By the time ObamaCare, as it is being called, moves from compound low to overdrive — which is predicted to take some four years — it will be overwhelming in its complexity and crushing in its cost.
So much money will be changing hands — new taxes, new mandates, new fees to go with mandates — we won’t know what is the cost of health care and what is the cost of everything else.
One of the remarkable requirements of the bill will be that Uncle Sam will hire 17,000 more IRS agents to enforce the financial rules of the bill. And I always thought health insurers were overstaffed. The government health bureaucracy will make the health insurers seem like mom-and-pop grocery stores.
Already, giant companies hear the rumbling of the federal steamroller, and are initiating charge-offs they no longer will be able to make once ObamaCare takes hold. These big companies — Deere, Caterpillar, AT&T — have been in the forefront of providing more-than-ade-quate health care for their employees and for their retirees. These payouts will be subject to taxation in the new world of ObamaCare. Businesses will be hit hard. Four years from now, the pink slips will be flying, unless, of course, you are an IRS agent.
This big bill, which somehow also deals with student loans, could have been so much simpler and cheaper.
It could have been a voluntary extension of Medicare to anyone who wanted to buy into it at actuarially sound rates. None could be refused coverage, and all could take the coverage with them from state to state.
The private insurers could sell supplemental policies, just as they do now to Medicare policy holders.
And instead of hiring 17,000 IRS agents, we could educate 17,000 new doctors, which we’ll need.
I think that the school district shouldn’t combine all the schools, because it wouldn’t be a good idea. It would also be problem because of the location. I think it’ll be too far away; how could the students get to school? Some of the students might even drop out because of no way to get to school.
Many of the continuation schools don’t even want to get put together. Many say it’ll cause more problems or drama. Students like it here because they can concentrate on their work and get it done.
Norma Hernandez,
Madera
I do not think combining Mountain Vista, Furman, and Ripperdan together at Ripperdan is a good idea. The purpose of these schools is to allow the students to learn in smaller environments. For some, this works better and, that would be taken away.
Most people have negative opinions of alternate education. They may assume that we all cause problems and were probably kicked out of school. That is not always the case. Some students choose to be here because they like the environment. A smaller setting makes it easier to communicate with your teachers and counselors. You receive more help and attention than in a bigger school with more students. People won’t get that. Alternative education also gives more opportunities. I know that the new school would still be continuation, but it won’t be the same.
Also, the location is way too far. Especially if transportation is cut, how would we get there? Some parents work early in the morning and others may not have a car. I think this will discourage students and make them want to drop out. Think of all the jobs that would be lost. This would really be sad.
Melissa Uribe,
Madera
I don’t think combining the three continuation schools would be a good idea. I believe that this would cause many problems among the students. Most people choose to go to a continuation school because of the small amount of students.
Some kids would not feel comfortable being around a large amount of people. Being around too many kids can be a distraction for some students, cutting back on their learning.
Another reason not to combine the schools is because some students learn more in a smaller environment. Being in a small environment can be a huge benefit because the teacher can give you his or her undivided attention. With the three schools combined, the teachers are not going to be able to focus on the students as much.
Isau Mendoza,
Madera
I disagree with the people that are trying to put Mountain Vista, Furman, and Ripperdan together. The reason is a lot of students are going to be there and more fights are going to happen.
Also, how are we going to get a ride when it’s too far? Also, if Madera has lots of dropouts now, just imagine how many students will be dropping out. Another reason is the last two years they rebuilt the school and spent lots of money, so that will be dumb if we move from here.
So, yeah, if we want Madera students to start going to school, we should stay how we are or else we would have the highest percentage of dropouts, so I say we stay where we are.
Yesterday was the birthday of the late Norman Borlaug. Britannica online describes him as “the great American agricultural scientist, plant pathologist, and winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was one of those who laid the groundwork of the so-called Green Revolution, the agricultural technological advance that promised to alleviate world hunger.”
Borlaug was truly a great man. Some have said that as many as a third of those who are living today owe their lives to him and his work.
