Let’s be like Canada

Written by Sang Jung




President Obama is currently tackling substantive issues on what should be in the healthcare legislation, as well as how should the legislation be presented to the American people. This is no easy task. Polls are showing Obama’s overall job performance has slipped from 61% to 53%, and on healthcare 51% to 41%. The people are losing confidence.

The public’s confidence is being eaten away by the Republic Political Machine, which would like nothing more than to kill this bill where it stands. Nothing would make republicans happier than watching Obama trip up on healthcare and thus fall from grace. So they hoot and shout their tired old phrases: “Market-based is the best!” “No socialism” “..don’t want to be like Europe and Canada.” Although a new low was struck when some Republicans in the senate stated that this healthcare bill would promote mandatory euthanasia for senior citizens—classy.

I can understand why they shout these slogans, no matter how flawed they are in terms or logic. Republicans project themselves as fiscal conservatives. And as fiscal conservatives they worship the ideas of the free market; efficiency through private enterprises. I also understand why Republicans compare social initiatives to socialism, because tax payers end up paying for community programs. What I don’t understand is why they bring up Europe and Canada as examples of what not to do.

Maybe these videos can explain why:

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Labels: Canada, healthcare debate, Healthcare reform, Obama

Obama's Beer Summit

Written by Sang Jung

It was a unique cocktail hour at the White House. Four men getting together for a cold beer to discuss the scorching issue of race and police-minority relations.

But beyond the photo-op, President Obama hoped to accomplish what he called a "teachable moment" for the country and dial back the controversy that has exploded from a local issue into a national debate. Yet, his “teachable moment” is growing into a full-blown semester.



In Obama's 40-minute meeting with Cambridge, Mass., Police Sgt. James Crowley and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., there were no apologies, or the appearance of a reconciliation, but the two men agreed to disagree.

"We have all agreed that it is important to look forward rather than backward,"Crowley said at a news conference at the AFL-CIO's national headquarters after the suds summit.
"What you had today was two gentlemen [who] agreed to disagree on a particular issue," said the police officer. "I don't think we spent too much time dwelling on the past. We spent a lot of time talking about the future."

However, If President Obama is unable to bring a cop and a Harvard professor together, what chance does he have brokering a peace deal with Israeli PM Netanyu and Palestinian PM Fayyad.

Labels: beer summit, harvard professor, herny louis gates, james crowley, Obama

Pay for Progress

Written by Sang Hyun Jung



During the past few months, President Obama has delivered on his campaign promise to aggressively tackle the rising cost of healthcare in the U.S. Now the president faces stiff opposition from Congress, as both cynical Republicans and overcautious Democrats try to slow down the Obama administration’s healthcare reform bill.

These critics highlight one argument against spending: Cost.

The healthcare legislation is expected to cost upwards of $1 trillion. That’s 12 zeros. Compound that with the first recovery stimulus that cost $789 billion, and the fact that the Congressional Budget Office projects this year’s budget deficit to round out to $1.7 trillion, and you can see why Obama’s plan has many detractors.

The price tags of these legislations are enormous. There almost too large to comprehend. But the costs of these bills are well worth it, if they bring what they promise.

The economic stimulus provided funding for invaluable social programs that focused on poverty-relief, education, and cutting the rising cost of Medicaid. The bill contains more than $150 billion in public works projects for transportation, energy and technology.

The healthcare legislation’s promise is also ambitious and far-reaching. The bill outlines tax-relief to low to middle-income class Americans, funding of cost-reducing technology, and a single-payer system where all Americans are insured with affordable healthcare.

It’s almost certain that we will experience a rise in taxes due to the amount of spending. But I say it’s worth it.

For so long, decade after decade we cry out to our government to keep us safe, repair our roads, and fund our children’s schools. We then scream, even curse at our government for raising our taxes to pay for these social programs that will benefit us and our communities. We eat and eat, but we balk when the check comes.

We have to recognize that are no free meals. We ask a lot from our government, and we have to pay the cost. And no cost is too high for progress.

