The 23rd Sigh

Bush is my shepherd; I dwell in want.
He maketh logs to be cut down in national forests.
He leadeth trucks into the still wilderness.
He restoreth my fears.
He leadeth me in the paths of international disgrace for his ego's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of pollution and war,
I will find no exit, for thou art in office.
Thy tax cuts for the rich and thy media control, they discomfort me.
Thou preparest an agenda of deception in the presence of thy religion.
Thou anointest my head with foreign oil.
My health insurance runneth out.
Surely megalomania and false patriotism shall follow me all the days of thy term,
And my jobless child shall dwell in my basement forever.

The first thought that comes to mind regarding health care in France and the UK as portrayed in Sicko is "oh my God their income taxes must be outrageous!"

Michael Moore artfully dodges this in the movie, focusing instead on the standard of living, disposable income, and the like.

He might as well have laid it all out, though, because it's not nearly as bad as you might imagine. In fact, it's a pretty good deal.

Here's what I was able to figure out.

First of all, some examples of income taxes paid in the respective countries (all converted to US dollars):

So there's not that much difference, in the relative scheme of things.

Ironically, corporate tax rates are actually lower in France (33%) and the UK (28%) v. up to 39% but generally around 34% in the US. The capital gains tax in France is higher at 26% v. 15% in the U.S. Capital gains in the UK are taxed the same as income for individuals, with the first £8,800 exempt.

One thing that isn't made very clear in the movie is that the French system is a single-payer "universal health insurance" plan (as opposed to "socialized medicine"), much like if we opened up Medicare to everyone. Employers pay about 12% and employees pay about 1% for mandatory enrollment in "social security", which includes a retirement benefit plus universal health insurance that covers up to 70% of most medical costs (100% for maternity related costs). Supplemental insurance is available for another 8% to get virtually 100% coverage. Most of us pay about 15% for a retirement benefit (the wealthy only pay about 3% on much of their income) and limited medical coverage for those over the age of 65 and the disabled and the poor.

The UK has "universal health care", which means health care is provided and paid for by the government. It is funded by combination of employer/employee payroll taxes in a complicated calculation that, best I can figure, works out to about 13% of earnings over a certain amount. This provides retirement benefits and free universal health care for all.

So, our hypothetical employee who earns $50,000 per year would pay the following in income tax and "social security" payroll deductions (employee and employer combined).

In this example, the French employee is paying the extra 8% in supplemental insurance so 100% of their medical care is covered. With the basic plan that covers 70% of their health care costs, the payroll tax would only be $6500, and their total taxes would be $14,415. And keep in mind that the US employee (and/or his/her employer) still has to pay for health insurance.

But then there's the Value Added Tax (VAT), similar to sales tax but not exactly. The VAT in France is 19.6% and 5.5% on groceries. In the UK it's 17.5% and zero on groceries (books, children's clothing, and several other categories are also exempt in the UK, and others are taxed at a reduced rate).

So, some example VAT/sales taxes would be:

It's more complicated than this because VAT is included in the price and it's hard to understand how it's all calculated from manufacturer to consumer. Sales taxes in Canada range from 6% (Alberta) to 16.6% (Prince Edward Island) depending on the province. It's 14% in Ontario.

Going back to the previous example of combined employer and employee income and "social security" taxes, here's the same example with only the employee's portion, i.e. take-home pay after payroll deductions:

So the British and the French take home a little less and pay a little more in VAT, but their health care is fully covered (the French employee is still paying the 8% for 100% coverage). The American employee still has to pay for health insurance (anywhere from $600 to $3000 per year in payroll deductions depending on the type of policy and company size), and most also pay additional state and local income taxes (for example, approx. $2500 in Georgia, $3000 in North Carolina, or $3900 in NYC).

So, yes, providing universal insurance coverage or universal health care for everyone would cost a little more in taxes, but not that much more. And think of the savings, not to mention peace of mind and security. It seems pretty clear that it would be a better deal than the $2 trillion we spend now that leaves nearly 50 million people behind and gives false hope to the other 250 million who think they are insured until they file a claim.

NOTE: Feel free to factcheck and correct any of this. It's all pretty complicated and this is the simplified version. It's hard to dig up some of this info, so any help is appreciated. It seems like this is a "myth" that needs to be debunked.

"To fight fleas and ticks, he has used a folk remedy. A tobacco chewer, he saves the juice and sprays it on the lawn."

Sometimes creativity and home remedies are the only things that allow people living in rural areas without free spay clinics to help an ever increasing population of stray or abandoned animals.

Link...

"Tina Churchwell, head of the humane society in McNairy County, where Finger and Selmer are situated, calls 12 dogs her own and has set up a makeshift shelter at her home, kennels holding 22 other dogs she hopes might be adopted. The society is searching for money to build a proper shelter on land the county has offered, but community support is lacking, Ms. Churchwell said."