Noting his birthday reminded me of a radio conversation I heard not long ago between a talk show host and a self-described “liberal and progressive.” These two were talking about population growth in the world. The liberal and progressive person, a “population professor” (whatever that is) said it was his opinion that the Green Revolution was “absolutely the worst thing that ever had happened to the planet.”
The Green Revolution enabled once-hungry nations to produce enough food for their growing populations, which the liberal and progressive professor said was terrible.
“It kept the population from experiencing a normal culling out,” the professor said. “The earth just has too many people.”
Some people may agree with him. I know there are societies (the Chinese communists, for example) which actually legislate against having more than one child. There are some societies (many in Europe, for instance) which are experiencing decreases in non-immigrant population.
But there was something about that professor’s comments that irritated me. Instead of expressing joy and admiration over the fact that mass starvations didn’t happen, he thought a lot of folks living on the earth today should have died of hunger.
Of course, he didn’t include himself in that number. No doubt, he went home that night and had supper, thanks to Norman Borlaug.
First, you need to know that I have a daughter who is a temporary teacher here in the MUSD. She is a teacher at Washington Elementary. She was also a product (student) of MUSD K-12. She is a “local girl.” So, yes, I have an intense interest in the current employment developments. In other words the “pink slips.” I should also tell you that I was a full-time teacher for 26 years in the Firebaugh/Las Deltas Unified School District.
Now that I am fully disclosed I have something to say to you.
The State of California is in a sad state financially. It is not any one person or organization’s fault, so I am not pointing fingers. But it is our responsibility to help heal the errors. You can help the healing by stepping up, taking the furlough days and helping your colleagues keep their jobs. It really is that simple.
Fun? No. Sacrifices? Yes. We are supposed to look out for one another during bad times, and that is what I am asking you to do. Do not leave your fellow teachers destitute. A pay cut to you, although painful, will not be as devastating as losing your entire livelihood would be.
Think about how hard it would be to live on zero dollars versus a few less. Our grandparents would do the right thing, you know that they would. This is not the first time America has faced adversity. And when America is hit hard she helps her brothers and sisters back up. I am so positive that the majority of you will, too. Do not be convinced that taking a deep breath to do the good, decent thing, equals weakness. It only showcases your strength and compassion.
In doing the right thing for your fellow teachers, you also do the absolute best thing for the children here in Madera. I know many of you remember the days of overstuffed classrooms versus the smaller sizes. I also know firsthand how much better the quality of education is in the smaller class sizes. There is no way to justify going back to the dark, crowded ways of the past.
I am sure I have angered some, but I also hope I have given others a moment to pause and reflect. I look forward to a positive resolution for the children of Madera and the teachers of Madera.
I have deliberately left out any mention of the administration. This letter was to you, the teachers.
Poetry Video: “If” recited by Jazmin Jones of Madera County
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All comments are edited for length and content. Because of content or space limitations, some comments may not be published. More than one comment from the same person during the same week will normally not be published. Please limit calls to two minutes or less.
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A woman who said she “lived in the neighborhood” was “watching crews put in those new ramps at corners that help the handicapped use the sidewalks. It took them four days or more to do the job at just one intersection. In addition, the cement did not come from Lee’s in Madera, but a Fresno company. From what I saw, and it wasn’t them working much, even if the cement cost a little more from Lee’s it would have been worth it. For many years, year after year, Lee’s Concrete had given so much back to the community. Madera’s leaders, or whoever made this decision, should be ashamed.”
A man said, “about all these teachers being laid off. They do a great job, but it’s the best thing that ever happened because there are too many teachers’ aides. I think with the cutbacks and going along with the rest of California, it’s going to work out.”
He also suggested “the Tribune maybe can help us out when it comes to us electing our own mayor.”
“This is in regards to the comment from Smith about the illegals coming across the border to take advantage of the welfare system,” said a woman. “She is not very bright because illegals cannot receive welfare benefits.”
A man, after “reading the last couple of weeks about county cars being used for personal use,” had this comment: “Every day I go by the Madera Athletic Club and there’s one or two big fire trucks parked. Those guys go in there and work out. It takes a lot of gas to run them and it’s a waste of taxpayer’s money. I also see a city car at Bally’s and a city truck at the Athletic Club. It’s totally wrong.”
