Capitalists For Universal Health Care

Ask not what capitalism can do for health care, but what a universal health care system can do for capitalism. Capitalists should not be thinking about the market forces within the health care system itself. We should be thinking about how our health care system restricts our nation’s climate for healthy capitalism across all industries.

Instead of running scared from the idea of socialized medicine, universal government run health care should be on the top of the priority list for every red blooded capitalist in America. Sound funny? It shouldn't. One of the biggest barriers for small businesses and even large corporations in America is the escalating cost of health care. According to David Cay Johnston in his new book "Free Lunch", Toyota recently turned down the state of Alabama's offer to have a 100% subsidized multi-million dollar auto plant built and paid for completely by the Alabama tax payers. Why would any company turn down so much money in subsidies? Are you kidding? A completely free auto plant! Toyota executives decided that it made more sense to locate the new plant in Canada and pay all the costs themselves. American "for-profit" health care was the culprit. If you think that sounds strange then just ask General Motors how much it costs to keep American workers in health plans. The current system is bad for business. I know because I run a small business and our insurance costs are through the roof. When important employers leave our nation because our health care system stifles business, then we have a big problem. How does that Canadian health care system look now?

Another big issue is that our current health care system ties insurance to employment. These conditions keep many workers from changing jobs and expanding their career. Millions more workers squander their innovation and entrepreneurial skills because they simply can’t get health care if they decide to start their own business. Shouldn’t we as a nation be interested in building a system that facilitates innovation and our entrepreneurial spirit? Shouldn't our health care system attract business and invite capitalism? Why does the insurance industry win out over all the rest of us when they already get billions in handouts from the government?

This is a general election pitch that would appeal across party lines. I hope Barack Obama picks up on this message soon. Maybe we should turn the tables on the health industry and outsource them to china!

Lessons In Context

I’m sick of people taking comments out of context and twisting them to mean something entirely different. The latest example has been lifting this statement from Michelle Obama:

"For the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country, and not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change."

The first lesson in context is that you never read meaning into a sentence without hearing the sentences right before it (and the paragraph, and the chapter before it). In the sentences before this lifted quote, Michelle Obama talks about the “political process”. She clearly sets the context to be about politics. I completely agree with her. It is the first time I’ve been proud enough to openly talk about my own political choice. It is the first time I’ve been willing to put a bumper sticker on my car. It is the first time I’ve talked openly to my coworkers about the specific views of my favorite candidate. It is the first time I've contributed money to a campaign. It is the first time I’ve bought a guy a beer just to get another 15 minutes to make a strong case for my choice. It is the first time I’ve voted for the presidential candidate that won my home state (even in a primary). It is the first time I've voted FOR a candidate instead of AGAINST the other candidate.

So, I agree with Michelle Obama. This is the first time in MY adult life that I’ve been proud of the American political process. Bill O’Rilley can quote me on that.

Obama Says Cheese

Obama is winning the Wisconsin primary in a big way. This week proves that negative campaigning doesn't work. I hope the Clintons have learned their lesson. The crap dribbling out of their campaign this week makes me sick. It smacks of deperation and feeds the image of a divisive win at all cost mentality.

Thanks to all the cheeseheads for coming through big today!

Free Lunch

David Cay Johnston has written a great book called "Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You with the Bill)" . I was a little afraid that the book would drag me back into a libertarian state of pessimism about government, but the book was more than I expected. The author does a wonderful job of pointing out corruption without making America and our government the problem. We have been the victim of corrupt leadership, absentee media sources, and a largely ignorant public. That combination has lead to nearly 9 trillion dollars of national debt and little to show for it. However, if we let ourselves become pessimistic, we will have lost all hope.

Nearly thirty years ago, our nation fell for the intentional decision to move toward a policy that ships our tax dollars to large corporate interests. It may look like downsizing, but in reality it is more costly than we ever could have imagined. I fell for it too. It sounded like a good idea. Ronald Reagan made us believe we would downsize our government, but the reality is that he made us addicted to debt and we began spending more than ever by outsourcing many of our nations responsibilities to overpriced government contracts. We mistakenly thought that brining “business men” into the equation would trim spending and make our government more efficient. We were all wrong. Instead, our ties to corporate interests have created a huge amount of debt. Businesses are designed to make money, and they have done just that at the expense of American taxpayers. The trend has continued ever since. The funny thing is that George W. Bush got elected on the basis of tax cuts and responsible spending, however, David Cay Johnston shows us that Bush made his fortune on tax increases and a slick arrangement with state and local government to send the proceeds directly into his pocket via his investment in the Texas Rangers baseball team. There are many more examples including subisidies to Wal-Mart, oil companies, casinos, and sports teams.

One of the bright spots in this well written book is a clear explanation of Health Care in America including the history of Health Management Organizations (HMOs) and drug company influences. I wish every American voter would read this book. It is well researched and very readable. It will probably piss you off, but it shouldn't leave you jaded about the possiblity of solving our problems.