The Humane Society does what it can, but too few vets and a population that can't afford to pay for their services is creating a potentially serious health situation. Tammy Rouse, the Applachian coordinator for volunteer service has her hands full.

“It’s like putting a Band-Aid on a gushing artery,” she said. “Spay-neuter has to go hand in hand with education and legislation.”

It sounds like the only thing that could turn this situation around would be to have a team of vets and volunteer assistants form a group similar to "Doctors Without Borders". There probably aren't enough of these here in Tennessee, so it would have to be an effort that would attract vets and vet students from all over the country. A kind of tent meeting of professionals that could set up for a week or two. There is a long history of tent revivals here. Why not use this old fashioned idea to save the souls and lives of all the unwanted dogs and cats in areas that are too far from vet services or owned by people too poor to afford them? This would of course take a combination of county, state, and federal monies.

Fat chance of that.

We've gone over this territory before, and some people will say there should be laws to stop poor people from having animals, but that is about as logical as expecting poor people to not have babies. Education is always the best answer of course, but in the meantime the crisis is growing.

It's really sad to know that local problems that only affect a few rural people can't be resolved because most of our state and federal money is going to large causes like homeland security. We are slowly becoming a bankrupt nation. Little is being done to improve employment in rural areas.

Domesticated animals are low on our priority list in spite of the fact that dogs and cats have been our loyal best friends for generations. In cases like this one it will take more than local resources to get the situation under control.

Fat chance of that.

Come join local Democrats on Friday, June 29, for a Family Cookout at Victor Ashe Park. The Party will provide hot dogs and cold drinks--please bring a covered dish to share. This yearly cookout has become a fun tradition for local Democrats, with lots of great food and great conversation, so come join us as we get the Independence Day celebrations underway a little early.

When: Friday, June 29 at 6 p.m.
Where: Victor Ashe Park at 4901 Bradshaw Road.

Our event will take place at the picnic shelter, but you are encouraged to enjoy the park's many amenities while you are there. The park covers 115 acres and has a lake, a playground, a paved loop and an unpaved trail, an 18-hole disc golf course, and a completely fenced, off-leash dog park. There is no charge for this event.

For more information, contact Amy Broyles at 237-6538 or northknoxamy@gmail.com.

We noticed a bunch of Mini Coopers running around Alcoa last night, and wondered if there's some kind of club meet in town or something.

Sure enough, the Mini Meet East 2007 is in town.

They're set up at the Springbrook Corporate Center at the Jameson and Holiday Inn and Mainstay motels (near Texas Roadhouse, O'Charley's, SunBank, etc. off Hall Road).

The Maryville paper says there will be up to 200 Mini Coopers there. Looks like there will be a road rally on Saturday and an autocross on Sunday. Check the website for other goings on and more details.

For those who might not have seen it, here is the latest in the Deathmania match between Herb Moncier and Tim Hutchison.

My first thought when I read this article was that the chancellor did about what she should have done, given what was presented to her.

My second thought was that the Sheriff Department's moving Hutchison to another position where he would allegedly qualify for his big bucks pension even if he is decertified is more of the same pungent good old boy shinola we've come to expect from Knox County government, in my opinion.

My third thought was that, when Hutchison dies, Herb will seek an injunction preventing burial until Herb can: 1) open the casket, 2) determine by DNA testing that it is indeed the body of Tim Hutchison in the casket, 3) establish by competent expert medical testimony that the body is indeed dead, and 4) drive a silver stake through its heart.

My fourth thought was that, before Herb can file his motion, the Knox County Sheriff Office will have had the body placed in a hermetically sealed titanium ICBM casing, buried in an abandoned nuclear missile silo, and encased in a mile of steel reinforced cement. A referendum on burial of the missile will have been held before this is done, presenting the move in a six figure PR campaign as an anti-terrorist measure necessary to the survival of Knox County, and having no significant financial impact. The day before the referendum, it will come out that Hutchison's body will be buried in the missile, and that it will cost the taxpayers five million dollars. The referendum will nonetheless pass 51% to 49%.

I sometimes get carried away, but it helps to have inspiration.

For those on the KnoxViews "VIP" ticket list, we'll be there around 6PM for you to claim your tickets. Everyone on the list should have received a confirmation e-mail.

Click "read more" for important info...

By early evening Thursday, short lines of eager customers were camped out at Apple and AT&T stores across the nation. The gadget, which combines the functions of a cell phone, iPod media player and wireless Web browser, will go on sale in the United States at 6 p.m. Friday in each time zone.

$499 and $599, plus $59.99/month for service.

Apple has not disclosed how many iPhones will available at launch.

