Author: dwaresgroup

Dear Ron,

There is merit to many of the Senate Committee’s ideas. Max’s worked very hard to find common ground to say the least. He has the patience of Job and very good people skills. I hope some worked out deal is passed to address the most difficult issues, not just a “cram down” which I see as unlikely now.

If I were asked to advise him, I’d say incrementalize, simplify, refocus on Prevention, thus cutting our remedial costs.

The left wants single pay. The right status quo or not to be disturbed, or no increase in annual debt (it is debt since we run on annual deficit on going). The middle is scared. The doctors are not sure. Some want better pay Medicare extended, taking insurance companies out. Pharmaceutical companies and hospitals want to make money. Senators and Congressmen fear losing an election over this. Max has challenges from every side and passionate ones.

But the United State does need to prevent health problems far more than just treat them. It’s moral, but it’s also pragmatic. You and I pay for remedial for others now. Ways to lower overall costs now $2.6 trillion out of $13 trillion GDP through prevention would be 1,000- 10,000 mobile offices in shopping centers with nutritionists, nurse practitioners, internists, blood testers and safe scanners, think technology. I would build them and make them inviting to people who will not go to doctors often because they are frightened and afraid of price. I just met a young smart man in the hospital who lost both legs to sugar diabetes that probably cost the system $500,000- $1 million, who put off seeing a doctor unnecessary, a shame. We pay for him.

If Max could show the $2.6 trillion now spent on healthcare including insurance admin and profit could be reduced through prevention to say $2.4 trillion including 47 million people (now paid for in emergency rooms etc), he gets the conservatives. You and I pay for their remedies now. If they, you and I paid for prevention of their issues, it could financially balance.

I suggest the visit there to be $250-$500 paid by the consumer to be credited against mandatory new insurance premium that I do agree with. Everyone should have skin in his game. No free lunch. If $0 million of 47 million plus 5 million of 12 million illegals pay $2,000 each for insurance that’s $90 billion a year.

I agree with the provision an insurance company can’t drop you if you get sick or fired. I also agree people with preexisting issues should have subsidy above normal premium they should pay.

In general, I believe insurance should not be for each doctor visit so I would like a large annual family deductible per family. We buy cars, get haircuts, even pay for dentists out of pocket; maybe politically improbable, but economically sensible. If insurance or Kaiser type annual check ups are mandatory, people will more likely get check ups. Deductibles will bring down insurance premiums. So will check ups.

As for remedies, I would also explore exporting some operations to insured, accredited hospitals in India, Thailand, Brazil etc. whose prices are often 1/10 ours. My friend in Brazil had three first class stomach operations this year, total $7,000. MY wife’s hospitalization four days to have the baby was $35,000. (Politically improbable, economically sensible).

Finally, we can’t pretend illegals don’t exist. We do treat their problems. We can’t stop that.

As for sources of finance, an excise tax paid by insurance companies on guilt policy profits makes sense, as does tax on soft drinks etc.

Three other things we should address, is clear simplified billing, encourage ten to fifty providers in each state including some that provide the economically sensible plans above, and removing punitives for all but the most egregiously negligent offenses.

Peter

Senator Max Baucus

I’m flattered you ask my opinion. Here it is. Going into Iraq was gray not black and white but we could justify it morally using most recently Milosevic as a precedent.

The issue is whether exporting democracy to this area in hopes of providing an alternative to the darkness of solely theocratic indoctrination with no tolerance for other views is justified. Turkey is an example that democracy can happen in Muslim States.

If we had not deposed Saddam, and he did develop nuclear weapons and wanted for example Kuwait, we’ve got the same problem we have with North Korea. It’s a stand off. We might not be able to stop him. And this is the most strategic area because of oil.

As for our economy, for the first time I can remember, we really have deflation. Cars with rebates, TV prices falling, restaurants reinventing themselves with $13 entrees down from $28 with the internet business diminished. Only housing because of low interest rates and commercial real estate because of fear of the stock market have not deflated. Housing will deflate when rates go up and even with the Fed keeping them low, a $600 billion deficit per year for the foreseeable future (Senator Rudman, Pete Peterson, Sam Nunn) adding to a $6 trillion debt load and a falling dollar has to mean higher government rates hence higher corporate rates, higher loan rates, housing prices fall.

