Response to blog comment and other things
Welcome to our blog.Thank you to my sister Judy for her comment to my last blog.First let me say that it is not my intent to make this blog into a political sounding board.My intent with this blog was posted to express my feelings about where our great country is headed.This is not a republican or a democratic issue,it is an american issue.
When you see runaway spending and a predicted federal deficit of 9 trillion dollars,economists tell us that we are headed down the road to financial ruin.My grand children will be paying on this debt long after we are gone.
As for federally mandated health insurance,I ask you to read the entire bill(hb3200)which can be found on line.If you do read it that would be more than most of our politicians have admitted to doing.There is some scarey stuff in there.The president says “no rationing”however when we put 47 million people into the program,read between the lines.My sister states that she couldnt afford to hire a new person because she couldn’t afford to provide health insurance.I submit that if small business were given tax breaks,hiring would be economically feasable.
Is the health care system in the US broken?I think not,however it is cracked.If you own a house that needs repair are you going to tear it down?I think not,sure,you would repair it.
Having been in the hospital 4 times this year I have seen first hand the waste that exists.But in spite of the problems (that can be fixed)we as americans have the greatist healthcare in the world.In August of 2006 when I was dagonsed with kidney cancer,had I lived in Canada,the UK or most european countries I would be dead now.I wouldn’t have been given the care I received in the USA.
I love our country and everything the constitution stands for.I encourage each of you to take time to review the 1000+pages of this healthcare bill and decide if we should scrap our present system that 71% of all americans are pleased,with or work togather to repair things that are broken.
Update on my health:I am feeling pretty good. I am only taking chemo and pain meds.My strength is slowly returning.God has been good to us.Yea God.
Please continue to keep our family and our great country in your prayers.
God Bless
Hal
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Do you believe the Constitution is the rule of law? Do you believe in the original intent of our founding fathers? Do you want to reform Congress? If your answer is yes, we have to work together to make this happen.
http://animal-farm.us/change/constitution-project-575
Hal, I totally agree with you….I’m very concerned where our country seems to be heading. I don’t want the government to intrude/control any more of our lives than they already do. Our forefathers did not fight and die for that. I’m sorry, but we do not need to bankrupt our country because then there will be health care for no one, and there will be chaos. Don’t people realize how much control they are giving up to the government? If I want to live in a socialist country, I will move to Russia. Our children and grandchildren cannot bear the burden for trillions in debt. We are taught to live within our means - why don’t people expect our government to? If I can’t afford a new car, I drive my old one and make repairs. It would be nice to have everything paid for us by the government if we had huge surpluses…..but I’d rather they give me back my own money and let me make my decisions. I am contacting all my senators and congressmen,etc. with my objections to where they are shoving us at breakneck speed. What is the hurry? I would tell them to take more time, fix only what is absolutely necessary, and as you so aptly put it, don’t tear down the whole house. I grew up one of 10 children in rural America with no health care, no handouts, and feedsack dresses, but I was and am happy. I am now 63 and grateful for my freedom - I don’t want to lose my freedom to a big brother government.
Concerning your health, I’m so happy to hear that you are feeling better. Praise God. My brother just got the news at Vanderbilt that his kidney cancer has spread to the other kidney and his lungs. I told him about your treatment with Sutent which seems to be helping. That is not the chemo or drug they just told him to start on, but I told him to ask them about Sutent. Please pray for my brother Charlie.
God bless you. You are a wonderful American. We appreciate your prayers as we continue to pray daily for you.
Lord, please help poor liberal sheeple. They gleam their information from CNN and the liberal jew controlled press. Is it any wonder they are so adamant in her misdirected beliefs? It is a pity how they espouse the skewed facts to serve their agenda.
i am glad your cancer has abated. It is an example of God’s interventio and the power of prayer.
After reading some of the comments on the past few blog entries, I felt I should respond.
First, I am very proud to be both, an Australian and an American citizen.
I have lived in both countries and love them both very much, but there are some big differences.
Australia has free health care.
While living in America I realized why it’s called the “the land of milk and honey”. America is such a beautiful country with very friendly giving people. That’s why if there is ever a disaster in the world, the world first looks at America to help, because America always will be there to help.
I was very lucky to have the opportunity to start a small successful business there and the way the taxes are there you can succeed at your business.