Andrew Sullivan on Obama

The Liberal Values Blog recently published this post about Obama. It includes Republican columnist Andrew Sullivan’s insightful view of Barack Obama. I think it captures some of the reason’s I’m drawn toward Obama over his competitors. This type of perspective from a conservative columnist is more proof that Obama will perform better in the general election.

Barack Obama has transcended the traditional support for a liberal candidate. He has both conservatives and libertarians seriously considering voting for him. Andrew Sullivan sums up what is different about Obama:

He is not a traditional top-down government liberal. He’s a pragmatist who believes in finding ways to empower people to run their own lives. No, he’s no libertarian. But his view of government’s role has absorbed some of the right-wing critiques of the 1970s and 1980s. Hence the lack of mandates in his healthcare proposal and his refusal to engage in racial victimology. This nuance is worth exploring. Unlike Hillary, he doesn’t believe he is going to save anyone. He thinks he has a chance to help some people save themselves.

Obama is a liberal for those of us who are not worshipers of big government and who understand why the Democrats became a minority party. Obama can receive support from conservatives and libertarians, and will undoubtedly remain the target of an ongoing stream of attacks from big government liberals like Paul Krugman. Krugman, along with Clinton and Edwards, represent an old fashioned strain of liberalism which has failed and has been rejected. Obama is not a conservative or libertarian as he will use government where needed, without attempting the micromanagement of each individual’s life like Hillary Clinton or resorting to class warfare like John Edwards. Obama represents the liberalism of the future, which understands the classical foundations of liberalism as a philosophy of liberty.

White Men CAN Jump

As Barack Obama had another huge win today, Andrea Mitchell, NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, delivered one of the better lines of this primary election season when she said "white men can jump... to a black candidate". I guess that for once in my life I'm trendy. I'm a successful, upper middle class, well educated, professional white man that supports Barack Obama. Obama kicked ass again today and his support is growing among my demographic. I know that many of my readers are also in this demographic, so I'm looking for reasons why this is happening. Is it guilt? Is it education? Is it information? Any thoughts?

I do know this, Barack Obama's message will play well in a general election. As a matter of fact, he has already begun pulling out his general election positions. He is playing to a message of unity, middle class tax cuts, fiscal responsibility, a focus on education, and a fundamental belief in the American dream. The American dream sells. I'm excited to hear him move to this message sooner rather than later. From the first time I read his book "The Audacity of Hope", I suspected that he had this message to offer. I'm so excited to finally hear it spoken by one of the greatest speakers I've ever witnessed on the largest stage possible.

I also listened to McCain's speech tonight and I heard 3 clear points. First, be afraid our enemies. Second, greed is good. Third, fight at all cost (and the cost will cripple us). Mr. McCain, I don't see how this will play. The contrast of these candidates is dramatic. I'm sorry Hillary, but Obama spoke right past you tonight and America has seen its future in Barack Obama.

Evolution Sunday

Today is Evolution Sunday. Churches around the world are celebrating evolution and announcing their support of science. It is an important day for Christianity. It is important to make the point that being a person of faith doesn't mean being ignorant. Here are a couple of important sites to read this weekend.

Bob Cornwall has posted the open letter, written by Dr. Michael Zimmerman, and signed now by more than 11,000 clergy, religious leaders and scholars.

Dr. James F. McGrath has written a piece about the importance of Evolution that dispells some of the common myths and misconceptions of its opponents.

Berkley university has one of the best collections of evolution resources. It is full of great information for everyone including materials for children and advanced topics for adults.

Darwiniana.org has some great higher level information. Particularly good is the explanation of transitional species. The most common disinformation transmitted by creationists is that these transitional species don't exist or that evolution only happens at a micro-level within a species. Of course, we now know that is pure BS. Many transitional species have been found and modern genetic research has located hard evidence of macro evolution including the DNA "smoking gun" that shows how primate DNA mutated to form humans.

I See Dead People

There is no way to deny the fact that our jobs shape us. For the last twenty years, my job has been finding problems in complex systems. Technically, I build software, but most programmers will tell you that the bulk of our job is finding the dead bodies, or “bugs”, that are buried inside the systems. People come to me with a business problems, I draw out a solution on a board in detail highlighting all the issues they neglected to think about. Then I shoot holes in the design. Then I redesign it. Then I shoot holes in that design. This keeps going until we end up with a bulletproof solution that solves all the problems and magically fits in their budget. If we can’t make the theory work on the whiteboard, then it certainly won’t work after a thousand man-hours of programming. I’m trained to think out loud, diagnose, and fix. I look for problems, not just shallow problems, but I look for the root causes. I see dead bodies everywhere. My brain is now wired to look at the most beautiful things in the world and point out the one small potential flaw. This really sucks! Just ask my beautiful wife.

