Blog #8: A fourth Way to Participate in the 'Save the Billionaires (or not)' Walk
- Details
- Written by: Super User
Intro
A Quick Minute Look
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-or-not-Walk-updates
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
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Jim Cramer, the stock guru, is famous for having had to sleep in his car at one point in his life. He knows a little of what it is like to come up the hard way. After having listened to his show for years (I do have one bad habit -stock investing - keeps me away from the racetrack) he is someone who has impressed me as a person who is sympathetic to the underdog. So I wrote the following redacted email to him! Why not! Sometimes long shots do come in:
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<redacted intro>
Blog #7: A Message and Question for Becky Quick at CNBC and Warren Buffett - Join In!
- Details
- Written by: Super User
Intro
A Quick Minute Look (stats verified by Colorado State Legislature)
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-Walk-or-not-updates+info
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
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(Questions for Warren Buffett and Becky Quick of CNBC can be sent to
This was emailed off to Becky Quick of CNBC who will be interviewing Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger at the Berkshire Hathaway meeting on May 6th, 2023:
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Quote:
Arundhati Roy
Blog #6: Solutions - part 2 (a deeper dive)
- Details
- Written by: Super User
Intro
HQ-Save-the-Billionaires-Walk-updates+info Alert: printable flyer now available!!!
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
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In the last blog it was mentioned there were 1600 electric utility companies in the US vs. 2 dialysis companies (basically). The utilities have quite a hodgepodge of different business structures like Cleveland's community-owned Cleveland Public Power to large for-profit utilities. One business structure that stood out were cooperatives. There are more than 900 electric utility co-ops in the US! And what is the stated mission of these co-ops? "To power communities and empower members to improve the quality of their lives. And what is the mission of a for-profit company? "Increase your return on investments" "generate more sales and revenues or raise your prices". That last mission statement just doesn't have the same ring as the first does it?
Wouldn't it be nice if the medical field had their form of co-ops? Actually they do, they are called care cooperatives. And it has been said about them: "Local cooperative health organizations can and do provide top-quality integrated, coordinated care". An example is Seattle's Group Health. Here are blurbs from this article:
"“I surprise my patients by asking, ‘Is there anything else you want to talk about today?’ ” said Dr. Shriver, chief of a clinic near Seattle run by Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound. “They’ve never heard a doctor say that.”
"Above all, Group Health’s physicians are paid a salary and can earn bonuses of up to 20 percent for high-quality performance. Unlike most doctors, who are paid by the visit or procedure, they have little incentive to churn patients through and order unnecessary tests and operations."
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And from a PBS article:
"One of the reasons Campbell (a patient) is a big fan of the Seattle-based HMO is because it's a cooperative. Its policies are determined by consumers like Campbell, who subscribe to a Group Health medical plan, either through their employer or on their own. Each policyholder can vote for the board of trustees at an annual meeting. And it is consumers who actually sit on the board."
"Although there is no specific plan of how such a national co-op would work, the idea is to create an organization where consumers review policies and can hire or fire the CEO. It's a concept that works well at Group Health, according to its CEO, Scott Armstrong."
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So what happened to medical care co-ops? Good question! That might take more digging.
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
Blog #5: Solutions - part 1(break them up!)
- Details
- Written by: Super User
Intro
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
!!!P.S. The following History and recent Children's stats linked to, need to be emphasized!!! Update: And it gets worse: KIDS!!!!
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This site has managed to point out a lot of problems in kidney dialysis, what may get lost is solutions. A person can look to one area that might not seem obvious at first - utilities. Both carve out a small geographical area and aren't subject to a lot of competition. Both have seen their share of problems when the for-profit motive is factored in (Dennis Kucinich's 'Division of Power and Light' is an excellent read). However what differs is the number of different companies in each field. A quick search shows there are 1600 electric utility companies in the United States! So what about kidney dialysis - there are basically two companies. And I don't know how things are in other parts of the country, but where I'm at the lights stay on for the most part. The kidney dialysis companies have seen more than their share of problems.
I have to wonder what would happen if we only had two for-profit utility companies in the US. Would they become so powerful and influential they would be allowed to basically police themselves? (the fox watching the hen house) Would it be lights out like in kidney dialysis?
And if for example there was a problem with our electricity in my area, who would we have a better chance against - a smaller regional carrier, or a big national corporation! I would prefer taking on the little guy!
I'll finish by saying dialysis state inspection teams - not the feds - have kept many a patient alive! And I wouldn't be surprised to find out my state's utility commission has been a big part in keeping my lights on!
In these two cases smaller seems better.
Petition (and see our visit to DC and DC Press Conference + Rally)
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