Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Details Matter

An article in an issue of the WSJ (paper edition) last week illustrated why the debate over "health care" is so shallow. ObamaCare touts that the uninsured will get covered under his plan and that your existing plan won't change. And he says the costs are low and fair. All this bloviation by him is a fallacy of lying by vagueness in the debate over this policy. Massachusetts has a law mandating persons to buy "coverage" or pay a fine. That word in quotes, "coverage" and its definition matters.

The WSJ article was written by a Masachusetts couple who are retired now from IBM. They pay for the IBM health care from their own money and bought a catastrophic policy as well. But now they will have to pay the fine in Massachusetts. Why ? Because the State requires "more" coverage, in essence a lower annual cap on their own outlays. Isn't how much one can afford by their personal means (self-insurance) a matter of individual freedom? They surely can "choose" between a prepayment via insurance for that potential cost or paying as they go. The difference is only $500 [$2,000 state limit vs. $2,500 for IBM.] However, the couple will have to pay the fine of $1,000 per year, because getting a policy other than the IBM one would cost a lot more.

Insanity. This is how the ruling classes led by Obama are lying by vagueness about this health care debate. They simply make up sound bits and propaganda with no basis in reality of human lives to sell their "plan".

It's a national disgrace and will probably lead to a huge disaster, cluster FUBAR if this 1,000 page monstrosity is passed.

What is being missed are all the mandated "coverage" details. Every lobby group is going to DC to get their favorite illnesses covered by mandates. Simple, affordable plans get chucked aside as this one size fits all policy is getting crammed though DC under a tidal wave of propaganda.

By the way, is it not obvious that employment will be severely hurt if more employer mandates are imposed ?

The Solution: A national "shared benefit" health plan that would provide a fair, moderate health coverage for all. This would be a provided to all persons in the form of an electronic voucher. The plans would be let out to bid by the government (or States) and all insurance firms could offer qualified plans for bid via the Dutch Auction method used for selling government bonds. Existing plans would get a credit for the value of the Shared minimum. Complete freedom for buying additional, "topping off" policies would be preserved.

How to pay: (A) Broaden the Medicare tax to a single tax on ALL income following the structure of the Alternative Minimum Tax, corporations included. All income would be taxed equally (including municipal bond interest). No more separate pools. Simply set the rate to raise the necessary amount.

Secondary Benefit: This is a model for true tax reform. Combine the existing income tax (personal and corporate), Social Security tax and Medicare tax into a single tax structured like the Alternative Minimum Tax.

Actions

I sold FCX yesterday from Fido Fund. I am concerned about an article in FT about problems with the Congo government regarding FCX's huge investment in a copper mine there. I also wonder why the company has not reinstated its dividend, as copper prices have been well in the upper $2 area for months. Total profit there was about 60 points in various positions, or about a nearly a quadruple.

Also, I sold the GOOG calls that I had, for over a 100% profit, in 1-2-3 Fund. I'm keeping the stock in Fido Fund long term. I figure I won't make much more on the calls even if earnings are good near term as the stock has rallied strongly into earnings with several upgrades..

PS: I need to translate "lying by vagueness" into Latin so it will sound more erudite.

PPS: A principle concept of this blog, viz. distrust of the ruling classes - all of them - is gaining more adherents. WSJ online today: "Americans have historically swung between anger at big business and anger at Washington. This year their rage has targeted business and government with equal fury. ... Episodes of populism in U.S. history are marked by "people being fearful of and opposing concentrated power of any kind," said Michael Kazin, a Georgetown University historian and author of "The Populist Persuasion." "Big corporations and big government can be seen as parts of the same problem," Mr. Kazin said. That was particularly true during the Gilded Age at the end of the 19th century. Theodore Roosevelt tapped into that resentment by promising to end what he portrayed as a corrupt and cozy system where powerful companies and politicians rewarded each other." Populist Libertarianism is the way !

Word of the Day

"Objurgation" - noun [$10]; from "Objurgate" - verb, transitive [$10] literary; a Mencken word
Objurgate means to chide or scold.
Sentence: Many posts of this blog are reasoned objurgations of the antics of the ruling classes. Why does the press objurgates them so little ? Because the modern press is part of the ruling class.

63 comments:

Spin-em said...

Allenby Accuses Anthony Kim of Partying Until 4 AM, Calls Him 'Current John Daly'


what a bunch of thumping tosh

mfl59 said...

lmaoooo what does that say for Allenby that he got smoked by a drunk guy? why was Allenby awake at 4am anyways?