Don’t confuse me with a perfectionist. I’m far from that. I like the imperfections I find. My favorite people have colorful personalities. The more quirky and flawed the more I like them. I’ve been in music studios many times as both a musician and an engineer. One thing I learned from recording music is that flaws are what make people great. My favorite singers are people with horrible voices. What we call “character” is usually a deviated septum, a bad accent, or a lack of technical training. Singers like Neil Young, Tom Petty and even Kurt Cobain have always inspired me with their technically flawed voices and the guts to sing anyway. Thank God that Jimi Hendrix never took classical guitar lessons and that he could rarely find a guitar that stayed in tune. Those imperfections are what make for magical moments.

If I’m in a heated debate with you, or make a comment on your blog, or if I review your book and point out a few small flaws, then just remember I’m the crazy guy who actually took the time to count all the bad notes in my favorite Jimi Hendrix performance. But, I’m also the guy who bought all his albums, hung his poster on my wall and stayed up all night trying to figure out how the hell you turn a sour note into a legendary moment that transcends words. So remember, our difference of opinion may be exactly why I like you, but I probably got lost in the analysis and then buried the lead.

Is Emergent Christianity DOA?

Bishop John Shelby Spong’s makes an important observation about our faith in the title of his best selling book “Christianity Must Change or Die”. Emergent could be a catalyst for the change that saves our religion. On the other hand, Emergent could become a fleeting fad if it refuses to make real change due to our apprehension about asking hard theological questions. I have a few questions for our movement. As the Emergent movement dips its toe in the water of higher biblical criticism, will we stand shivering on the shore in fear of taking the big plunge? If Emergent begins this journey by marking certain topics out of bounds based on the fear of going too far, will we be destined to fizzle like a flat bottle of soda?

I’ve been involved in this emergent conversation for several years, but I’m constantly learning more about the movement. Recently, I’ve had an ongoing debate with Emergent Village national coordinator Tony Jones. Tony has publicly voiced his criticism of scholars, like Marcus Borg, who are open to questioning certain traditional dogmatic beliefs, for example a literal interpretation of Jesus’ resurrection narratives. In addition, Tony criticized Jack Caputo for being too specific about his own personal theological and political positions in the book “What Would Jesus Deconstruct? The Good News of Postmodernism”. Tony would prefer to keep the conversation at 30,000 feet rather than being specific and landing the plane. I understand Tony’s apprehension and I totally admire what he has written and said, but I disagree with this implication. If we can’t share our deep theological and philosophical views in detail, then what kind of shallow conversation would that create? Have we lost all hope of civil discourse? Should we enter every conversation with a fear of saying anything specific just because it might mean we will need to live with diversity? Isn't there a better alternative?

I hope Emergents are not afraid to move from the sidelines and develop independent opinions even if we all disagree. A generous orthodoxy does not mean our individual orthodoxy should be MIA. I also hope we will take specific actions. The idea of keeping the conversation ambiguous seems horribly doomed to fail. I agree that the conversation should be inclusive and generous, but we should not ask people to be intentionally vague in order to avoid criticism or conflict. That is sick! At some point, someone has to land the plane. It might mean we get called a liberal. Worse things could happen. The apostle Paul had a different metaphor. Paul suggested that at some point we must take up our cross and die. If Jesus had stayed at 30,000 feet, then he would never have marched to the capital and said the very liberal things that got him killed.

What do you think?

Damn! I Think We Actually Can

Brian McLaren Is Changing Things

I'm blogging from my hotel room in Charlotte after the first session of the "Everything Must Change" book tour. This is the first time I've heard Brian McLaren speak in person. He is not an overly charismatic figure, but I do love what he is doing. It seems that his goal is to wake up Evangelical Christians to the idea of progressive political views. His stump speech is very good. He also does a wonderful job of keeping the conversation out of the "left vs. right" and "democrat vs. republican" mode. Obviously, it IS about being progressive and that means being democrat on most issues, but he frames the discussion without making specific party statements. So many young people are completely turned off by politics. Brian is a master of connecting the dots for people who have yet to see the connections. There isn't much "new" here, but I'm sure it will be new to some. It is the right message at the right time.

There was some interesting music and art presented. Evangelicals can't talk without singing coombiyah a few times and praying first, so this was no different. I wasn't particularly impressed with the trimmings, but only because trimmings not are my "bag". After the first session, we had some small group discussions. Holly Rankin Zaher lead our group in a discussion about anti-consumerism. I know Holly's sister from way back, so it was good to meet her. She has made some amazing changes in her life including using many homemade products, using only vinegar and water to clean instead of chemical cleaners, and no longer shopping at big box stores like Wal-Mart. We had a good discussion even if it was cut short. I hope tomorrow will allow more time to get connected. There seems to be an eclectic group here this weekend.