Wasteful Health Care Spending

20-30% of health care spending helps no one – Dr. Berwick
The government is flushing away up to $250 billion each year, if his estimate is right.

‘The official, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, listed five reasons for what he described as the “extremely high level of waste.” They are overtreatment of patients, the failure to coordinate care, the administrative complexity of the health care system, burdensome rules and fraud.

‘“Much is done that does not help patients at all,” Dr. Berwick said, “and many physicians know it.”

‘In an interview on Thursday, his last day on the job, Dr. Berwick reflected on his successes, failures and frustrations in trying to engineer a rapid transformation of the health care system while beating back criticism from Republicans in Congress…’
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/health/policy/parting-shot-at-waste-by-key-obama-health-official.html

Senate Bill 1867 Takes US One Step Closer To A Totalitarian Dictatorship

‘This is insane. If you believe that vaccines aren’t safe and effective you may be a terrorist. If you don’t believe that GM Foods are safe you may be a terrorist. If you speak out against big pharma, you may be a terrorist. If you store food in the event of a government breakdown, you could be a terrorist. If you are a member of the Tea Party, you could be a terrorist. If you support Ron Paul, you could be a terrorist.  Thanks Senate….and especially thanks to the fraudulent Republicans who say they are against big government…’
http://www.healthtruthrevealed.com/articles/13061633512/article

 

Cops Fired for Opposing Drug Laws
The Arizona ACLU filed a lawsuit for Joe Miller, another dismissed cop. A Washington police sergeant fired in 2005 won a $815,000 settlement

‘Border Patrol agents pursue smugglers one moment and sit around in boredom the next. It was during one of the lulls that Bryan Gonzalez, a young agent, made some comments to a colleague that cost him his career.

‘Stationed in Deming, N.M., Mr. Gonzalez was in his green-and-white Border Patrol vehicle just a few feet from the international boundary when he pulled up next to a fellow agent to chat about the frustrations of the job. If marijuana were legalized, Mr. Gonzalez acknowledges saying, the drug-related violence across the border in Mexico would cease. He then brought up an organization called Law Enforcement Against Prohibition that favors ending the war on drugs.

‘Those remarks, along with others expressing sympathy for illegal immigrants from Mexico, were passed along to the Border Patrol headquarters in Washington. After an investigation, a termination letter arrived that said Mr. Gonzalez held “personal views that were contrary to core characteristics of Border Patrol Agents, which are patriotism, dedication and esprit de corps.”…’
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/us/officers-punished-for-supporting-eased-drug-laws.html

Pepper Spray Law
‘We’ve seen it being used quite a bit lately on non-violent, non-combative, peaceful protesters. It’s not a food product, it’s a chemical agent.’
It’s not being used for defense but for attack. And when civilians do that, it’s not legal. Why is that legal for police?
Video: http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/5941.html