Sorry folks, but it is that time of year again. Posting will be limited over the next two weeks as I put together puppets for the church youth group. Since I already have a number of puppets left over from last year, I will primarily be working only on the outfits this time. However, they youth group needs a custom stage this year, so I’m thinking about creating a reusable fabric cover to go over the plastic tubing frame. That will help give it some rigidity as well as make it easier to change the look of the set quickly and easily. Pictures of the completed project to come.
In the mean time, if someone wants to write and/or publish an article on the site during the next two weeks, please leave me a message below. I will e-mail you a guest account log-in so you can access the site. All I ask is that you do not post any hate articles and do not use profanity. Also, I will do the Weekly (Carnival) this weekend, so if you have articles you’d rather just submit, you can do so here.
I have a question for you. Who should have the say over how much an insurance company can raise their rates: the Federal Government, the State Government, or no one? This question comes after President Barack Obama stated that the Federal Government should have the power to reject health insurance rate increases that they deem to be excessive.
If the Federal Government had control, then that means they could have the say over insurance companies that only operate within one state. This would supercede the authority states would have within their own borders, or as Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario stated, “It could end up as a ‘who’s on first and what’s on second’ problem.”
In my view, this violates the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Article I, Section 8 states:
The Congress shall have power to … regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes.
This would mean the State Government should have control, but that control would only last until the company expands the state borders. That is no different than any other company who grows and expands their business. But what happens if no one oversees the rate increases? You’ll be left with a handful of local monopolies that are able to increase their rates with consumers having no alternatives to turn to, meaning they either have to pay the higher rates or drop their coverage.
In my view, competition is probably the best way to keep rates in check. If one company starts to increase their rates (for whatever reason), the alternative becomes more appealing. By lowering the artificial barriers to competition, and start allowing companies from across the country to start competing for the business for every resident in the United States, not only will you see the growth in insurance rates slow, you might actually find yourself paying less for the same coverage. And when you start providing tools where rates and benefits of various insurance companies are posted online, customers can do side-by-side comparisons to find the best coverage for their needs and in their price range.
I came across the following article and felt that it was a good tool for those of you who might have questions on the reconciliation process and how it helps/hurts the various parties. Some of the key segments are quoted below, but I recommend that you read the Associated Press article entitled “Reconciliation bill will be hard for GOP to derail” in its entirety.
Q: Why is it called reconciliation?
A: The process was established in the 1974 law that requires Congress to pass a federal budget at the start of each year. Some years, the budget will instruct Congress to pass legislation that “reconciles” tax and spending laws with the policies laid out in that budget and triggers a process that makes it easier and quicker for lawmakers to do that.
Q: How does reconciliation make the process simpler?
A: It’s a blunt instrument that makes it easier for the majority party to win. It has little impact in the House, where the majority usually has its way. But in the Senate, it prevents the minority party from using a filibuster, which lets it block legislation with just 41 of the chamber’s 100 votes.
Q: Is that the only advantage reconciliation provides?
A: It also limits Senate debate to just 20 hours, rather than the potentially unlimited time allowed normally.
Four months ago, I wrote an article about the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit that offered an $8,000 tax credit to qualifying buyers. At that time, the offer was slated to expire at the end of November 2009, but it was extended to the end of April 2010. There are no guarantees that the tax credit will be extended again, so if you are looking to buy your first home, you don’t have much time remaining.
While researching my follow-up on this article, I discovered that the benefit was expanded to more than just first time homebuyers. People who haven’t own a home in more than three years are also able to participate in the tax benefit program. Additionally, homeowners who have lived in their current home for five of the past eight years are eligible for a reduced tax credit worth up to $6,500.
With this expansion of qualifications, the cost to the government is bound to rise. And with all the focus on the rising national debt, it is possible that Congress will not extend the program again. If you are planning to buy your first home, or if you are a qualified homeowner as listed above, your chance to take advantage of this tax credit is running out.
Buying First Home? For more information on the First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit, I’ve discovered the following video released by Coldwell Banker Real Estate that you might find useful. As a person trying to find a home, I can tell you that the time to process your loan paperwork can be lengthy, so don’t wait until the end of April if you can avoid it.
You might not remember, but there is a large global warming protest heading to Washington, DC. With all of the snow fall Washington, DC has received the past two weeks, I have a feeling the turnout for the protest might increase in number. Here is a small gathering recently photographed.
