The Fortune 500 — the biggest companies in America — boosted their earnings a whopping 335 percent in the last year. It’s the second biggest jump since the list began in 1955.

But soaring profits aren’t quite a reason to celebrate. Record gains for America’s most profitable companies come after a year of record losses. The Fortune 500 shed 834,000 jobs last year — the biggest cutbacks in its history.

Continue reading this article over at ABC News, and check out their video below.

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Well here it is, the mildly-anticipated Health Reform Edition of A Cavalcade of Crazy, better late than never. All right, let’s lay it out:  is it finally time for affordable, basic medical care for all on a national scale? I give up. Does the Pope glow in the dark? Of course it’s time. Are there any advanced life forms around here who wouldn’t want the country to provide this for their family if they needed it? Unfortunately so. The final product sure doesn’t resemble that down the stretch, and we’re left to decide if it’s better than no reform at all.

No public option, no single-payer, no Medicare buy-in. Not quite the public-spirited renovation those who voted for change in 2008 expected. Hey Democrats. You have a monopoly in Washington. Start the steamrollers. They won’t do it.

I guess when the party I supported took the Medicare For All model off the program right out of the gate, that should have been a clue, huh? Without that as the objective, does the word reform really apply? What it does do is require insurance companies to cover sick people as well as healthy ones. Take high risk along with the low–what a concept. To complete the package, the bill would also force American citizens, who already pay taxes, to do business with a private market. That should have given everyone pause.

Well, considering that the mass food supply is making everyone fat and sick, I trust the insurance companies are gearing up for a ton of business. Our national health is deteriorating. Too many of us do not look good or feel well.

We are faced with another Hobson’s Choice so typical of American politics. Either accept this flawed bill or get nothing. In fact, there are a few decent elements still left in it. We all want to see everyone insured; there’s people dying out there, you know. Well, actually I thought we wanted everyone to be able to have medical services, preventative care and standard life support without going broke and without regard to class or status. Direct access to the actual health care providers, as it were. The snag wasn’t that people don’t have enough access to insurance agents. It’s like the famous choice of colors from Henry Ford. We all wanted to drive those Model-Ts; too bad they were only offered in black.

It’s reminiscent of the judicial disaster back in January of this year, when five Supreme Court Justices decided in favor of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. Justice John Stevens concluded his dissent with the kind of criticism we love here on A Cavalcade of Crazy, the biting kind: “While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics.”  The way the writers of the health reform bill see it, the obstacle to universal medical care in the United States is that we’re not writing enough checks to insurance companies. It appears we got worked again, plain and simple.

So, do we support this or not? Is it the overdue, but imperfect start to real reform– Medicare for all– down the road, or is there just as much risk of it being dismantled when the government changes hands again? Most social and economic legislation of this magnitude does evolve over time. This writer was rather enlightened by the development of the Social Security Act of 1935. As of the year 2000, there have been forty-seven additional acts or amendments related to Social Security legislation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Security_(United_States) One can only imagine the permutations which await this health reform bill on its way, hopefully, toward a true national provision.

If it makes it to the President’s desk, that is. My guess is it will. 

I’ve grown quite weary of the whole health care debate relative to the appropriate role of government. If something so clearly serves the public interest– if it’s a fundamental utility for everyone– I have no problem with the public sector providing it. In fact, we’re better off not leaving things like our physical and mental health in the control of entities whose only concern is making a profit. Our taxes already provide for national defense, local police and fire, library and public education systems, unemployment benefits, mail service, and interstate highways for those endless fleets of Wal-Mart trucks rolling by with American pride to bring us those high-quality Chinese barbecue tongs. The public treasury is ostensibly used to keep our environment clean and food safe to eat. How does health care not fit into this? They spend enough of our money–and borrow boatloads in our name–on far more objectionable plans. Bridges to nowhere and a couple of lethal wars come to recent memory.

