Please, if you haven’t already done so, then read the previous blog entry entitled “Am I My Brother’s Keeper?”, it will provide context for what you are about to read.  In the posting, I exposed in part, through the use of a metaphor, the truth about the current healthcare reform legislation in the United States.  The hidden hand  behind the current push was revealed for my readers and to the world (if they read the blog).  And since then, credible third party verification of my assertions, was leaked and reported in the NY Times on November 14, four days after my blog entry was written. 

If you have read my previous blog entry, then you will see the significance of this article and it’s revelations. Here is an excerpt from the article from the NY Times, along with a link to the entire article.

WASHINGTON — In the official record of the historic House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. Often, that was no accident.

E-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that the lobbyists drafted one statement for Democrats and another for Republicans.

The lobbyists, employed by Genentech and by two Washington law firms, were remarkably successful in getting the statements printed in the Congressional Record under the names of different members of Congress.

Genentech, a subsidiary of the Swiss drug giant Roche, estimates that 42 House members picked up some of its talking points — 22 Republicans and 20 Democrats, an unusual bipartisan coup for lobbyists.”

They go on to say …”In recent years, Genentech’s political action committee and lobbyists for Roche and Genentech have made campaign contributions to many House members, including some who filed statements in the Congressional Record. And company employees have been among the hosts at fund-raisers for some of those lawmakers. But Evan L. Morris, head of Genentech’s Washington office, said, “There was no connection between the contributions and the statements.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/us/politics/15health.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1258287359-Tuaqs4ii7u7V8Q2qbtpaIQ 

As I originally wrote in the previous blog entry, “The gigantic pharmaceutical companies who fund politicians stand to benefit most by expanding the number of participants in this massive, nationalized forced health insurance plan, ie drug game.” .

Now there is public evidence to support that conclusion.  The drug companies were caught red handed in
writing the dialogue for both sides (Democrat and Republican) in the debate on healthcare reform.                                                    

This clearly demonstrates that in either scenario, a Democratic oriented healthcare bill or a Republican oriented healthcare bill, the drug companies win.   Although it is affirming to have public evidence for the critical analysis I present in my blog, it is not my goal to say I told you so. 

Rather, I exposed this scheme so that in the light of truth, a rational wellness, prevention, and health care plan could be developed that would address the real needs of people without bankrupting them or the country.  Equally important, the plan would be based on people having an actual choice of whether or not to participate, not mandatory  participation and a faux choice about whether or not there is a “public option”. 

Hopefully, I can complete a short book on the subject in time to affect the current evolving healthcare debate and legislation.  But while I am working on that you can help by sharing this blog with others and continuing to keep yourself informed. 

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Late in the evening on Saturday November 7, 2009, the United States House of Representatives passed the new healthcare reform legistlation.  The bill, which has to meet approval in the United States Senate, is one of the most substantial bills ever passed in US history, in both scope and costs.  The 2,000 pages of legalese, has roughly 400,00 words and is the size of a major metropolitan city’s phone book, both yellow and white pages.   

Fortunately for everyone, House members, who are known not to read bills before taking a vote, had a whole week to read it carefully and decide.  Thank goodness they can read so fast. 

Anyhow, Am I my brother’s keeper?  These are the famous lines from the Old Testament uttered by Cain when speaking to his father about the whereabouts of his brother, Able.  Of course Cain had secretly slain his brother but kept the truth from their father.  These are also the words spoken by the character Nino Brown, a drug kingpin in the 1991 classic urban film, New Jack City.  Whenever Nino Brown wanted to reaffirm his fairness and generosity to the community and his organization, sometimes by giving away goods or help, he would ask rhetorically, ”Am I my brother’s keeper?”.  Strangely, Nino couldn’t see the impact he was having on the community.  People were strung out on drugs and increasingly poor.  His own organization was rife with corruption, but he was too blinded by greed and the bundles of cash rolling in.  What does any of this have to do with the healthcare legistlation?

Well I asked myself, where is the good in this plan?  Expanding a system that is already dysfunctional and overly expensive?  Expanding health insurance costs to everyone whether they want it or not?  Whether they can afford to pay it or not?  And the only thing that came to mind was the line, asked by Nino, ”Am I my brother’s keeper?”  It’s good politics to appear to look out for the poor and the sick.  It’s good politics to force the healthy or wealthy to pay for treatment of the sick and the poor.  But how about reducing illness thru education, good nutrition, and healthy alternatives?  How about helping the poor get jobs or raising their income at a time when inflation is rising and unemployment is at 10% and rising? Unfortunately, that isn’t the plan.

It is all about perception?  How do I look? The same Nino who sells the drugs gives away free turkeys to the community at Thanksgiving to keep up a good image.   What are we really talking about here with health care reform?  Are we really talking about helping the poor?  The same poor who are given sub standard education?  The same poor who are unemployed and underemployed?  The same poor with little to no income?  The same poor who are a majority of America’s prison population?  Or is this thanksgiving and Nino is handing out the turkeys to the poor? 

The problem with health care is largely that it isn’t about health.  It is mostly about the sale of prescription drugs and vaccines.  Massive, unconscionable amounts of toxic drugs.  Which brings me back to Nino Brown and the famous lines “Am I my brother’s keeper”?  The reality is that Nino Brown wasn’t his brother’s keeper. He sold drugs and lots of them.