A man wanted “to thank the Madera city public works department for their fast and friendly service. A street light went out on our block, causing a safety and security hazard. A call was made to them resulted in the light being operational within 48-hours. We appreciate the service by public works.”
A man called about the “house remodel on North D Street. The taxpayers made the down payment for the people (residents). What’s going to happen when they can’t make their (mortgage) payment? Are we going to pay that also? Is this why the country is in a big mess?”
A man gave his name and said he “moved from a ranch, then moved to a home near the Santa Fe tracks near Road 26.” He said he “could easily hit any home with a shotgun. Then, the other day, for the first time, two boys, white, came and poked holes in all four of my tires.” After calling the insurance company he said, “I don’t get a dime.” But he had a message “to the boys who did this. Gotcha! It’s called a camera.”
“Congratulations to (publisher/editor) Chuck Doud on his article in Friday’s newspaper,” said a regular caller. “He hit it right on the head,” but “he missed one item about Jerusalem. Under the city is a water aquifer; without water you have problems. You can’t drink oil. Historically, the Jewish types have been there long before these usurpers called Palestinians.”
Another regular caller said, “last week I just heard about the closing of Dixieland elementary school. But prior to the closing demolition contracts had been sent out with one local contractor awarded to demolish Dixieland. It would be interesting to find out if this were true.”
He also asked if the sports section “could publish the schedule of upcoming high school games during the respective sports seasons.”
A man had some “comments on this health bill. People need to read more into this. The bill is not only going to affect our health care, but our constitutional rights in several cases. Also, at the time when the economy is bad, putting this bill in, it’s going to extend our debt; committees are going to get bigger. I certainly don’t need it.” (Note: the health bill was passed by the House on Sunday night.)
“Is there anyone that oversees the roadwork that is done in Madera County?” asked a lady. “Obviously not. If you drive Road 36 between (avenues) 15 and 12 you will see for months it was closed while they resurfaced it. Now the county is out there everyday doing major repairs on it. Everyday there is a big new hole. Everyday they send three or four pickups with who knows how many men standing around. It’s a big waste of money. Also, Avenue 15 is a disaster waiting to happen. The weeds are so high you can’t see the signs.”
A woman said, “it is time to vote out (supervisor) chairman (Tom) Wheeler. He sits up there like a 2-year old with his own personal problems against somebody who’s going to run against him. If he can’t be quiet and do county business instead of complaining it is time for him to leave. It is time for all of them to leave.”
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Thank you for your comments. Remember, the Red Line is open for your messages 24 hours a day by calling 674-4478 or by visiting the Red Line online at www. maderatribuneredline.com.
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Poetry Video: “Broken Promises” recited by Jazmin Jones
Graffiti is a pimple, but we can stop it!
Graffiti is a pimple, but we can pop it!
We can rid Madera of this disgusting pus!
But it is going to take the cooperation of all of us.
Like pimples, graffiti is unsightly.
Like pimples, graffiti appears nightly.
And like pimples, graffiti needs to disappear.
So Madera’s complexion is clean and clear.
Let’s get that graffiti out of here!
We don’t want it anywhere. Is that clear?
If you like pimples and playing with pus,
Keep it to yourself and away from us.
Respect Madera! This is our town!
And we’re not going to let anyone tear it down.
Stand up for Madera — even downtown!
Let’s defend our city and take pride.
In this campaign, we’re all on the same side!
Don’t let decency in our community be denied!
Only criminals and bad people need to run and hide!
The solution to this problem is very simple!
Let’s treat graffiti like we do a pimple!
Graffiti is like a pimple! And we’re going to stop it!
Graffiti is like a pimple! And together we’ll pop it!
I am a Mountain Vista High School senior. This is my last year of high school, and I am enjoying it very much. Here at our school, I feel very safe and I feel that I am getting a good education. I think that if the district combined our school with Ripperdan and Furman, all that would change.