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Labels: congress, Congressional Budget Office, Healthcare reform, Obama, Stimulus, tax relief

Let’s be like Canada

Written by Sang Jung




President Obama is currently tackling substantive issues on what should be in the healthcare legislation, as well as how should the legislation be presented to the American people. This is no easy task. Polls are showing Obama’s overall job performance has slipped from 61% to 53%, and on healthcare 51% to 41%. The people are losing confidence.

The public’s confidence is being eaten away by the Republic Political Machine, which would like nothing more than to kill this bill where it stands. Nothing would make republicans happier than watching Obama trip up on healthcare and thus fall from grace. So they hoot and shout their tired old phrases: “Market-based is the best!” “No socialism” “..don’t want to be like Europe and Canada.” Although a new low was struck when some Republicans in the senate stated that this healthcare bill would promote mandatory euthanasia for senior citizens—classy.

I can understand why they shout these slogans, no matter how flawed they are in terms or logic. Republicans project themselves as fiscal conservatives. And as fiscal conservatives they worship the ideas of the free market; efficiency through private enterprises. I also understand why Republicans compare social initiatives to socialism, because tax payers end up paying for community programs. What I don’t understand is why they bring up Europe and Canada as examples of what not to do.

Maybe these videos can explain why:

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

Labels: Canada, healthcare debate, Healthcare reform, Obama

Obama's Beer Summit

Written by Sang Jung

It was a unique cocktail hour at the White House. Four men getting together for a cold beer to discuss the scorching issue of race and police-minority relations.

But beyond the photo-op, President Obama hoped to accomplish what he called a "teachable moment" for the country and dial back the controversy that has exploded from a local issue into a national debate. Yet, his “teachable moment” is growing into a full-blown semester.



In Obama's 40-minute meeting with Cambridge, Mass., Police Sgt. James Crowley and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., there were no apologies, or the appearance of a reconciliation, but the two men agreed to disagree.

"We have all agreed that it is important to look forward rather than backward,"Crowley said at a news conference at the AFL-CIO's national headquarters after the suds summit.
"What you had today was two gentlemen [who] agreed to disagree on a particular issue," said the police officer. "I don't think we spent too much time dwelling on the past. We spent a lot of time talking about the future."

However, If President Obama is unable to bring a cop and a Harvard professor together, what chance does he have brokering a peace deal with Israeli PM Netanyu and Palestinian PM Fayyad.

Labels: beer summit, harvard professor, herny louis gates, james crowley, Obama

Pay for Progress

Written by Sang Hyun Jung



During the past few months, President Obama has delivered on his campaign promise to aggressively tackle the rising cost of healthcare in the U.S. Now the president faces stiff opposition from Congress, as both cynical Republicans and overcautious Democrats try to slow down the Obama administration’s healthcare reform bill.

These critics highlight one argument against spending: Cost.

The healthcare legislation is expected to cost upwards of $1 trillion. That’s 12 zeros. Compound that with the first recovery stimulus that cost $789 billion, and the fact that the Congressional Budget Office projects this year’s budget deficit to round out to $1.7 trillion, and you can see why Obama’s plan has many detractors.

The price tags of these legislations are enormous. There almost too large to comprehend. But the costs of these bills are well worth it, if they bring what they promise.

The economic stimulus provided funding for invaluable social programs that focused on poverty-relief, education, and cutting the rising cost of Medicaid. The bill contains more than $150 billion in public works projects for transportation, energy and technology.

The healthcare legislation’s promise is also ambitious and far-reaching. The bill outlines tax-relief to low to middle-income class Americans, funding of cost-reducing technology, and a single-payer system where all Americans are insured with affordable healthcare.

It’s almost certain that we will experience a rise in taxes due to the amount of spending. But I say it’s worth it.

For so long, decade after decade we cry out to our government to keep us safe, repair our roads, and fund our children’s schools. We then scream, even curse at our government for raising our taxes to pay for these social programs that will benefit us and our communities. We eat and eat, but we balk when the check comes.

We have to recognize that are no free meals. We ask a lot from our government, and we have to pay the cost. And no cost is too high for progress.

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

Labels: congress, Congressional Budget Office, Healthcare reform, Obama, Stimulus, tax relief