Who will lead a reform of health care?

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wants more transparency from the private accrediting agencies that inspect health care facilities, according to a report in ProPublica.

The major private accrediting organization, The Joint Commission, has for years evaluated facilities that, under federal rules, would serve as proxies for the state inspection of how well the facility is performing. If awarded accreditation, the facility would be eligible for reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid. This is known as “deemed” status. But, as the ProPublica story points out, this system is deeply flawed.

Another diversion from treason with Russia

Am I the only one who thinks the President Bannon/45 “armada” headed toward the Korean peninsula was a Kabuki Dance?

Why are hospital administrators gutless?

As a 1969 graduate of the old hospital administration program at the University of Iowa, I follow how hospitals handle a wide range of issues. The history of hospitals in the United States, from the first one in Philadelphia founded by Ben Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond until the contamination of the U.S. health care system by the Republican and Ronald Reagan, reflected a sense of community and charitable behavior. Nonprofit corporations and religious sponsorship dominated the hospital sector; and, the behavior of the leadership in the industry reflected that philosophy.

Which is why this story caught my eye.

It's time to wage war for democracy

One of the most important issues we are facing in our current political climate, as the past recess

demonstrated, is that GOPers want to stay loyal to their patrons, not their constituents. Therefore not only must we find a way to reach elected officials but we also need to have them understand the threat from the grass roots. It might be possible to overpower those legal bribe, a/k/a, campaign contributions, from the corporatists and oligarchs, with voices loud enough in the various forms available.

What is the GOP end game?

I’ve been thinking about that on and off for years and since the election, more so.

I don’t understand what the Republicans have to gain with their agenda. All I see is the dystopian future of science fiction novels. If you look at the broad sweep of American history in the 20^th

Century, the oligarch class has resented the rest of the population since the success of the trustbusters.

The resurgence of the Moral Majority and Republicans has been ongoing since Watergate. They have played the long game and are close to winning. I don’t know what it will take to stop them, given how they have outflanked the progressive and, especially, the Democratic Party:

And the staffs are complicit, too

To: The staff of Republican legislators

CC: The staff member who takes this off the fax machine

From: George Schwarz, constituent and one of the many people whose taxes pay your salary

Subject: Upholding the United States Constitution

 

First, to the staffer who takes this off the fax, I implore you to read this and then pass it on to other staff members. Maybe someone higher in the food chain of your office will show it to your penultimate boss, the office holder/politician.

Of course, the ultimate bosses are the voters. I am sorry to have to remind all of you of that fact because your boss, and the majority of the Republican bosses, have forgotten that. But you knew that didn’t you?

So, here’s a question for all of you, but especially who work for Cruz, Cornyn, Thornberry and Farenthold. Do you understand how they are violating their oath of office under the Constitution? No, they are not required under the Constitution to vote a certain way to uphold their oaths of office. But, under the Constitution, we have a righto petition the government for the redress of our grievances. Disabling our ability to give input by all but shutting down phones, fax machines and ignoring emails; and, by sending out form letters that are totally nonresponsive to issues[1], the politicians you work for are obstructing the citizens’ right to use the First Amendment.

Confronting the right-wing Texas governor's hate and hypocrisy

March 22, 2017

Greg Abbott

State Capitol Bldg.

1100 Congress, Room 2S.1

Austin, TX 78701

FAX 1(512)463-1849

Mr. Abbott:

One of the difficult things to do in addressing the Republican leadership of Texas is to keep a civil tone. The Republican resistance to other views is startling. So many of you have become intolerant of anyone else. You and your allies are very close to becoming a Christian Taliban.

Here are some things you need to know:

· A large number of Texans don’t support the faux Christian views you and your cohorts claim are Christ’s message. We see the message far differently. It’s a message of love, tolerance, care, compassion and acceptance. It’s not the judgmental hate you wrap in the false flag gospel, the cross and the American flag.

· The Republicans retain political control of Texas through treacherous dishonesty. The gerrymandering coupled with the straight party line voting is just the tip of the iceberg. The dishonesty extends to lying and propaganda, disinformation and participating in the dumbing down of voters by undercutting the public schools in this fine state. It is not only a threat to the Founders’ spirit of democracy, but it is a threat to our country’s national security. What could be more treasonous?