How to make Health Care Work - Anywhere

Another 2 parter...

Picture this - 3 glasses - two full of water and one empty.

Glass A represents private health care currently available in the USA. The vast majority of American citizens drink from this glass and give it a grade of 10 out of 10.

Glass B represents the lack of health care for those 45 million Americans (15%) who have no coverage. Needless-to-say, this group scores their empty glass at zero.

Glass C represents the public health care received by all Canadians. The water tastes salty and the citizens score the contents at 5 out of 10.

In America, the experts ignore the fact that the majority - 85% are pleased with their private coverage and place their focus on the 15% that do without. Their solution is to have a public system set-up - like in Canada - for all Amercans. In effect, to turn the majority's glass of water from a grade of 10 to a 5. Rationing will result as will the lack of Doctors and other key health care providers and so on. Without competition, health care - like the sale of cereals or any other product, suffers.

The 15% though will be pleased since their score will go from 0 to a 5.

In Canada, our so called experts believe our public system is the best in world regardless of the facts which indicate otherwise. They continually shun a private system which would raise the water in our glass from 5 to 10.

But experts and proponents on both sides of the health care issue in both countries have it wrong. They trying to determine which is the better system for delivery of health care - public or private, when they should all be looking at what exactly is to be delivered under either regime.

My solution in part 2...

"Galagher"

Sports - We Have Gone Off Track Part II

For those of you anxiously awaiting part 2 - you may be in for a disappointment...

Why have sports gone off track?

Because governments have gone off track.

Starting with the Olympics.

From my perspective they have less to do with sport than they do with politics.

Countless billions are spent by the economic elite countries in their quest to buy medals.

A handful of Amateurs are transformed into professionals with government support.

Billions are spent by the Host Country in a bid to outdo its predecessor.

What to do?

First, return the Olympics to Greece. Make it the permanent Host and their costs will more than be repaid via tourists.

Amateurs should not be expected to be in constant training. If they feel it is necessary to do so to win medals - and it no doubt is - that is to be their choice - not their government's. Cut out the departments of sport and return the tax savings to 'you know who'.

If a country does not win a bunch of medals - it is not cause for the gnashing of teeth. Indeed, only a very few select countries really find themselves in the medal race and this is due to their financial prowess. Open it up and give everyone a shot at the podium. To me, it is the sportsman like thing to do.

Return the focus of sport to the population as a whole - children and adults alike.

Authorities in medicine are now saying that children born in this century will not live as long as their parents did due to poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. This is the first time in history that such a development has occurred.

We need to get back to basics.

Have sports run via volunteers and community associations. If it was found that some pay was required - hire students which would assist them in completing their studies.

One role that would fall to the government is the return of mandatory phys-ed in the schools. Plus credits should be given to all students who participate in intramural sports.

Plus school sports facilities need to be made available to the general public.

Society will be the better for it.

As I see it.

"Galagher"

Sports - I Think We Have Gone Off The Track

A two parter.



My grand-daughter enrolled in 'competitive' soccer when she was 12 or so. I don't know why they called it 'competitive' it was anything but - save in the mind of her coach.



This venture into 'competitive' sport cost her parents over $1,000 for the season - fees for the field, pay for the refs, travel costs, fees for this and fees for that. Even in the non-competitive leagues the cost for joining is in the hundreds of dollars.



When I heard this I was dumbfounded. So here I go...

"When I was a kid' - such a sport cost us nothing - save for a pair of $5 sneakers. The field was a free public school field and the coaches and refs donated their time. They enjoyed the fun as much as the players. When and if we travelled out of town - we all piled into whoever parent's car was available.



Children today do not need an excuse to avoid sports - there are plenty of distractions available, starting with the internet. Cost should simply not enter into it.



We came to our various sports prepared - we brought our own gloves, bats, balls, skates and sticks. And we did our own preparation - lining the fields, cleaning the ice and so on.



Everyone took part, at least for the boys. Girls in sports being a recent development. And about time too.



There was Newt, one of our town's few Aboriginals. We never thought of him as different in any way - but we knew he could run circles around the rest of us. He was perpetual motion.



And Covell who had a wicked curve ball. And Dougall. I often played first in baseball and Dougall played Short Stop - I did not often flinch when I caught the ball at first, but I inevitably did when he was the thrower. Smoke steamed off my glove.



When it wasn't organized play - we often gathered for pick-up games - Johnny, Dave, George, Newt, Coop, Randy, Fownsy, the Hamiltons, the Lyles, and so on. Everyone who showed up got to play and no one had a weight problem back in then.



We also had mandatory physical education -Every day. I remember we had a fellow in our class named Glen. He was a farm lad who could kick a football the length of the field. Being on a farm, he never had the chance to play organized games or even pick-up games for that matter. Glen was far too busy working. And much to the chagrin of our coach.