Go ahead Bud....drink as many zimas as you like....Anthony Kim you are not pal....

Spin-em said...

Bunk start practicing your Garry Owen..Rugby in Olympics 2016...we need ya pal...USA USA!!!

Spin-em said...

mfl do you have your $220 ready??....will he even show up?? loser pays???

Bunkerman said...

"Allenby Accuses Anthony Kim"

uh ....

who the _____ are they ??

Bunkerman said...

hey, Garry Owen is one of my favorite songs !!!!!!

I have some fine recordings of it.

That was a great Civil War song of the UNION army !! 7th Cavalry, too.

Bunkerman said...

I saw that about rugby ... it's about bleeping time !!!

The finest team sport of the entire world.

[the finest individual sport is wrestling]

Bunkerman said...

Real Men Play Rugby !!!

Bunkerman said...

sheesh ... they are golfers.

a rich man's sport.

Spin-em said...

yes its a fine Irish song....but its also a type of kick in rugby...not that I have to tell you that...lol

mfl59 said...

"The finest team sport of the entire world"


one of the sillier things ever said on this blog indeed...

Frosty said...

Bunky...what are we selling today...your girlfriend out bashing GS this morning...are you feeling the panic sir.

Bunkerman said...

uh frosty ... I did my selling yesterday.

none planned.

Molotova probably got all she can get from GS selling her business, so time to move on.

Bunkerman said...

today I work on Polish adjectives and demostrative pronouns.

And French.

And doing my reading shifts.

Bunkerman said...

uh, mfl, note that I did not say, "most popular"

the rabble likes a wimpy sport like soccer.

Spin-em said...

the rabble likes a wimpy sport like soccer.

lmaooooooooooooooooooo


Teller ..just made a fist at his computer and punched his couch

Frosty said...

where is Sal today...being sodomized by the emini...oh, jim may have wanted a second coat of wax on the prowler....perhaps tweeting with the arod fan club on the crackberry890000000000.

mfl59 said...

"Teller"

lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

mfl59 said...

Bunkerman why do you learn 5 languages at once instead of simply focusing on one for an extended period of time? Just curious as to your thought process...

Bud said...

got all she can from GS ??? huh ???


looks to me like meredith reccomended GS at 155 and sold at 190...........according to my math that's 45 points...........is that also a 'blip' hit Bman ???

Bud said...

easy there frosty................do you really wanna go there again


i have no problem cussin and cursin again


PS............please 'private email' me the ops-expo open interest spreadsheet.............i need to make some money.............specifically 220bux for greens fees

Bunkerman said...

I was doing that for French and got bored and stale after six months.

My long term goal is to learn all six (French, German, Latin, Spanish, Italian, Polish - the great languages of Europe that use the Latin alphabet) & figured it would take three years per language. So being age 55, I would not finish until age 70 if I did them sequentially. No good - I want to enjoy them more now.

Plus they do self-support a bit in vocab & grammar.

So I decided to do all six at once and work hard for two years. The main onces are French, German, Polish, Latin. I do less of Italian & Spanish, but pick them up faster having the French & Latin base.

This way I get some basic literacy & basic speaking ability & listening withing one year, so I can enjoy them a lot more now.

After three years I won't be fluent, but should be able to understand them, speak some and read the newspapers, simple books.

Bunkerman said...

Bud, I meant she was touting GS because they were probably selling her services to GS clients.

"got all she can" from that.

Bud said...

Bman have you sold all the calls you bought that made you 300% long ???



Je ne fais rien my ass

Spin-em said...

$220??.....still payin for the Klingon brother?...live long and prosper

Bunkerman said...

I've sold some, holding some.

It was a multi-month play.

Bunkerman said...

sold RIMM, GOOG.

Holding MMM, ITW, UTX, BA, PG, MT

Bunkerman said...

more specifially, it was an earnings play on each of them.

IFF they run up a lot before earnings (like GOOG), I'll take profits prior thereto.

mfl59 said...

I just cant see how the Yankees cant beat Anaheim in a 7 game set....what say you spin?

Spin-em said...

Angels dannn-gerousa(rip michael heee heeee jamonga)....wanted the sox....dont like all these sox douchebags jumpin onboard..azzhead not the only one...(if they win we were right..if they lose..its great...fn pussies).but it is what it is...If ya wanna be the best...ya gotta mow em all down...those Dodgers have the #'s..runs scored to runs allowed and they have pitchers batting..geesh

Spin-em said...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings

RS/RA...DIFF

mfl59 said...

