Potpourri of Issues

We sure have a lot of problems. We also have a lot of debate on how to solve them. I can't solve them here but I'll give you my attitude on what these issues are. For sure, I am always opinionated. Some solutions are offered here too, can you hear me now?

Health care: Obamacare/ the Affordable Care Act really isn't that affordable from what I hear. People are losing their old plans for new ones. Taxes go up. I just went on Medicare so I'm in the mix now; so far I've got a no-premium HMO saver plan though with Plan B I still get $104 deducted from my Social Security deposit each month. When I tried to get a referral on a dermatology visit through the PCP, personal care physician, I got a very impudent, snobbish response and dropped from the doctor's receptionist. I reported the incident to my insurance and requested a new PCP as a male too, and got one. As for the VA it took me THREE VISITS to get my photo taken for the new cards coming out. The VA data network includes Obamacare using an outsourcing contractor which told me I was ineligible for the updated card. Hogwash! I protested rather loudly, speaking to the chief of staff, explaining our veterans cards are based upon our service, qualifying us for ALL our benefits-not just based on their means test or income. Very demeaning. A third experience involves the state system called MassHealth which after 10 months tells me I have to fill out a SECOND APPLICATION because their website hasn't worked properly and my benefits will be jeopardized if I don't reapply before 2015.  Shameful! Their problem will not be my problem and I told them so.

War and peace: In retrospect Bush didn't start war, the terrorists did. The 2007 surge cleaned out Anbar Province only to have Obama lose Iraq by bringing US troops home to assuage his 2008 election promises for approval by his constituency. Obama found out he couldn't close Guantanamo, defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan nor remove Assad from Syria. His "redline" was a fake vs Syria after the chemical weapons were used. Obama's empty threat resulted in the build up of ISIS in both Iraq and Syria. In Libya at least NATO helped out, and Kaddafi was later killed. The Benghazi attack on our embassy was dismissed and covered up for Obama's re-election in 2012.  Okay you say Obama got bin Laden and he did, but that success really belongs to Bush in part- because W went after al-Qaeda after Sept. 11th. After all the talk with a new Iranian president, Iran is still hosing us with their secret centrifuges for nuclear weapons-contrary to their pleas regarding sanctions. America and the European Union just watched while Putin went into Crimea and now eastern Ukraine, because Obama is viewed as a weak leader. Meanwhile he challenges Congress.

On immigration: Obama will go around Congress to suit him after all the patronizing speeches for Congress involvement in war. Yes this country was founded on immigrants, but amnesty for the illegals already here will only encourage more illegal immigrants coming across our weak southern border. Some say we don't welcome legal immigrants? A lack of English speaking and desire for US  citizenship is an awkward mix; I'm for the legal process with papers and identification which is the basis for how America does business. All persons are created equal, but an illegal status does not entitle them to citizen rights if they are not legal citizens! Am I missing something? If Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Honduras etc. want in- apply! The green card visa a valid way; guest workers should be allowed to enter if they want jobs in agriculture. However I still oppose handouts, driver's licenses to illegal immigrants as a path to citizenship, or our laws/ screening standards for citizens mean nothing.

Energy: Oil prices, gasoline down for now but will we ever learn our lesson? North Dakota's oil boom has reduced our dependence on overseas imports; we're drilling off shore in the Gulf and Alaska. I say we need to drill ONSHORE in Alaska as spills on the land are less harmful than the likes of BP in 2010 Louisiana. And the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada's tar sands should also be approved and built. The Democrats want jobs but still think Washington DC can pay for all our problems with   "monopoly money" we're broke, remember? The oil companies have LOTS of real money to hire workers, but with prices down the drillers & producers now lose money. After the 40 year ban on oil exports by the US we could now sell oil, natural gas to Europe, Ukraine to help our Allies, and hurt Putin. We still need coal to keep the miners and railroads in business too. I'm all for wind farms and solar energy where appropriate. The Northeast has a sun shortage and higher prices for heating than rest of the nation. Why wouldn't you want a natural gas pipeline? And LNG tankers offloading out at sea terminals safe from the cities? You cant power cars on hot air!

National Security: We're at war against suicide bombers, therefore our intelligence secrets are not to be compromised by Edward Snowden and other self-appointed liberal crusaders. Spying on our Allies' cell phones crosses the line however I think. I've no problem with NSA, FBI, CIA, Secret Service and law enforcement monitoring US citizens phone & internet activities. Got something to hide?

Ferguson: I hope the police officer is exonerated as the kid went for his gun at the police car. Racism isn't just for whites you know. The OJ Simpson murder verdict was a breach of justice. Travon Martin was pursued by that man and killed after the dispatcher warned him not to chase the kid who was unarmed.

Other: The Colorado ski industry must be involved in the widening of I-70 into the mountains, with a guideway train already proposed by CDOT. If energy can pay extraction fees, why can't Summit, Vail pay to help the state?  The NOAA ban on cod fishing hurts like hell but can the fishermen outfit for dogfish, mussels, scallops and swordfish instead? Funny how GM and Chrysler got ignition switch recalls-weren't they bailed out by Obama's stimulus hoopla in 2009? Ford didn't take the money and didn't have these issues, am I on to something here?  If Massachusetts wants jobs then let's have casinos, even if you don't like gambling as I don't, the hotel buffets need food service and room attendants.  The pine beetle kill out West is turning whole mountainsides into red, dead trees a real fire hazard. The US Forest Service and private industry needs more fire fighters, and slurry planes, helicopters to combat drought-caused fires; loggers to mitigate dying forests to reduce this threat. Better research warning programs are needed to predict earthquakes, avalanches & landslides. At least two drones crashed into geyser basins in Yellowstone National Park; stricter enforcement stopping this kind of vandalism needs to be more vigilant.  Better sub-division planning coupled with more dams will prevent the flooding as seen in northern Colorado last year.

In summary the Federal government needs to operate on a balanced budget, not more feckless spending! We need to make our enemies pay too, reparations maybe? End foreign aid to rogue regimes and uncommitted nations, Turkey? Syria? Jordan? India? Pakistan? Latin America? Mexico? Our state governments need more independence from Washington DC, stop trading votes, money and pork. Priorities need to be set by somebody. The rural West embraces independence while the East and California can't manage nor afford to fix their urban problems like crowding, crime, traffic and transit. We are a divided nation because our respective cultural values are so different. Guns for example, energy and agriculture again. United we stand. But without a stand we stand for nothing!