No one intends this to be a luxury or remove individual choice, but American citizens are not obliged to keep corporations happy. A health care for all model is only one part of an adequate yet beneficial group of life support systems and safety nets within the larger economic and social structure. As long as we make sure to distribute to wealth a bit more and maintain the system in a healthy balance, there should be the opportunity to build in all classes some discretionary income to spend additionally as they please, for extra medical services, or anything else. Establishing into law a national health plan manifests a long overdue social benefit; it takes away no one’s “right” to seek alternative care. If you want to fly to Mars on your dime to see a specialist about that pimple on your butt, go right ahead.

I’m sick of people storming about over socialism. Remember, our government and market systems exist solely by our design, and they should enable the people to flourish and thrive first; making a profit should come second. There is plenty of room for investment and financial gain.  The crypto-Libertarians are getting old, too, crying hand-out every time there is a proposal to include everyone in something positive. Is not a healthy nation a more productive one? If we collectively improve our health we improve our quality of life and our standard of living. It comes down to the false notion promoted by the corporatists–and gobbled up by the misguided and insecure– that “We the people” instead contains the pronoun “I”. It’s the standard battle between those who seek to restrict our participation and access to the political and economic machinery, and those who view that freedom as critical to our nation’s growth and prosperity.

It’s fine to keep tapping us for corporate welfare, though. These same people don’t want to limit everyone’s exposure to the appetite of the military/industrial/banking machine. They don’t mind hooking us up to that siphon; for the war engine it’s to the tune of fifty cents to every dollar. Just so everybody understand this: if you can’t afford to go to the doctor, let’s hope that lump goes away on its own. But when folks have a problem with the Pentagon’s voracious disposition or Wall Street bailouts, too bad. No way to cancel those payments.

There was so much we could have been done with. Here’s a pretty good list: the discrimination in the private health care industry (this is at least addressed in the bill); the free-market variables of adverse selection and moral hazard; the self-righteous and twisted Christian undercurrents, that poverty and sickness are the price you pay for being morally deficient; the mind-boggling sums of money spent on lobbying to defeat or dilute the effort (dollars well spent); the idiots running around screaming America sucks, as an excuse for obstructing any social or economic progress; the burden on employers as health care providers; and the quality of one’s health based on a person’s ability to pay. Give us a legitimate national health system and all that is irrelevant. I was not even imagining perfection right out of the gate, just a real start. Might as well mention now that regardless of what happens, this exercise has shown Democrats to be just as willing to cave in to corporate pressure as the other side. This is a very real worry when they get around to the so-called financial reforms.

I simply don’t understand why my or anyone else’s family in the United States should ever have to worry about getting sick. Look, we should always demand a clean and safe environment and encourage the public to seek healthy choices and lifestyles, but reducing illness from self-induced causes is accomplished through education and marketing, not by access to medical care. There is nothing discriminating about sickness and death. A person’s health has a direct impact on the quality, and in many cases, the continuation of their life, and help should not be based on the size of your bank account. That is capitalism at it’s worst.

I believe the last thing we remember saying before we get that numb feeling in our arm is, I’m sure glad I’ve never had a stroke. My active and fit next-door neighbor was thinking about what good shape he was in before he was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer. Whether you wouldn’t lay off the three-foot long, deep-fried chili-cheese dogs, or you always looked out for your health, only the fuse that was lit when you were born finally reached M80-stage cancer, I don’t care. I don’t care how much money you have either. Hang in there kid, the doctors here will see you without prejudice as soon as they can. When you’re hurt, we’ll try to fix you and when you’re sick, we’ll try to heal you, and it won’t land you in the poor house. This is the best place to be. One day.

In Horse Feathers (1937), Groucho played Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush, a veterinarian who masquerades as a doctor in a scheme to keep open a struggling sanitarium. Somehow, that seems like a fitting image.

Reverbo                                                                                                                                                                       Critic-At-Large

Here are some pictures Bob Kincaid passed along from today’s protest at Marsh Fork Elementary. For the full details on the events of the day, you can grab Bob’s archive for June 23, 2009 at The White Rose Society!