So a tax cut (really $35 billion a year) on a budget of $2.2 trillion is a short term political move to get the President reelected and will have virtually no impact on the economy except to imprudently run up debt. The President riding on the war victory and tax cuts still looks good. However, if nation building in Iraq and Afghanistan result in a mess and the economy deteriorates more with more unemployment, Kerry maybe Lieberman have a good shot if they take on a conservative theme with strong defense with Edwards maybe Vice President nominee. Gerphard on universal health is the wrong issue and I think the wrong personality.

What really scares me is the Defense Department putting its imprimateur on “smaller” nuclear weapons. This gives the idea credibility to any third World dictator or well financed terrorist who comes around. Just one of those bombs will wipe out San Francisco or the Fresno bread basket for 100 years. Nuclear warfare is simply unacceptable and weapons should only be used or updated for mutual assured destruction. Our leadership should make it clear we will not use it tactically. Some leaders here and elsewhere toss using it around in speeches as if it were acceptable.

Life’s interesting. You make your best judgment and hope you are right whether its defense or the economy and you must be ready to admit you are wrong if it doesn’t work.

Warmest regards,

Peter

Total Innocence is Absent on Both Sides

Recently I wrote a letter to this newspaper stating that Communist nations are not “per se” aggressive; I still adhere to this contention. Unquestionably some Communist governments are aggressive, just as some fascist and some constitutional monarchical governments were. The capture of the Pueblo by the North Korean government is an act of aggression because North Korea could have escorted the ship from its territorial limits, if the ship was within them. Since it did not, one should infer that their object was to provoke the United States. Their reason might be to test our will to come to the aid of South Korea in the event of invasion, or it might be a definite plan of allied Oriental Communist nations to keep us embroiled in a logistically divided longterm Asian land war.

In a world community, as in a local community, there will be a violation of laws. Like local crime, international agression must be minimized. Incarceration of an individual criminal serves that purpose by incapacitating and perhaps even rehabilitating him as well as deterring others. Obviously a nation cannot be incarcerated, but the same derivitive goals are desirable.

Various methods might be used in the place of incarceration. The first, economic boycott, lacks efficacy, although hopefully one day an authoritative United Nations capable of effective penal powers will deal with wrongdoer nations. The second is military action by the United Nations or by a sovereign government. Because of the absence of total innocence on both sides, it is doubtful that the United Nations will commit their forces. If we honestly deem North Korea guilty of aggression, or alternatively of unreasonable punishment in relation to a United States violation, and negotiation does not result in redress, our alternatives will be restraint or invation. Invasion might be playing into the hands of the aggressor. Inaction might be buying time only to necessitate a later invasion. The proper course for the present should be restraint while evincing military strength with the hope that the North Koreans will act and act not through fear but through reasonability. Only as a last resort should we commit ourselves militarily and then only in order to obtain release of the prisoners. In that event, we should take swift and positive military action.

The condo Peter Dwares built for himself overlooking the Esplanade sits empty because he says the loud music from nearby bars is out of hand.

Sunday, he will bring his vision of what the village should sound like on weekends. Two free jazz performances are being presented by the San Francisco businessman and part-time Capitola resident on consecutive Sundays as a gift to the community.

The first concert will feature Jacqui Naylor and the Jacqui Naylor Quartet. Singer Opie Bellas will perform August 21.

“There’s a lot of really loud bars in the village, and we don’t get enough of this kind of music,” Dwares said from his San Francisco office as Frank Sinatra music played in the background.

He says the loud motorcycles, noisy bars and fights are “over the top” and detract from the village experience.

“It should not be allowed any further, period,” he says.

By presenting the jazz concerts, Dwares hopes to send a message that the village “will not be dominated by one or two noisy bars.”

He would like to see a zero-tolerance policy for the “”raucousness” that ties up the city’s already anemic police resources on the weekends.

City Councilman Mike Termini is hosting the August 21 show and says if it goes well, the city may consider making it an annual affair.

The Esplanade has always had bars, but police try to control the rowdiness, Termini said.

“We’re just trying to make it a fun place, not just for tourists but for everyone,” he said.

Peter Howes, general manager of Howes Entertainment, helped Dwares by booking the performers.

“They’re both at the top of their game,” he said.

The concert sets the tone for the kind of events that families, visitors and locals can enjoy, “showcased in a beautiful environment like Capitola,” Howes said.

This is the first year Dwares is presenting the shows, and he hopes it helps restore the city’s character.

In the meantime, he has written to the city manager about the noise issues.

“I can party fine, but there has to be a balance of mutual respect.”