Affordable Care Act
I’d like to thank Dr. Geoff Gratwick for his recent article “ Challenge of ACA for Maine.” Dr. Gratwick’s article highlights how the Affordable Care Act supports our society’s fundamental belief that, as Gratwick writes, “nobody should be left to die on the streets.”
However, there is tension between what we believe to be the right thing and our own fears. Many are afraid that because of the ACA, they will be taxed for not having insurance. In reality, the tax will only affect a small percentage of people, roughly 2 percent, and in the long run, the ACA will save all of us money — especially middle -lass and working families who are struggling to make ends meet. In fact, in 2019, more than half a million Maine households will be better off by an average of $1,685 per year, and this summer, more than 10,000 Maine families will get a rebate averaging $463 apiece because of provisions in the ACA.
Thank you Dr. Gratwick for your reasoned and thoughtful discussion of the Affordable Care Act. If I were fortunate enough to live in Senate District 32, Gratwick would have my vote!
Nyasha Millard
Orono
Frey support
I am writing to show my support for Aaron Frey. Aaron is running for state representative for District 18, which includes Bangor, Orono and Veazie. I have come to know Aaron as an honest, hardworking individual who has a genuine concern for working families. He sees the connection between investing in education and attracting good-paying jobs to the region. I believe our current legislators have let us down. I am tired of watching school budgets get axed while corporations and upper-class individuals continue to get tax breaks.
No real investments are being made in the community that way. A strong society is built from the ground up, and Aaron Frey understands that. I have no doubt that he will be a strong voice for all of us in Augusta. Please join me in supporting Aaron Frey on Nov. 6.
Joe Knox
Bangor
For the people
There are supposedly three branches of government controlling us: executive, legislative and judicial. They are supposed to regulate the operation of this nation unbiasedly, regardless of party affiliation. From where I sit, it doesn’t quite seem so. Most rulings passed down by the Legislature seem to strongly follow party lines. Definitely anything directed from the executive branch goes strictly down party lines.
The latest ruling from the judicial group seemed to follow the same trend. It would make more sense if those elected to public office could give up their party affiliation, become “Representatives of the People” and act accordingly. After all, they did take an oath to represent the people regardless of what party they belong to. As it seems right now our “elected officials” swing the way their leaders want them to, not the way the people want. We don’t have any control on who gets appointed to the Supreme Court.
Maybe we should try to change that too.
I feel that because of the “could care less of what the people want” attitude of our elected officials, we, the people, have to get out and try to make a difference before it is too late. We have to start somewhere. If we don’t try and this country continues on the downhill slide, shame on us. If we do try and nothing happens, at least we tried.
Timothy Smyth
Millinocket
Rejected leadership
Former University of Southern Maine president Selma Botman lost a no-confidence vote by the USM faculty 194-88 — better than a 2-to-1 drubbing. Any way you spin it that is a rout and she should have been fired.
However, Botman is being rewarded with a transfer within the system to a new post that will continue to pay her over $200,000 a year or five times as much as a new professor.
How can this be justified when budget cuts are increasing the size of virtually every class in the system and there are hundreds — yes hundreds — of faculty vacancies that are not being filled for lack of funding and adjuncts like myself are teaching over half the classes in many departments?
I have been willing to give our new chancellor time to right the ship, but this move is insulting to those professors and instructors who have won the respect and admiration of their students and peers, by doing a good job, and to the students they teach.
The primary missions of our public institutions of higher learning are teaching and research, and we are currently desperately short of the funds required to do that adequately. Adding administrators at this time is counterproductive, especially one whose leadership has been so resoundingly rejected.
Bruce Pratt
Eddington
IRS employees dedicated
In a radio address, Gov. Paul LePage made an inappropriate and offensive remark about the Internal Revenue Service, referring to it as “the new Gestapo.”
Comparing the IRS to the secret police of Nazi Germany is an insult to committed IRS employees who have dedicated their professional lives to serving our nation.
Moreover, the governor’s comments demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of the work IRS employees do.
The fact is the IRS and its employees play a critical role in the health, safety and prosperity of our nation. It is the agency that collects 93 percent of our nation’s revenue and those funds support food assistance programs for children in need, the roads we travel on, the security of our borders, our national defense, and many other services for Americans. IRS employees are dedicated to helping their citizens get a full and timely refund, whether that taxpayer seeks help by calling the agency or by walking into any of the five Taxpayer Assistance Centers in Maine. And the IRS is vital to addressing the fiscal deficit.
Attacking IRS employees and other federal workers does a disservice to our nation and its long history of noble public service. Federal employees are not concentrated in Washington, D.C. They are members of communities across the country, including those in Maine. They are part of the fabric of our cities and towns.