"If you wanna be the best, youve got to beat the best"

I doubt anyone here can name that movie....made in the last few years...

Bunkerman said...

no idea here.

Bud said...

Bman are california vineyards an asset class ??


calpers loses over 200million 'investing' in vineyards

Bud said...

Barbershop 2 ??

Spin-em said...

Dodgeball???lol

Bud said...

hey ace.................who is your pro-football team ??


PS.........bob when are the sea-pigeons gonna learn............you ain't goin anywhere with hassell-pussy...........give the job to seneca wallace

Spin-em said...

Hassehoff 2-0
Wallace 0-3

dont think.. just read the picks you get

Bud said...

you know what's really despicable about the guys on this blog..................i get the feeling they are all rooting against me in the market..............they want me to lose money in futures and options........or any stock..........y'all notice how quick they are to point out a stock i lose money in



that's really disgraceful...........pathetic ...........and low............i want everyone here to make tons and tons and tons of money............and i am like that with every trader i know



you guys get pleasure out of other's losing trades............you can't wait to mention it..............bunch of sore f'ng losers................i guess your mothers didn't hug you enough




PS...........not you Bman...........i know you want me to succeed..............i know it gives you zero pleasure to see me lose money...........they know who they are...............f'ng douchebags



PPS............no problem...........you guys can root against me all u want...........it won't affect me...............it's you pricks that are the losers............

mfl59 said...

the movie is "Never Back Down"

Bud said...

great job mern............i'm glad you up 100%


i know others here ain't

mfl59 said...

Bud I am a New York Giants fan sir....

For the record I dont root for you to lose money...I only root for lying scumbag frauds to lose....you know who you are...

Bud said...

new york giants?? and the mets...........that's a weird combination


mine is easy...........when i was kid .........i was surrounded by nygiant and yankee fans



interstingly............all the yankee fans i knew were fags............i wonder what % of yankee fans are fags.......prolly 88%

Spin-em said...

Could care less about a horse's ass like you.......I wouldnt lose a wink of sleep if they had to cart you or the other one off.....fool me once... blah blah blah

Is that wrong???

loooooooooooooooooooooooooool




PS it's not a lie......if you
believe


VNDA,CRTP....ooops

Bunkerman said...

sigh .. such eristics.

oh well, kissing in a locker room environment is a bit, uh ... wierd.

;)

Spin-em said...

OPTT..."heckuva call bob"

mfl59 said...

OPTT brilliant Bobby...."load up on it...its a sure thing"

6k indeed....

mfl59 said...

"Penn and Teller"


lamoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Spin-em said...

lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Penn...."watch me make this golfball......dis----appear 150 yards awaaaaay...Teller!!..my 6 iron"

Bunkerman said...

Teller and Penn ...

hmmm ...

Are they like Terrence and Philip on South park ?

Frosty said...

Sal...opx spreadsheet on the way...print and dry your eyes...for god's sake man, steady yourself...I have swing watch this weekend.

call of the dogs boyz...thanks in advance.

Spin-em said...

"sorry" bud..and the other one...I would care....Id care bigtime...lool

mfl59 said...

Bunkerman does the fact that tonight is a Bradley Turn scare you in any way good sir? Cooper also thinks there is a full moon rising...

Frosty said...

Mern...QID...PRZEPRASZAM

Bud said...

'steady yourself'


LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frosty

Spin-em said...

we need to be careful...Buds so upset..he may take his doosra and go home......

Bunkerman said...

lolololol frosty

the Polish is catching on ...

uh mern, the polite reply is 'Proszę" pronounced, 'proshe' [long 'o', short 'e']

Frosty said...

PISS OFF..oh man...LMAOOOOOOOOO

Bud said...

please mern.................keep doin what you doin.......i'm so happy for you......up 100%..........don't listen to bob..............i mean.....he did almost bankrupt you in the QID



Proszę bob !!!!!!





PS................still wanna be friends ???

Bud said...

Bman how do you say 'kiss my ass' in polish ??

Bunkerman said...

no, Proszę means "all right, or you're welcome' in this context.

Piss off is "spieprzać" (informal) or "spierdalać" (vulgar)

Bunkerman said...

"kiss my ass" is

"pocałuj mnie w dupę"

Spin-em said...

silent emails

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

spierdalać Teller