When Bob passed along the first picture, I became curious as to which existed first – the school or the mining operation. Bob replied: “School was there first. Then came the plant. Then came the law. The plant was “grandfathered in.” Then came the MTR job above.” Remember the ‘Country Roads’ Parody video, where in the lyrics Bob penned he stated “We lose more by law here, than if they used a gun”? This is what he was talking about.

Here’s the sniper on the school’s roof, as Bob noted.

The H.O.R.N.’s favorite intern, Ferg, protesting the destruction of his home.

H.O.R.N. intern Ferg taking video of the performers, who were no doubt singing about the evils of mountain removal.

H.O.R.N. den mother Agnes, and intern Ferg, take time to participate in an interview.

This is the one who shouted the whole time. (I can smell him from here. Oh — am I being an “Outside Agitator” Mr. Big Mouth? Tough!) That audio will be available as soon as it’s processed.

Here are the hogs the fiends of coal rode in on, and revved the entire time. In fact, a lot of their behavior can be related to barnyard animals.

Here’s one now – Moooooo! (Love ya! – The Outside Agitator)

Banjo player Morgan O’Kane (pictured below with singer/producer Jen Osha) is the fellow Bob told us about, that had an air horn blasted right in his ear by a fiend of coal. To check out or purchase the benefit CD they participated in to raise money for the fight against mountain removal, please visit http://www.auroralights.org/journey. You’ll be glad you did!

Dr. James Hansen, arrested today, tried to warn us years ago.

Reverend Jim Lewis had to shout a prayer over the sound of motorcycle engines being gunned.

This is Matt Sherman. You simply must listen to Bob’s archive to get all the details about his speech!

Awww, does someone need a hug? (Love ya! – The Outside Agitator)

Uncle Sam doesn’t like mountain removal. Apparently his stilts were a security threat.

Let’s not forget why people gathered here today. It’s to ensure the students at Marsh Fork Elementary School have a safe and clean environment to learn in. In a matter of weeks, children will be sent inside a building that is only yards away from BILLIONS of gallons of deadly coal sludge, that sit in a measly earthen dam. If that dam breaks, those children will be killed.

So, how clear is your conscience?

On May 28, 2009, I called into Bob Kincaid’s program to refute the FAUX news lie, that Democrats were targeting republican-owned car dealerships for closure. I relayed the local news articles which stated how very large, long-time dealerships were having their franchises pulled, while the dealerships republican Ohio State Senate President Bill Harris founded, were able to keep both their GM and Chrysler licenses.

One dealership I expressed utter confusion over having their franchise pulled, was a company called Spitzer. It’s nearest location is in the county directly beside the one I live in. I grew up listening to their ads on the radio.  Their presence in this part of Ohio is quite large. Frankly, I was outraged to learn that Spitzer was losing its Chrysler franchise, when the little rinky-dink franchise Bill Harris’s namesake bears was keeping theirs.

Be it known to all and sundry, that I no longer feel this way.

This afternoon, I ran across an AP article, which talked about some 14 Chrysler dealers testifying in court, questioning the decision to close their franchises. Among those were Alan Spitzer, whose family began the Spitzer dealership over 100 years ago. Initially, I was happy to read that he was there, and standing up to what I surely thought were closings based on political influence, since after all, he’s not the President of the Ohio State Senate. In fact, I was so impressed with his activism, that I decided to swing past his website and find an email address, so I could let him know that I was rooting for him.

When I got to his website, that’s when my love affair with Alan Spitzer ended.

At the top of his website, there is a message to their Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep customers, stating their business plan to continue providing service for them. But the very last sentence shook me back to reality, just like a needle being pulled across an old vinyl record. That sentence reads:

Please contact President Obama and tell him to stop these closings and let the free market, which makes America great, control their fate.