The IRS employees I represent in the state of Maine are dedicated, hardworking professionals. We deserve better from our governor.
Lisa Krahn
President
National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 7 (IRS Maine)
Lisa Krahn–Great Letter! We are learning to expect inappropriate and offensive remarks from our governor. He has alienated women, blacks, state employees, democrats, protestors and historians among others and now he has added IRS employees to the list.
The good news is all of us should have no problem rising up at the polls this november to effectively neuter him by electing democrat majorities to the senate and house, and then again in two years to send him somewhere his boorishness will be appreciated–maybe Texas, or Faux news.
Electing democrats won’t change the mess we’re in.
yes it will.
Then get your guys and gals to put up an inspiring candidate who isn’t a lefty drone.
How? By passing more laws that ultimately do nothing to convert evil people from being evil? Government is their god, by which they tirelessly strive to restrict our freedom by passing more laws.
This isn’t limited to just “democrats” though. The problem is on both sides of the aisle, where one group is pitted against the other in a vain attempt to quell the opposition. You voting purely along party lines, changes nothing.
If the hiring of 16,500 new IRS agents with the sole purpose of intimidating poor people into paying a TAX that they cannot afford isn’t Gestapoish, then I don’t know what is. Sounds like a perfect comparison to me. The new IRS is the new Gestapo and everybody knows that!!
Nice troll. Now you can sit back and enjoy yourself while you watch Fox and listen to Rush Limbaugh.
Don’t feed the trolls, patom1.
Were you listening to Michelle Bachman or Fox News, there will be new people, according to the CBO the total will approximately 11,600 and they will not all be agents. Currently agents only make up 15% of the total and that is not expected to change so the number of new agents would be approximately 1750 a far cry from 16,500. You really should check your facts before posting.
Silly….. poor people will not be penalized. You really do not understand how this law is going to work do you?
Who exactly does understand how Obamacare is supposed to work except those who wrote 2700 pages of it – not counting the probability of another 27,000 pages of regulations to implement it – and those who don’t want to tell us the truth about it? Folks, nothing is free except for government handouts that others have to pay for. And do you really think government can do a better job of handling our nation’s healthcare system? If so, think again about the probable 27,000 pages of regulations and how that is going to affect our way of living. By far it will create the largest regulatory agency in existence in a marshland of confusion over how Obamacare is intended to be implemented.
Sorry, Red Herring alert!
Congress loves to tout the overwhelming length of the ACA legislation. But in reality, if you remove all the blank pages, and title pages, then space, and margin the remaining document like a trade paperback, It’s almost exactly the same number og pages as Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. Which I may add my 12 year old read cover to cover, of course most of congress is not as bright as a twelve year old, so maybe that’s the real problem!
Most legislation has blank pages, title pages and half pages. I understand that part on account of my past employment. I also understand that 10 pages of regualtions for every page of law, regardless of content or lack thereof, is usually deemed necesarry to implement a law passed by Congress. Now, what’s 10 times 2,700? Unless your 12 year old is very exceptionally gifted, he or she will never be able to read and absorb the law, no less the associated regs., withing a few day’s time. You’re right, most congressman have not even read the law’s entire contents. Now what does that tell you about ACA? It’s a complicated mess if you ask me.
Oh, yes I do. I think they can. The health care system in this country was spiraling out of control People were shouting and crying about it. Clinton tried, but failed. Bush gave us some Medicare changes and did nothing else for 8 years. Obama did something about it. And, there is no handout. We still pay for our own health insurance plans. The free market will still profit from our need for health care. And, for the hundredth time… given a chance it is projected that this will bring down costs AND reduce the deficit. I shake my head at the consistency with which people who make these comments fail to do anything but spout what has been labeled a ‘pants on fire’ falsehood: http://www.politifact.com/florida/statements/2012/jul/11/american-commitment/health-care-law-largest-tax-increase-history-middl/
The big change now with Obamacare is that the government gets to decide who gets medical care and what type. The reason why Bush failed to implement measures to fix the broken system is because the Democrats did not want any fixes to the system that had serve us very well for many decades. Rather, they wanted to revamp it completely. I don’t think it’s going to work even if it doesn’t end up being repealed. Like all government programs it will get more and more bloated with time, and the government will have no choice but to severely ration healthcare. In the meantime the economy will suffer on account of it because a nation cannot run a huge bureaucracy and expect good results. The old Soviet Empire failed and so will this country.
You apparently don’t read or listen to anything other than loonycon media. This has obviously put an ignorance clot in your thinking mechanism.
Ms. Millard – You’ve been completely misinformed. Do some research and quit listening to the Democrats and supporters of this bankrupting mess they disguised as ACA. By the way, your figures for 2019 are interesting. But, just where is all that money going to come from?