Best wishes to Apple on this "gadget's" debut!

Update: Should you buy an iPhone?

Link...

In ordinary times one might think this was a good thing, but with the new Bush-loaded Supreme Court, there is probably little reason to think the outcome will be protection of our constitutional rights. This is an issue that should evoke immediate response from all patriotic Americans. I'm sure many avenues will open for public discussion. Inform yourself. Understand the importance of habeas corpus. Speak out when you can. This is a ruling that will not just affect terrorists. It will affect all of us.

Link...

Don't let the Supreme Court take away more of our rights.

If you only read one blog post today, go read this scathing indictment of one of the worst crimes against society in American history.

What the hell is this all about?

The liberal mantra: Whine, whine, whine

You've lost me when you're trying to make a point and it is clear you are about to wet your pants.

Come on, libs, I'm sure you have some good points to make, but getting all runny-nose defensive sort of steps on the message. Or should I saw pees on the message?

Now, go the corner, wipe your tears away and think about what I've said.

Say what? Guess he's trolling for links by being all edgy and what not. Guess it worked. He got one.

Link...

This article is puuurrrfectly interesting if you're one of millions of people who prefer cats to people. New research & DNA reveals some interesting facts about feline bloodlines.

Renaming a part of Magnolia has caused some concern for organizations and business' located there.

As reported by J.J. Stambaugh at the KNS.
Link...

"MPC Executive Director Mark Donaldson explained that city street names should be "based on the principle of simple and logical." There's nothing logical, he said, about allowing the stretch of Magnolia to keep its name when it will no longer flow continuously from Broadway through East Knoxville because of the massive Interstate 40 widening project downtown.

But Sylvia Woods, who runs the AFL-CIO Labor Council at the intersection of Magnolia and Morgan Street along with her husband, Harold, said it seemed as though MPC was mainly interested in naming a street after the well-known Regas family of restaurateurs.

Street names are more than monikers. For many people they represent important memories. They offer a nostalgic continuity with the past. Also. to anyone who needs to do reasearch about a city or town, name changes can cause problems when looking through indexes.

The Regas Avenue name somehow doesn't seem to fit the area either. What is their link to that area?

Magnolia Avenue connotates many different things for Knoxvilians, but for many people who have lived or worked along its wide stretches it has always been an important throughfare. Disconnecting Magnolia from downtown seems kind of shoddy. As if the street weren't good enough to go straight into the heart of the city. Unless there's a darn good reason for changing it, the name Magnolia should be retained.

Our pal JustJohnny directs us to the new Seymour Herald newspaper website that he developed. It's another Django (the pure open source version) based site, and it is very slick.

And here's an interesting fact. Johnny says that all the content creation for print and web is done in the web publishing backend first, then output for print publishing. The classifieds, obits, police beat etc. all come from xml created by Django and imported directly into InDesign. He says this has reduced layout time from 6-8 hours to about three.

Nice work!

(For some reason I didn't know about the Seymour Herald, but I've added it to the Local Media links.)

I haven't paid a lot of attention to the debates so far because it seems too early. But the first primaries are about six months away and we'll have to pick somebody sooner or later. So we watched this one all the way through.

Read more after the jump...

I thought one of the main rules of the right was maintaining a free market. Personally I have never worked in the financial industry but it sure appears to me price fixing became legal yesterday. Could it be that the idea of a free market only applies for them when it means they can make the more money?

Taking yet another step to unravel the "judicial activism" of the Warren Court, the Supreme Court today struck down voluntary desegregation plans being implemented in Seattle and Louisville.

A half-century after the Supreme Court outlawed segregated schools, sharply divided justices clamped new limits Thursday on local school efforts to make sure children of different races share classrooms.

The court voted 5-4 to strike down school integration plans in Louisville, Ky., and Seattle, a decision that imperiled similar plans that hundreds of cities and counties use voluntarily to integrate their schools.

The ruling does not affect several hundred other public school districts that remain under federal court order to desegregate [ed. note: yet].

Justices disagreed bluntly with each other in 169 pages of written opinions on whether the decision supports or betrays the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling that led to the end of state-sponsored school segregation in the United States.

The 5-4 decision, the 24th such split this term, displayed the new dominance of the court's aggressive conservative majority. The four liberal justices dissented.

Chief Justice John Roberts asserted in his majority opinion that by classifying students by race, the school districts are perpetuating the unequal treatment the Brown decision outlawed. ``The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race,'' Roberts said.

Citing Brown to rule against integration was ``a cruel irony,'' responded Justice John Paul Stevens in his dissent.

And Thurgood Marshall wept.

I'm about speechless. This country went through Hell in order to undo the legacy of institutional racism before. Let's hope it doesn't come to that again.

