church – R&R – Reachout and Rebuild

The Trump/Bannon plan

David Posnett — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 20:54:50 +0000

Two seminal pieces were just published in the NYT. (1) A factual description of today’s growing and aggressive ICE. (2) An annotated and explained version of Bannon’s CPAC presentation.

These stories should be an eye opener for everyone.

Trump’s transition is far from chaotic. In fact, Executive Orders have been issued that address each and every one of Bannon’s priorities:

1) National security and sovereignty: the wall, the travel ban, revised immigration rules, pipeline, deregulation to strengthen big business; disruption of all trade agreements; legalizing the Church’s involvement in politics; nomination of a young, brilliant candidate for SCOTUS, who believes strongly in the Church’s role at the centre of national identity and law.

2) Deconstruction of the state: appointment of heads of each department that have long argued that their new departments should be defanged and in some cases eliminated; leaving some 2000+ positions vacant to allow heads of departments (Secretaries) room to eliminate positions and shrink the Federal Government.

3) Reinforcement of the power of the White House: a co-opted Congress; relentless campaign to delegitimize and sideline the free press as the sole remaining opposition of note; dissemination of propaganda “alternative facts” to justify their most outlandish policy measures and decisions; appointment of generals to key positions (National Security Adviser, Head of Homeland Security, Head of ICE, Defense Secretary) thus increasing ties between the military and the White House; strengthening of the role and expansion of ICE, border patrols, internal memos alluding to the option of deploying the reserves to patrol the streets and enforce new laws against migrants and foreigners; laying the foundations for a massive expansion of largely outdated and unnecessary military hardware that nevertheless are symbols of strength against the marauding hordes that are waiting to swoop on this weak and hitherto fore, defenseless country.

We do indeed have the seeds of a fascist state already in place.

This makes a lot of the wooly discussion of the Democrats vaguely tangential. We need to keep the eye on the ball if one is to nip this in the bud. We now need to be highly focused and disciplined. We need to prioritize.

It certainly does not bode well for an independent Congress. And whether SCOTUS will remain an independent branch of government remains to be seen. However, if one puts the above argument to the Republicans, some will see the light.

One way that Congress can reclaim their independence, and their constitutional role, is to investigate the Russian connection to the Trump campaign. Where there is smoke, look for the fire. One needs to collect evidence regarding violations of the emoluments clause. One needs to examine those tax returns. These are tools for Congress to fight back and save their very existence. Hitler dissolved the Reichstag (equivalent to the Congress) only 3 months after coming into power claiming emergency powers.

Our congressman in New York’s CD-1 is Lee Zeldin, and he is a jew. He is young, but I am sure he has some grasp of history. Keep reminding him that he can stand up to fascism and if he does, he will go down in the history books as having saved America. These times demand brave men and women.

How to sign up for ACA Healthcare Insurance WITHOUT problems on the Southfork

David Posnett — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:59:07 +0000

Millions of Americans and documented residents
now have the chance to get quality care that they
can afford.
1. If you need help, financial assistance is available.
2. You can’t be denied coverage, regardless of your health
3. You choose the plan that’s right for you.
4. Sign up through March 2014

This is for those that are frustrated and found it difficult to get good health insurance at a good rate.

I went to visit Sheila Rogers (the head of East Hampton Health Care Foundation).
Forget using state paid navigators in Suffolk county she says. There are only about 3 of them. They show up very infrequently (e.g. once a month for 3 hours at Southampton Hosp. for example).

There are 8 companies that are NYS approved to sell insurance through the ACA individual market place in Suffolk county. But only 3 are providers of Medicaid Managed Care.

Affinity Health Plan (provider of Medicaid Managed Care)
Fidelis Care (provider of Medicaid Managed Care) – no local doctors accept this companies plans! Closest doctors in Riverhead! FAVORITE CHOICE BECAUSE CHEAPEST
United (provider of Medicaid Managed Care) – very expensive if you are not eligible for Medicaid Managed Care!
Emblem Health
Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield
Health Republic (Freelancers) – no local doctors accept this companies plans!
North Shore LIJ – doctors are mostly up island
Oscar

Small Business Marketplace:

Health Republic
North Shore LIJ
United

Probably better to use an insurance broker if you are a business.

Here is the exciting part: Sheila has “enrollers” that come to her clinic 4 days a week for 3 hours. They see and sign up about 10-12 families at each session. People have to make an appointment and the wait is usually about 1 week. These enrollers are fluent in Spanish. They do NOT try to overtly sell/push their own company… (most of them come from Affinity and United).

You can call for an appointment:

MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A
FACILITATED ENROLLER
AT THE EAST HAMPTON
HEALTHCARE CENTER

MON & FRI:
UNITEDHEALTHCARE
JULIA FUENTES: 631-294-2921

TUES & THURS
AFFINITY HEALTHPLAN
VICKY DURAN: 516-315-1021

Insurance Brokers can also sell plans, including plans from other companies like Aetna, these plans are supposed to be in line with the ACA market place.

Sheila organizes a monthly Health Care Fair at our local Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Buell Lane, where families get free screening (BP, Diabetes, Cholesterol, etc) and free advice on how to sign up for the ACA. The next such event is Friday, Feb 7th (11AM to 1:30 PM).

ACA (Obamacare) and Contraceptives

David Posnett — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:28:06 +0000

We have a pretty crazy system whereby employers are in charge of selecting/paying your medical insurance. My employer offers Aetna. I had nothing to do with that choice, but I understand that they were able to bargain for a good rate, given their large number of employees. Of course the money paid to the insurer is deducted from my paycheck. So they are not really “paying”. I am.

We also understand as individuals that, in general, when you cede control over any aspect of your life, the entity that has the control (employer in this case) may want to make decisions for you! That is why the system is “crazy”! And not replicated in any other western democracy that I know of.

So where is this leading? Contraceptives: should they be covered or not. There are 2 pending supreme court cases. The first one deals with a Florida based private business called “Hobby Lobby”. Here is an excellent discussion of the issue by Rick Lowery (a writer, a minister and a bible scholar), which I highly recommend as a ‘must read’. It is actually highly relevant to all of us, regardless of whether we buy contraceptives or not! For the guys out there, I would remind everyone that when you get prostate cancer, there are countless women that have paid insurance fees that help support coverage of your prostate problem (even though as far as I know they don’t have a prostate and don’t particularly need that kind of coverage for themselves). That is just the way insurance works.

If you want to learn about “Hobby Lobby” click here.