When moving back to Australia to start the same business, looking at the taxes and other limitations here, we couldn’t do the same business, it just wouldn’t work.
I have met a few Americans that just don’t realize how blessed they are and now they want to wreck it for all Americans with wanting a government-run “free” health-care system.
They just don’t realize that if you have free health care that the money WILL come from everyone and it will actually end up hurting the people that don’t have much money. Also, quality WILL suffer.
The cost of living is much cheaper in America.
For example Australian income taxes are a LOT higher. Our income tax rates start at 15% and max out at 45%. American taxes I think start at 10% and go to 35%. We also pay a 10% GST (Goods and Services Tax) on nearly everything, including food. The GST was brought in about 10 years ago with a promise that some other taxes (i.e. Stamp Duty) would be removed. Well, those taxes are still there and haven’t been removed. For all you smokers, it costs around $14.00 for a pack of cigarettes, a lot of the cost is taxes.
Next, to buy petrol here (gasoline) it averages around $1.25 a litre which, if translated into American dollars, is about $4.00 a gallon. Our vehicle registration is nearly $700 per year as compared to Tennessee, where it cost us around $75 a year.
When purchasing a house, (housing costs are similar to California prices or more) you have to pay “Stamp Duty” which is a sales tax, just for buying your own family home. So, on a small 2-3 bedroom house that cost $325,000 you would have to pay an additional $12,500 for stamp duty and then closing costs on top of that, so you would have to pay about $15,000 extra when all is said and done. (By the way, that small 2-3 b/r house for $325k is in a suburb outside of Adelaide. The same house anywhere near Sydney or Melbourne would be nearly double that).
About guns in Australia, well, they have very strict gun laws. It is VERY difficult to legally own a gun of any type, although you still hear of crimes being committed with illegal guns. Only the law abiding people have trouble getting them. (Note - the old classic Daisy BB-Gun is considered a Class A Firearm, the same as a .22 caliber rifle). To apply for a firearms license, you must have good reason (there is a very short list of valid reasons and self protection is NOT considered a valid reason). On the news you always hear how someone is being robbed and threatened with a hammer, axe, syringe, kitchen knife, screwdriver, etc. A lot of this would stop if the offenders knew people could properly protect themselves.
Now to talk about this free health care. First of all I don’t want to seem ungrateful for our healthcare, most doctors try and do their best.
All hospitals and doctors offices are SO busy. At the beginning of the year I took our son to the doctors because he had been unwell with a fever for 5 days. The doctor said it would be quicker to take him to the Emergency Room at the hospital to get a chest x-ray and a blood test done. We were in Emergency for 9 hours total, just for those tests, 5 hours of which were waiting before we were even seen. That was too much for my boy to wait while he was really sick. It was a very long and tiring day for the both of us. In the end, all they could tell us was that he had “some sort of virus”.
So, we have “free” health care, but the quality is absolutely NOT up to America’s standards. I just read on Fox News that many critically ill Canadian patients are being sent to American hospitals for their treatments (paid for by the Canadian Govt), because the care they need is either not available in Canada or the waiting lists are too long. Evidently, many Canadians are afraid that if America goes to a government-run system, their last option would no longer exist. That should tell you something!
Sorry this is so long, but I could go on and on and I know that people are very set in their ways, but for once just stop and think… How would they pay for all this? Look at other countries and do the research yourself. Don’t just watch the news, you don’t get all the information. It’s the same here. The TV news we get here about America is all very one-sided and very misleading. Because of this, the typical Australian has a very inaccurate view of America.
You must ask “Why do I put up with all this in Australia?” Well, my family is here and, aside from the politics and cost, it is a very beautiful country.
In writing this I just want people to research things for themselves and really see what’s happening and take care of your beautiful country America, It truly is the “Land of Opportunity”.
Hal. I can’t wait for you to get better to come visit. :o)
We miss you and Dickie very much.
Love Sarah
I love my brother Chris’s response. He cracks me up. Unlike my sister Judy, I love the diversity of our beliefs. I believe that ultimately it will lead to better answers for everyone.
I love the fact that my brother Hal is still here and strong and living his life. I think that the fact that the Wilson’s tend to be a little ornery and opinionated has to be a positive contributing factor. There is nothing mild in our response to a challenge, including cancer.