The ACA isn’t disguised.
No, just 2700 pages of law and 27,000 pages of regulations that will most certainly follow. No wonder investors are not willing to create jobs and wealth to turn the ailing economy around.
What has been their excuse not to create any jobs the past 10 years then?
Actually her comments are consistent with what I have read. And I read few media reports. Like the edu sites better. Where do you do your ‘research’?
It’s funny — you always say you know the truth, but you never seem to be able to back up that “truth” with real facts.
How’s that giant, completely unnecessary money-sucking monster known as the “healthcare insurance industry” working for ya? My premiums are running over $1,000 a month for two. Who pays yours? Of course, you know the “industry” came about under Nixon, right? A few of his cronies convinced the unwitting President that they could make billions simply by standing between the medical profession and the patients. Worked out real well, didn’t it? But its convenient to blame healthcare providers for cost increases and not those double-digit premium increases we’ve been eating for the last 20 years. You are the one that is sorely misinformed. Your “research” seems to come from very obvious sources.
Premiums increased on account of government regulations that increased the cost of healthcare and caused people to drop their insurances. Here in Maine for instance, during the Baldacci Administration, insurance rates sky-rocketed while competitors fled the state leaving just one insurer, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, to insure most Mainers. Since LePage has introduced reforms, insurers are returning and the cost of insurance is set to go up slightly for a few people while most other people’s premiums are set to go down considerably, in some cases as much as 60%.
http://www.themainewire.com/2012/05/individual-health-insurance-rates-set-drop-60-result-maine-health-care-reform/
I agree with competition and understand the lack thereof under Baldacci. The quote I got from Anthem recently for the same G-D coverage was $1,500 a month for two people. 50% higher than the shisters I bought from, same deductible. My point was an unnecessary bunch of money grubbing thugs between you and your doctor. Didn’t have that in the ’60’s. Paid the doctor’s bills. Now, giant, blood sucking insurers and hosptial administrators between you and your doctor. Nice. Help keep them all monied for doing virtually nothing but increasing costs. I don’t have the answers. Clearly, nobody does at this point, given the proclivity to make it a political argument for or against the Affordable Care Act (which I support in part only). If I could simply pay into my local hospital into a savings account monthly, and arrange for payment plans on necessary services, fine. I’d do it in a heartbeat, but that won’t work currently, either. I’ve paid out in the hundreds of thousands for healthcare insurance over the years and used only a pittance of that a couple of times. Should have put it in the bank.
I can understand your feelings after having invested a lot in healthcare and not getting much back in return. On the flip side, it sounds like you and your wife have enjoyed good health until now. Fortunately, I did not have to pay nearly as much as you did, as I participated in an employee plan that paid 75% of the premiums. My deductible too ($500) is manageable even if I have to pay 20 percent for most outpatient expenses. All in all, I know my employer and myself combined have paid more into the system then what I’ve gotten back. But insurance is really about protection against catastrophic costs, so I’m satisfied. If I were younger and healthier I’d look for a plan with a high deductible to save money.
Back in the 60’s there were a lot of private practices. When people started suing, the cost of malpractice insurance went up considerably. Most doctors today feel the can’t afford the cost of this insurance to run a private practice. Therefore they worked for hospitals and clinics that get cheaper rates. What I believe would help keep premiums down besides more competition is tort reform at the federal level to make it more difficult for patients to sue doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, drug makers, etc. I don’t have any figures to show but I’m told tort reform is a worthy goal to pursue.
Something too needs to be done with the problem of obesity that creates a big burden on the healthcare industry. Programs to encourage weight loss have met with very limited success. I’ve suggested insurers should increase co-pays for these people who are obese after having been given time to address their weight issue. Of course this would require people to go for annual, or better yet, semi-annual checkups in order for them to keep their rates low or lower. People oftentimes aren’t really motivated to incorporate healthy habits until they are hit where it seems to count most: in their pocketbooks.
“flagged for review.” cute. I’ll go back to grabbing the print version occasionally. I’m beginning to agree with the BDN critics.
Parsons is a veteran who is already receiving government health care.
Not surprised. I’ve always felt honesty is the best policy. And that ain’t being very honest. Probably just doesn’t want to share.
Agreed. Why are you “guest” now? It seems you’ve been guested.
It’s Mr. Millard, not Ms.!
Thank you Nyasha and Lisa for your comments. They balance very nicely all of the comments from those who seem to just need something to kick in their lives. You know those people with anger management problems.
Lisa Krahn,
I encourage you to watch “America: Freedom to Fascism” by Aaron Russo, a very well done (and well documented) documentary on the IRS and Income Tax FRAUD being perpetrated upon every US citizen.