(Memo to Ann Coulter: Even without someone poisoning Justice Stevens as is your fervent wish, you're getting everything you want out of the Roberts court.)

A few weeks ago George Will wrote a column challenging the foreign policy seriousness of Fred Thompson because of a seemingly absurd quote in which Thompson said, "Twelve million illegal immigrants later, we are now living in a nation that is beset by people who are suicidal maniacs and want to kill countless innocent men, women and children around the world."

Link...

I thought then that the quote was so outlandish that Thompson couldn't have said it. Could he be so foolish and shameless a panderer as to equate the 12 million illegal immigrants from Latin America who are here to provide cheap labor, with Islamist jihadist suicide bombers? Does he think that voters are so stupid that they'd hear "illegal immigrant" and "suicidal maniacs" in the same sentence and mindlessly mutter "Uh-huh, yeah, git'em all!"? Yes, the porous US borders make the infiltration of terrorists a bit easier. But 99.9% of the illegal immigrants are here for the cheap labor or to join family members laboring for low wages. You're much more likely to find a US citizen willing to commit acts of mass terror than an illegal immigrant willing to do so. Conflation of the two issues is just sloppy rhetoric, not serious policy.

Read more after the jump...

Anti-gravity device

According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Gov. Bredesen said the bill "would result in the state paying private companies millions of dollars to engage in activities they are already undertaking..."

We have a cancellation, so two tickets have just become available. Leave a comment if you're interested. Tickets will go to the first commenter who claims them (so I don't have to monitor my e-mail). See here for details.

This actually just happened...

The tape across the bottom of the screen blared the headline: Doctors who receive gifts from drug companies prescribe more of their drugs.

The talking head on the screen went on to say a recent study showed that doctors were getting billions in dollars in gifts from big PHARMA companies. She said some child psychiatrists were getting gifts from companies who sold anti-psycotic drugs that were not even meant for children.

After her brief overview she swiveled her chair to see a screen holding another talking head. "Welcome," she said. "Can you break this down for us in layman's terms please?"

Blink? hahahahaha!

So I picked up today's KNS out of the driveway, lined some mulch beds with the front section and then dove into the local news.

This tidbit piqued my interest. So, you grow flowers and want to sell some out of your home? Don't do it in Farragut. The sheriff will come at 2AM and threaten you.

Here's an interesting breakdown of what web platform each presidential candidate is running their campaign on.

Check out the pie charts. I think there's a message here, but I'm not quite sure what it is.

(By way of the Blab)

One odd thing about the news coming out of Iraq these days is how few insurgents seem to be among the deadly daily death toll.

Typically, as in this article,
Link...
the amount of insurgents conquered or destroyed seems miniscule compared to the civilian or Iraqi military deaths, or even the coalition count. It seems pretty clear that the insurgents are only losing a few people at a time. At this rate, it will be the year 3007 before all the insurgents that exist now and all the new insurgents being drafted into this war will be killed or conquered.

I'm not aware of anyone keeping a daily toll of Sunni versus Shite deaths, but this would be an interesting count. Sometimes I suspect we have sort of chosen sides, so we don't care all that much if Shites kill Sunnis, as long as they are sneaky about it. The Iraqi police force seems to be about as two faced as they can get, and the Army not much better.

Is there a covert American strategy to let the civil war in Iraq settle enough scores, to eliminate enough of one side (mostly Shite maybe?) to create a new population of survivors friendly to and supported by us? This article hints at that. Link...

Read more after the jump...

Are you for or against a national id? And why? The Senate votes tomorrow!

BoingBoing has some details as well as a link to a site which will fax your senator (if you oppose).

Personally I do not feel strongly one way or another about this one but that is probably because I have not followed the news on it. 17 states oppose it so there must be something bad about the proposal. I look forward to seeing comments here.

Via Sharon Cobb, Romney shows no compassion for family pet.

According to Time Magazine, Romney on a family vacation in 1983:

"The incident: dog excrement found on the roof and windows of the Romney station wagon. How it got there: Romney strapped a dog carrier — with the family dog Seamus, an Irish Setter, in it — to the roof of the family station wagon for a twelve hour drive from Boston to Ontario, which the family apparently completed, despite Seamus's rather visceral protest."
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Romney, of course, has expressed support for the use of "enhanced interrogation" techniques when it comes to terrorists; his campaign did not return repeated calls and emails about the treatment of his dog.

This guy wants to be President!
Has he even got a clue as to what this job entails?

In the Suffolk University NH Poll

Clinton leads the poll with those that are in.
But when Gore is put in the mix he leads with 32%

Courtesy of Jack Lail, Managing Editor of MultiMedia for the Knoxville News Sentinel, I've just seen a preview of the new KNS website.

Read more...