The gigantic pharmaceutical companies who fund politicians stand to benefit most by expanding the number of participants in this massive, nationalized forced health insurance plan, ie drug game.  Worst of all the costs are passed on to those who are healthier and younger, who will be forced to pay for what they won’t often use.  And to those who are wealthier, through a mandatory additional 5% tax on their income.  And to unborn citizens, who will inherit the ballooning federal deficit. 

These folks really are their brother’s keeper, only not by choice, by force.  I’m sure Nino, who only had an aparment complex (The Carter) on lock down, would be envious of this operation, which locks down the entire United States. Wow! 

Are there any benefits to the national health insurance plan? Sure, if it was made available by choice. If it was actually affordable.  But to compel participation?  That is wrong, even if it comes with the distribution of the ”free insurance” for the poor.  And look, it is right around Thanksgiving.  Am I my brother’s keeper?

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Here is an open letter I wrote to President Obama when he first took office, but never got around to sending it.  For what it is worth, I share it with you now.

Dear President Obama,

Congratulations on a well run, improbable, yet successful campaign for President of The United States.  I along with millions of others have been inspired and transformed by your victory.

Now the difficult part has begun.  You have been handed a US economy, which is in far worst shape than people can imagine, the equivalent of stage 4 cancer.  The condition of the US financial system and economy is the result of years of abuses, poor decision making, selfishness, greed, payoffs, and deregulation.  Now you are responsible for it.  A little unfair, but you did run for office. So here are some friendly reminders to help in the process of delineating a course of action. 

When I was a child my parents took me on a field trip to Washington DC and one stop during that trip was to the US Mint.  There I saw millions of dollars being printed on these huge sheets of paper.  Over the years that image confused me because I always wondered why we couldn’t just print money to give financial help to the poor and to create jobs for the poor and unemployed.  Later I learned that printing money without production or real economic activity eventually lowers the value of the currency.  I learned that more cash in circulation drives up the prices of everything and hence the dollar is worth less.  Commonly referred to as inflation. 

This is most evident in Zimbabwe, where things are so out of hand that they actually put in circulation a 50 billion dollar bill, each of which is less than 1 US dollar. Outrageous. 

Unfortunately, we are on that course now.  Several nations have experienced economic collapse, notably Iceland and Bulgaria, and Greece is a few days from economic collapse. What can America do to avoid an economic collapse?

Here are some guiding principles and since I am not an economist, your team can translate these principles into detailed action steps and policy.

1.  Do not insure bad business deals. You can’t entangle the government in bad private investments. Whether banks, companies, or mortgages you can’t devalue the currency & remaining financial solvency of the entire federal government to protect the investments of a few very wealthy people.  This means less bailouts of failed entities and more new entities. Create new banks & credit unions, new companies, & new industries. Don’t hand out free cash, which ultimately enslaves future generations to protect what was essentially bad business.  Despite the cries, of doom and gloom, commerce will not cease without bailouts.

2.   Protect American commerce.  If you can’t stop US companies from moving overseas then maybe you should consider imposing tariffs on all manufactured products imported to the US or require some sort of profit sharing with the US or its companies thru a distribution fee, or licensing fee. In other words find some way to make foreign manufacturers pay to sell their goods in the US, even if it is done thru US companies.  China does this shamelessly.  I went there and saw it first hand.  We need production and markets.  We can’t simply be easy access markets only.

3. Invest in and expand new and emerging industries and technology.  We have to create new jobs, new industries, and new markets.  New markets are key. Someone has to really pay for what is created or rendered as a service. The federal government can’t be the only one’s writing checks because that will not last. If the tax base is not expanded through expanding commerce, then the Federal government is printing cash that is essentially as unreal as the credit swaps and derivatives that triggered the crisis.  Which means Wall Street will have shifted its financial problem on the Federal government and tax payers.

4.  Help the American people directly.  Try to insulate the American people by creating more tax incentives, reducing the tax burdens, providing more small business loans, providing money for re education, re-training and for college loans.  This will prime the well for future prosperity and transition the workforce into sustainable jobs.

5. Control the evolution of the economy. Put in place a new regulatory team that understands and follows the fundamentals of economics. Increase production and productivity. Make capital available. Invest in infrastructure. Invest in technology. Invest in people. Limit tax increases, particularly on small businesses. Restrict and regulate the “creation” of imaginary cash (credit swaps, IOUs, derivatives, etc)

6.  Realize you can’t please everyone.  In the end, people are fickle.  They are quick to blame and slow to take responsibility.  Don’t fall for the trap of trying to satisfy everyone because you could wind up pleasing no one. Consider all the options. Consider the consequences. And set the course. Also don’t fall for the trap of trying to accomplish too much to prove yourself. This is still people pleasing in another face.

These are early recommendations, but as your first term evolves, rest assured things will morph into a new and quite possibly more challenging reality.  Keep the faith, maintain your well being, and simply do the best you can.  May God bless you with safety and success.

Thank you for your example, sincerity, and dedication to the people of the Untied States and the world

Sincerely your friend,

Michael Billion

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