Us townies who did play though did not need the latest in equipment. Old hand-me-downs were quite sufficient or we simply went without. Our parents generation even had less. Fields were not pristine - nor did they need to be. These were just games afterall - not tryouts for the pros. Refs and Umps were simply parents sans the need for 12 levels of training.

Today's kids are lumbered down with so much equipment that he or she can barely move. And the cost for this stuff makes the registration fees look cheap. Why the old 5 dollar runners now cost in excess of many dress shoes.

I mentioned that obesity was not the issue it is today, nor were the rates of diabetes nor were other health and fitness problems evident as they now are. It is not all due to lack of participation in sports but it is a major factor.

We have gone off track when it comes to sports: it needs to be free, universal, and above all fun.

More on this in part 2....

"Galagher"

A Tale of Two Men

Both were born in Canada.

Both got their start in Quebec.

One lived off the public purse.

The other used his wits in the cut and thrust of private enterprise.

Both attained the top rung in their chosen field.

Both received very high honours from Queen Elizabeth II.

Both have very large egos, but only one earned it.

One had the Head of the Development Bank of Canada fired for allegedly not lending money in regard to the sale of his golf course, and was the author of what became known as Ad Scam.

The other fell afoul of the law for trying to keep his businesses going, which he had build with the sweat of his brow and which the shareholders had come to rely upon.

One is still a Canadian - pity.

The other is not - also a pity.

One is free as a bird.

The other is behind bars.

One is named Chretien.

The other is named Black.

Where is the justice?

Enough said.

"Galagher"

It's Official: Ottawa Mayor Is No Democrat

Having been elected on one and only one campaign promise - no tax increases, supported by a campaign slogan of 'Zero means Zero", one of the first things Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien did after the election was vote for a tax enriched Ottawa Budget.

Now just freshly back from his court trials, O'Brien announces today that his promise of 'Zero means Zero" is dead.

In miniature, this is the problem voters / taxpayers have with today's politicians. They say one thing to get elected, and once in place, turn their backs on their promises. Voters are treated as dupes.

No wonder they are becoming more and more turned off by politicians.

And, no wonder governments continue to grow unchecked.

O'Brien was elected solely to bring the mushrooming bureaucracy at City Hall into balance. Some 17,000 and counting employees now work there with an average salary and benefits approaching $80 K per annum. A figure that private sector employees can only dream about. You know the private sector employee - it is he or she who pays their inflated salaries.

O'Brien was also elected to jettison the nonsensical spending of the city and return it to basics: roads, sewers, garbage collection, police and fire.

Nothing was done in regard to either.

As a Libertarian, the greatest fear I have in regard to to a vibrant democracy, is that government is growing far too large. As such, it is impacting almost every aspect of our daily life. And I do not see much good arising from it.

O'Brien's betrayal is but a minor, but no less clear example of this.

For what it is worth and I am sad to say probably not much - I will not vote for the Mayor next time round should he decide to face the electorate one last time.

As I see it.

"Galagher"

Ignatieff's First Step Toward Home

By "Home" I mean, England, France, or more likely the USA.

Who'da thunk, that the Liberals harbour such a death wish?

Up to yesterday, the thought that they would move non-confidence at the first opportunity was just not in the cards.

With Ignatieff announcement, the Grits have handed the decision on whether there'll be an election over to the great thinker himself, Stephen Harper. He can easily forestall one; all he need do is promise the Bloc more unnecessary billions for Quebec and presto - no vote.

But if he is smart, he will do everything in his power to rebuff efforts by either the NDP or the Bloc to come to his aid. He now has his majority Government in his sights and nothing will get in the way, if he can help it.

Do Canadians want an election? - No. Should there by an election when we are just now starting to emerge from the Great Recession? - No. Will Ignatieff survive his folly? Not very likely.

As I see it.

"Galagher"

Comrade Ambassador

Granted, a little on the hyperbole side...

When I first heard that Gary Doer was stepping down as Premier of Manitoba after 10 years on the job, I thought to myself - at last an honourable politician. He had served his Province well and recognized that after 10 years he would have accomplished whatever he had set out to do.

He was making way for new thoughts and new vision. How naive of me. You would think that after 60 some years I would have been smarter.

The fix was in. Doer was only stepping from one taxpayer funded job to another. How cozy. Had he quit provincial politics for a run at the top rung - ie at the federal level, I would have understood and have been supportive. But not for a government appointment - no matter how well intended.

The news of his appointment, as Canada's Ambassador to Washington, has been virtually unanimous in its praise. Most often suggesting that as an NDPer he will be able to relate better to the Obamists than his predecessor, Tory Mike Wilson.

If that praise is correct, it leads to the obvious conclusion that Canada would be better off with an NDP Governement. God help us.

Enough said.

"Galagher"