Did you see the Daily show Health Care Segment? If not watch it on my site.
Covering the news in a satirical manner is what the Daily Show does best. Check the video on the right, in 7 minutes its sums up the Health Care reform debate so well, watch it for yourself. (video is licensed by my site not pirated with a link)
In the age of instant news, what is news and who decides?
As large multinational corporations dominate the television news business, who decides what is news and why? Is this corporate ownership of the messages the news relays to us or creates for us a new phenomenon?
The simple answer is……… Hell, if you want the simple answer turn on CNN Headline News ( A time Warner Production),and if you want the right wing answer turn on FOX News (A News Corp Production). If on the other hand, you want the left wing answer turn on MSNBC (A General Electric PRODUCTION). But where is the truth, try the Daily Show a Comedy Central Production, ok its really a VIACOM Production.
So who decides what is news and what is not?
The answer is buried somewhere in between the multitude of Rihanna and Chris Brown stories and the live high speed chase from Los Angeles.(hint, its not the news broadcast its the commercials) So, if after watching thirty minutes of cable news you become depressed because it appears that the world is falling apart, relax its not. (Somehow, the car commercial follows the high-speed chase story, and the bad news on the housing market is followed by the latest anti depressant commercial). If it appears as if the television is talking to you, it may be if you are unstable, but for most of us its not. It’s not the TV thats talking to us its the advertising on the TV. I find it strange that the latest crime statistics are followed as if on queue by a home security system commercial, its because it is on queue. The reality of the news business is that it is a business, and in the struggle between news and business, well we know who is going to win out. So remember, the cable news networks are in business to sell advertising. So while you may love the opinion from your favorite MSNBC or Fox News anchor, remember it’s not his opinion it’s the networks. Your guy or gal is just reading a teleprompter, for the most part and the messagebeing read is carefully orchestrated to avoid alienating the almighty sponsors, while keeping hold of that target demographic to deliver the best numbers, for the advertisers.
This is true except for Glen Beck, he is an idiot for calling a half white and half black President, who supports imigration reform, a racist and now twenty advertisers and counting have pulled their sponsorship of his “news” program, if he keeps his job, that my friends will be the news.
So what’s the news, the news is while you were distracted by a football game or some bogus rant on television about gay marriage, the congress passed The Patriot Act, which is so unconstitutional its hilarious, we went to War in Iraq because of Weapons of Mass distraction, and some CEO’s granted themselves another two-hundred billion dollars in cash and stock options for fleecing millions of Americans out of their jobs, health insurance and homes. The real breaking news, is we as a nation are so dysfunctional and undeserving of the liberties our founding fathers risked live and limb for it’s sickening. We the people have given to these corporations and the frontmen that represent them in congress, all of our individual rights and freedoms and for what?
“Wait the news is on, I have to go.”
What can two quotes from the 1700′s teach us about today?
“As soon as public service ceases to be the chief business of the citizens, and they would rather serve with their money than with their persons, the State is not far from its fall” -Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes (French philosopher and writer whose novels inspired the leaders of the French Revolution, 1712-1778)
Given the fact that this quote comes from a Frenchman, and his words were spoken before our Nation was even founded what can it teach us?
Compare the thoughts behind words of Rousseau to those of our founding father;
“If once the people become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress and Assemblies, Judges and Governors, shall all become wolves. It seems to be the law of our general nature, in spite of individual exceptions.” Thomas Jefferson
We’ve all studied the historical events in which both of these men were involved. We may or may not have contemplated the effects that Rousseau’s words had on Thomas Jefferson or for that matter on the birth of our nation, but without Rousseau the United States of America may never have happened. For Rousseau was the first man to speak truth to power, and did so in a time when the King could have your head with the mere snap of his fingers and face no consequences for doing so. Yet he wrote on, inspiring common men to revolutionary action, both in Europe and here in America.
Now to the quotes and what I see them to mean today; Get involved be active in your democracy, let no paid spokesman represent you, for when he does a little bit of our democracy dies, as Jefferson states himself if we, the people are not participating and aware of the actions of our representatives they will become wolves and we the sheep not worthy of the gifts our founding fathers bestowed upon us, Liberty and Freedom.
Do not mistake he whom speaks loudest for he who speaks the truth-Bill Gardner
Want free health care? 7 tricks to free health care
Getting free health care as an American is simple here are seven ways.
- Go to war as a US Army soldier, regular Army only no called up reservists need apply, and nearly die in combat
- Got to war with the US and loose quickly, pentagon will be glad to win the hearts and minds with free health care for all.
- Get sent to prison
- Become so poor that you qualify for Medicaid
- Become so old that you qualify for Medicare
- Start an insurgency in say Venezuela or Columbia, but not Ohio and the Special Force will provide Medics for your cause
- Call your congressman and tell him that he needs to support a public option for Health Care
Of course in reality none of these options are free, but in retrospect option seven seems far simpler then any of the others. Would it be free, no not for all it would have a means test. (like social security should) What does a public option mean to the average joe, joe sixpack, joe wallstreet, joe mama, or homeless joe, its means the same thing in reality however the perceptions of what it means are divergent for example.
Reality for Average Joe, he would have no worries about pre-existing conditions, and his coverage would be the same as he has now. Same doctors, same costs no difference.
Perception for Average Joe, some communist would tell him that he can’t do this or that and make him donate his kids for medical reasearch.
Reality for Joe Sixpack, he would never get another collection notice because his health insurance from work didn’t pay the doctor or lab for the pre-approved physical he had for his CDL.
Perception for Joe Sixpack, as a registered republican his dna would be held in a data collection bank, and he would be forced to donate orgins to democrats whenever they call.
Reality for Joe Wallstreet, his $1500 per day supplemental plan (pays cash to JW if he misses work) would be taxable. He may loose some M&A business due to the falling profits of his Health Insurance Company Clients. (or perhaps make more)????
Perception for Joe Wallstreet, matches the reality that’s why he’s donating to every single anti-public option group that he can find. After all its his money why should some doctor or hospital get it for delivering quality health care?
Reality for Joe Mama, Mama has Medicare already and believe it or not its a public run health-care system with private company names the plans are all regulated down to the last benefit. All the insurance companies do is skim a little off the top and forward the bills if they remember , to Medicare for Reimbursement from Uncle Sam. Kind of like Don Corleone in the Godfather, and I am paraphrasing this, ” I just want to get my beak wet” or was that Tony Soprano?
Perception for Joe Mama, A man from the government is going to tell her how to die, when to die and oh by the way he is at the door now!
Reality for Homeless Joe, he doesn’t have an address, can’t vote and is sick. He went to a hospital and they called the police on him for tresspassing, so now he has health care because he exercised option 3.
Perception for Homeless Joe, getting arrested is his best chance to survive the TB he contracted as a homeless man after the dot com he founded collapsed in 1999.
Want free Health care? I don’t I am willing to pay for a system that is fair and equitable, a system like the one we all pay for, you know the one the pentagon runs in the dozen or so countries that we have invaded in the past 10 years, but without the car bombs please.
Bill Gardner (reformed enforcer for the Insurance Dons)
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