One Hundred Days of Hope: Go Back to School

(first published April 29)

Our President tells us to go back to school. He tells our children to FINISH high school and continue on with college or vocational training.

In his February 24, 2009 address to the Joint Session of Congress, President Obama stated:

“…we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education in America. In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity – it is a pre-requisite.

Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the students who begin college never finish.

This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education – from the day they are born to the day they begin a career.”

The President went on to remind us of our responsibility as parents to “open the doors of opportunity for our children.” Citing his own experience as a dad, he reminded parents they must:

• attend parent/teacher conferences
• help with homework after dinner
• turn off the TV if necessary
• put away the video games, and
• read to their children.

Obama has challenged all Americans “to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training.” The President’s goal is by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

Start studying and tell your children what President Obama says: “….dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country – and this country needs and values the talents of every American.”

Linnie Frank Bailey

One Hundred Days of Hope: PLEASE Fix Healthcare!

This President hopes to go where no President has gone before….he hopes to fix our broken health care system.

If you’ve ever gone to one medical establishment, and seen one
doctor, and subsequently received 40 bills from ten providers….then you know the system is broken.

If your health insurance premium is more than half your mortgage or rent …then you know the system is broken.

If you have to decide between medicine and food…then you know the system is broken.

Guess what? Our health care system is broken!

One of the primary causes of bankruptcy in this country is huge medical expenses, and most Americans are only a slip and fall, or car accident, away from financial insolvency…even if they HAVE medical insurance. Let’s hope this Administration can tackle this behemoth once and for all and allow many Americans to rest better at night.

So what is the Obama-Biden plan in a nutshell?

1. Americans can keep their current insurance if they are happy with it. Nothing will change and premiums may drop about $2500 according to the Administration’s site www. whitehouse.gov. However, new options will be available.
2. For Americans that lack insurance, there will be a National Health Insurance Exchangeaffordable private insurance options, as well as a new public plan based on benefits available to members of Congress. with
3. Providers will be required to cover pre-existing conditions when you sign up for new coverage.
4. Small Businesses (which provide most of the employee-sponsored coverage in this country) will receive a Tax Credit to help provide affordable health insurance to their employees.
5. There will be caps on malpractice insurance fees charged to doctors.
6. The cost of medicines will be lowered by allowing the importation of safe medicines from other developed countries.
7. Catastrophic illness costs will be reduced for employers and their employees.
8. There will be lower costs for businesses by covering a portion of the catastrophic health fees they pay. In return, they must lower premiums for employees.

There’s more (visit the site) including making use of technology to streamline medical record keeping and supporting preventative illness measures. (The Administration hopes these measures will help defray the cost of health care reform).

The bottom line is WE ALL need affordable health care and we can no longer bury our head in the sand. Everyone has a vested interest in making this work. Providers want to make a profit, employers want to stay in business, and we the people want affordable coverage for our families and ourselves.

The question is—given the aging of the boomer population, and increasing health care costs—can the country afford to not go forward with Obama’s health care reform?

Linnie Frank Bailey