(- Link to the FREE video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ayb02bwp0 -)
After the “Federal Reserve Act” of 1913 was passed, it was quite easy for the people in charge of the system to directly manipulate the entire economy of the United States. This became a reality when in 1934 all gold reserves were sold off, and all money was then directly proportional to the GDP of the American people in its entirety.
THIS IS NOT advice that you shouldn’t pay your income taxes, but rather information that might encourage you to change the system back to what it used to be which allowed this country to flourish. I wouldn’t want to be looking down the barrel of a gun for simply not paying taxes because of the totalitarian behavior of our government, and so I don’t advise anyone to not pay their taxes.
“Render unto Caesar…”
The gold reserves were never “sold off”. Fort Knox is definitely not empty. It holds an estimated 2.5% of all gold ever refined in human history, and is second only to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
In a modern economy such as exists worldwide today, gold simply does not have the same function as in the past. Its use as a basis of our country’s economy did not prevent the depressions of the 1870s and 1930s. Re-establishing it as the basis of our monetary system would most likely result in a severe contraction of the economy.
Step 1: Click the link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UdsQz-hwq8
Step 2: Wait or fast-forward to 1:35
Step 3: Listen. (Or read, below).
Ron Paul Subcommittee Hearing – 6/1/11 – FED Has No Gold!
“The Federal Reserve does not own any gold at all… we have not owned
gold since 1934, um, so we have not engaged in any gold swap. Before
1934 the Federal Reserve did, we did own gold. We turned that over by
law to the Treasury and received in return for that gold certificates.”
The “Federal Reserve” is a PRIVATE BANK, and it has nothing to do with Fort Knox which IS actually run by the government. But no one really knows if there is in fact any gold there, either. Reports are so sketchy as to the gold content of Fort Knox, even congress doesn’t know for sure.
The Federal Reserve bank system was supposed to stop inflation and depressions, and has done neither.
The 1930 depression that you cite (which, obviously, happened after 1913…) was a direct result of the actions of the Federal Reserve when they purposely created a manufactured crisis to get banks to crash, JUST so they could buy them up!
Going back further, to the 1870’s “Railroad Bubble” — Banks of that time in Europe and America, (once again), purposely lended money in high volumes to just about anyone, and then suddenly stopped the practice. This caused a very noticeable world-wide hiccup in cash flow, which caused Austria-Hungary to collapse under the weight of debt via these unregulated banks! Pretty much the same thing happened here in America, except we didn’t collapse under the weight of debt.
The real answer to the 1870’s crisis is, who profited from Jay Cooke & Co.’s demise?
Follow the money…
Mr. Smyth, you say “We don’t have any control on who gets appointed to the Supreme Court.”
We do, actually, as our senators vote to confirm the president’s nomination. If you don’t like a particular nominee for the Supreme Court, you can call or write to your senators expressing your opinion.
Oh please……stop with the “IRS employees serve our country and nation”, that’s pathetic. It’s a freakin government job. If they had to choose between serving the country and citizens, and keeping a job, most IRS employees would keep the job. What’s more, most people do not realize how corrupt and lawless the IRS, and Tax Court is in reality. But I’m sick of hearing how “dedicated” IRS employees are to our country. the US Constitution and US citizens….it’s not true.
I see you ascribe to the LePage school of hyperbolic political invective.
“All state employees are corrupt”
“All IRS employees are corrupt and lawless”
Where did he use the word “all”? I don’t see it. You see what you want to see, even if it isn’t there, to the benefit of an agenda that is based on a lie.
Most of the good IRS agents have quit the agency and are now working against it, because they know the truth. Most everyone else is just collecting a paycheck, but that doesn’t make them good or bad.
Actually, I agree with the post. I worked for the Feds. If the American public really knew . . . nothing like an automatic deposit every two weeks, a thrift savings plan, 2 hour lunches and comp time! I’ve got a friend that could take 6 months off immediately on comp time. He’s fishing every Wednesday. What are the rest of us doing? Can’t fault ’em. It’s good, easy work if you can get it. Oh, and I think LePage was once again way off the mark. His days are numbered, not because I completely disagree with him, but because his obvious loyalties don’t fall with the average Mainer (the “other” 65% that didn’t vote for him). Thanks a pantload to a very weak Democratic candidate and an elitist Indpendent spoiler. Well, not sure who the spoiler might’ve been from a what’s-good-for-Maine perspective.
I had a cousin who had to deal with the IRS and the IRS were nothing more than a bunch of unprofessional, rude, callus, power hungry shmucks who did absolutely NOTHING to help resolve my cousins issue. Do not postulate about the redeeming qualities the IRS has because they have NONE.