar going to health care through insurance adds $2 to $3 to the cost. Insurance companies have huge expenses: salaries, commissions, bonuses, buildings, operating expenses common to all businesses. Also, there's advertising, a large, safe reserve must be maintained (or it's all scam), and considerable "political expense."

The only viable, civilized health care system, versus a money-making system, is single-payer transitioning to single-provider including dental, drug and eye glasses.


Too bad, too sad

The Party of "No"? Maybe, but more the Party of "Tough Luck."

Tough Luck if you are poor. Tough Luck if you are black or Hispanic. Tough Luck if you are an illegal immigrant. Tough Luck if you can't get affordable health insurance. Tough Luck if global warming causes floods in our homes, dries up our water supply.

In summary: Tough Luck if you're not a well-off, healthy, white, working, Christian citizen.


Human life's cheap

I see where a Southern New Mexico couple are charged with more than 100 counts of animal cruelty. Prosecutors say the couple face at least five years' probation or a maximum of 106 years in jail. No sentencing to date.

Here in Santa Fe, in recent times, we had a drunken "hit-and-run incident" that killed one person. The latest on this is that the driver involved may get off with as little as two and a half years in prison.

Both of these cases are inexcusable; however, isn't there something wrong with this picture?


Dig deeper

We need to take another hard look at the state budget and see where the fat can be additionally cut. The budget cuts, though intrusive, could be helped along more by tackling the double dippers.

Eliminating double dipping would open jobs for traditional state employees, whose positions would have to be filled, possibly by new hires.

State employment currently is running at about 7.5 percent. The ripple effect of eliminating double-dipping would take some time, but would definitely attack some of the unemployment problems we are experiencing. This would not be a total answer, but part of a system of solutions for our budget.

Then there are the contract (exempt) employees; what to do? If an "exempt" position can be done by a nonexempt employee by adjusting workloads with the minimum of overtime, then perhaps this is what should be done. A state oversight committee should evaluate the fiscal impact and regional need of every employment contract.