At first I thought “He couldn’t possibly be blaming the loss of his Chrysler franchises on President Obama, could he??” I then noticed a link to a “special” message to that same group of customers. I clicked on it, and quickly got my answer. It reads, in part:

Auto Dealer Jack Fitzgerald from the DC area stated it very well. You can see his complete interview with Greta Van Susteren from On the Record seen on Fox News.

<snip>

(Referring to President Obama again) Ask him to listen to you, the people. Ask him to watch or listen to the Jack Fitzgerald interview.  We need to make him aware of the grave mistake they will make if they continue down this course of action.

(The video Spitzer talks about is here)

Perhaps Mr. Spitzer needs to take another look at this video, because Mr. Fitzgerald lays the blame at the feet of Chrysler’s management, where it rightfully belongs, rather than trying to pin it on President Obama. What’s also surprising, since this is a FAUX news piece, is that there is NO union bashing or blaming. Mr. Fitzgerald does well to point out that Ford Motor Company is NOT in the same boat as Chrysler and GM.

Incidentally, and this is often an overlooked fact, while the UAW (United Auto Workers) are always blamed as being the downfall of General Motors, Chrysler employs UAW members as well, and they’re never cited as being part of Chrysler’s downfall. Ford also employs UAW members, and Ford is not seeking a bailout, or a bankruptcy, nor are they closing any of their dealerships. So how can the UAW screw up GM so badly, but when it comes to Chrysler’s demise, the same UAW isn’t even mentioned, and the same UAW gets no credit for Ford being on seemingly stable ground? If you need more proof that these companies are driven by management decisions, and not the old evil unions, I wouldn’t know where else to tell you to go look for it.

But back to Spitzer. His attempt to blame President Obama for losing his franchise is, when you cut through all the hyperbole, nothing more than tax day TEA party crap. Spitzer’s repeated “free market” mantra is proof that he clearly blames all that’s wrong in his world on the “big guvmint libruls”, and everything that’s right in his world is because he’s a “self-made” man. I’d be willing to bet that Mr. Spitzer would claim that losing his franchises is proof of the Obama administration “micro-managing” the automobile industry.

Here’s a brief connection: Keith Olbermann slammed Ohio repiglican Congressman Jim Jordan for saying that because of Obama’s micro-management of the car industry, that the GM plant in Ontario, Ohio (Mansfield) is closing. Jordan then wanted Obama to exercise some of the micro-managing he was just complaining about, and keep the plant open. Yeah, really. It’s enough to make you rub your eyes. Mansfield, Ohio is home to one of the Spitzer Chrysler dealerships that has lost its franchise. It must be something in the water. Spitzer, by asking people to contact President Obama, rather than Chrysler Corporation, obviously feels the President has some power to micro-manage the auto industry. In a way, I wish Obama would do what he’s being accused of. Then he could set the salaries for car dealers too, just like he did for the Wall Street banksters. He’d keep your business open, but he’d tell you what a fair salary is. Is that a deal, Mr. Spitzer?

I’ll try to wrap this up. (I heard that!)

I had previously thought that republican Ohio Senate President Bill Harris’s dealerships got to keep their franchises, because of his political clout, and that the Spitzer dealerships were a victim of that. While that may very well still be true, the fact remains that Harris and Spitzer are two hucksters, working the same side of the street. Both are ardent free marketeer supporters. The free market’s goal is to push down wages, while driving maximum profits to those at the top, as tax-free as possible. Both are quick to blame the Democratic Party for failed economic policies that didn’t work when Ronnie Raygun implemented them, and stood no chance of working when Bushco decided it was time to try it again. He who lives by the sword, shall die by it.

Mr. Spitzer, the “free market” you endorse is just chuck full of business opportunities, or at least that’s what you’d have us believe. If losing your franchises is going to impact your ability to earn a living, then perhaps you should do what millions of workers have had to do, as a result of your “free market” philosophy – find a new job!

As for this Buckeye, you couldn’t get me to buy a gumdrop from you, if you were the last one selling them.

-Sue and the Ranting Keyboard

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Updates at Mountain Justice.