I think the changes would cause problems among the students. I also believe it would also take away from the students, as well. If the students were combined, I believe that problems such as fights would occur, mainly because all the students would be in a different environment which they are not used to. They would be frustrated, or not used to one another. Students at our schools now are already used to one another and know how to interact.
Another reason I believe combining the schools is not a good idea because this is taking away from students. There would be less one-on-one time with teachers because of the bigger classes. I also think there wouldn’t be too many activities going on because of budget cuts. There would be more students, so it would cost a lot more to do stuff.
I also think it would also be unfair to do that because our school was just remodeled to be bigger. This was paid for by taxes. I think it would have been a waste of money to not put this school in use.
Financial gurus (yours truly isn’t one of them) are beginning to predict that we have a tussle with inflation ahead of us. “A little controlled inflation might be a good thing,” some are saying, realizing that while the economy may be improving in some areas, in other ways it is still in recession.
The government is spending a lot of money that it doesn’t have. It gets that money by borrowing — in sums so huge, most of us can’t conceive of them.
While we may not have to pay back all that money right away — if ever — there is one thing for sure: We will have to pay interest on it. As of March 10, the national debt — the sum of all money owed by the federal government — was $12.6 trillion. Interest on that debt in the next fiscal year alone is likely to be some $400 billion.
That makes interest on the national debt the third-largest line item in the national budget. Only defense and total social spending are bigger.
The new medical legislation will force the government to borrow more money yet, raising interest payments closer to $500 billion annually.
A lot of that interest goes out of the country, because our lenders are investors who aren’t Americans. A lot of them are Chinese communists. A lot of them are oil sheikhs. These folks don’t have our best interests at heart.
At some point, the government either will have to raise taxes — a lot — or print more money. You can almost bet it will decide to print more money. That’s because raising taxes is a good way to get thrown out of office.
The unnatural increase in the money supply is likely to cause inflation, which for a little while will be like starter fluid for the economy. The trick is to know when to stop, or the economy overheats. We went through that in the early 1980s, and it hurt for years.
The Planning Commission has given Verizon permission to install a Monopine cell tower at the corner of 5th and P streets, on the property of First Baptist Church next to the playground. This is a residential neighborhood and I feel there are many better places to place this ugly monstrosity.
This tower will look like a huge metal christmas tree, 74 feet tall. While many proclaim no injury to kids, I suggest we place the tower in Courthouse Park, where it will blend more easily and expose fewer kids and other people to any type of radiation. An alternative would be the Hope House property at 5th and Pine streets.
The City Council will hold a hearing on April 13 at 6:30 p.m. I hope all interested parents and neighbors will attend and express concerns.
Madera County is about to embark on something the City of Madera completed just last year, an update of the county’s General Plan.
The words General Plan can cause some people to drop right off to sleep, but there are few documents more important to the governing of a city or county.
The General Plan should be the county’s road map to the future. It should take into consideration such things as expected population increases (or decreases in some areas), likely economic activity, land use, the environment, water, roads, public transportation, schools and relations with neighboring governmental entities, such as the cities within the county and bordering counties. And no General Plan can work without anticipating how future state and even federal legislation might affect county affairs.
When the City of Madera updated its General Plan, it had a good pattern to follow — the city’s Vision 2025 document.
Vision 2025 is a snapshot in writing of how the citizens of Madera believe they want their city to be by the time 2025 rolls around. And Maderans want a superior place to live.
Some of the goals of Vision 2025 are managed growth, effective government, diverse and effective transportation, well-planned neighborhoods and adequate housing, abundant natural resources, abundant commercial opportunity, a strong workforce, an involved public, a rich cultural life, a healthy community, strong public safety and quality parks and recreation.
The Vision 2025 planning effort was begun in 2005. Now, it is 2010. Is it time for Madera County to embark on a visioning process — a Vision 2030 — that could help guide the update of the General Plan?
Three supervisor seats are being contested this year, but no issues of what is important to the county’s future have been addressed so far. Might it not be worthwhile for those who would lead the county into the future to express themselves about that very future?
