The crisis is over. A renaissance has begun. Carole and I just returned from an exciting, most enjoyable and educational week inCubawith the National Trust for Historic Preservation. We had a license from the Treasury Department. We visited the cities ofHavana,CienfuegosandTrinidad(founded in 1514), and traveled hundreds of miles throughout the country.

In this former gateway to the Caribbean andCentral America, they are applying the Chinese version of recovery, blending capitalism and communism. Private enterprise is flourishing as citizens can now own and operate private businesses in addition to their day job. They can also buy and sell property. People are no longer required to be members of the Communist Party, including our wonderful, informative and honest guide, Alicia Perez Viera, and the lecturers with whom we met. Those old car relics have been restored with new interiors, beautiful paint jobs, and turned into privately owned and operated taxis. Paladars (restaurants in one’s home) and B&Bs are opening not just in large cities, but in small towns now frequented by Cubans and foreigners, full of art, crafts and souvenir shops galore. Over 200,000 tourists descended onCubalast year, and over 300 thousand are expected this year. The hotels, restaurants and bars are full every day and night with foreigners and Cubans listening to mostly American music. Chefs are trained in the World Congress Institute (not part of the government), which is part of the 92 country International Association of Culinary. EachHavanaevening finds hundreds of Cubans sitting and socializing on 7 kilometers of the Malecon seawall commonly referred to as the world’s longest sofa. The museums, opera houses and concert halls are spectacular.

Building restoration is everywhere. The Central Government builds very nice temporary apartment buildings for people to move to while their homes are being restored, and then they are moved back into their beautiful old house. The program started in Old Havana where those hundreds of year’s old beautiful European architecture houses and buildings were crumbling from the ocean’s waters and salt air. Architects were sent toEuropeto learn how to restore historic structures to their former splendor. 1/3 of Old Havana is already done, at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars. Often one will see one house has been restored and the house next to it is still falling in on itself. Some of the homes have been restored by the owners themselves, using funds sent from families in theUnited States, mainlyMiami. The historic restoration program is run by the City Historian Office, bolstered by UNESCO World Heritage recognition. The work is guided by International Letters detailing the rules and regulations for compliance with historic preservation, and funded 61% by the Central Government, 2% from countries such asCanada,GermanyandFrance, and 37% from a tax on the businesses benefiting from tourism. The more profit the businesses realize, the faster the renovation work can progress. It has already reached out to cities and towns miles fromHavana.

Cubaplaces a great importance on education with 100% literacy (English is spoken everywhere), made possible by free schooling at all levels, including colleges and trade schools. One of the world’s best universal healthcare systems starts with vaccinations soon after birth to help keep citizens healthy, requiring less care in their later years. In remote small villages high in the mountains where there is but one school-aged child, the child is given a solar-powered computer and there is a teacher and doctor in residence.

There is much yet to be done, but the poor living conditions for some are no different than what I grew up in during the Great Depression, and whatCzechoslovakia(the country of my origin) experienced before the Velvet Revolution. Food rationing is similar to what we had during WW II. The one major deterrent to the renaissance is the American embargo. Initially it put thousands of Cubans out of work in the sugar cane fields, because we stopped buying 80% of their crop. For 50 years the only people hurt by the embargo have been the Cuban people who refer to us Americans as a “lovely enemy”. How gracious is that. There has never been an American embargo anywhere in the world that has been successful, and only the people of the subject nation(s) have suffered.

Looking back onCuba’s history, the original inhabitants were some 250 thousand Taino people (Columbuscalled them Indians and the Spanish conqueror, Diego Velasquez, called them savages). During the 1500s Spain was thought to have killed all the Tainos (recent DNA indicates some Cubans have Taino DNA), and started replenishing the island population with a few hundred Spanish colonists, and thousands upon thousands of black slaves from West Africa (mainly Nigeria – bringing the Santeria religion with them; the Santeria priest we met said Santeria is part of Catholicism). The Spanish became the landowners and used the black slaves to work their sugar cane, tobacco and coffee fields. By 1860, the number of slaves had swollen to 370 thousand, making them the predominant race on the island, as it remains so today. The last slave ship arrived in 1866 and slavery was abolished in 1886. In 2011 the Mariel boatlift saw 125 thousand, or a little over 1% ofCuba’s population, allowed to leave for theUnited States. A 1991 Congressional report reveals 25%, or 31 thousand boat people were identified as undesirables with criminal records or recently released from Cuban prisons.

If you want to help this once great nation return to its glory days, go and enjoy their hospitality and friendship. They are some of the warmest and friendliest people in the world. Crime is almost nonexistent because private citizens are not allowed to have guns, which makes you feel safe anywhere on the island. Part of the money you spend there (prices are low) is being plowed right back into restoration, as mentioned above. Foreign investments are flourishing, while American businesses are locked out by the embargo. If you are of Cuban heritage, rather than turning your back on Cuba because you don’t like the guy who was president 50 years ago, there is no better way to help the people of your national origin than to go and reunite or become acquainted with those of your heritage.

Last, we did see Pope Benedict pass by our hotel in his popemobile and exchanged waves. Carole has pictures of our visit if you are interested.

Semper Fi,

Dick Hrebik, mustang Major, USMC Ret

Award winning author of THE WARRIOR AMONG US and CORPS VET

www.dickhrebik.com  | dick@dickhrebik.com

HISTORY
Since our country was first formed in 1776, America was largely a country of immigrants from the four corners of the globe, but predominantly of European descent. Like my grandparents, they came with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a small suitcase or kit, leaving behind their families, homes and country to become Americans. They wove their way into cities and towns across the country, integrated themselves into our culture, studied in different schools, learned our English language, and ultimately took their places in every conceivable type of work from shoe repair to banking. And since that very first day, until recent years, we have proudly called ourselves AMERICANS. Yes, Americans, period. That’s who and what we are. It’s our nationality on our passports, without indication of which country we or our ancestors came from. This same point was emphatically made recently by Brigitte Gabriel, who was born in Lebanon. She is the founder and current President of ACT (American Congress for Truth).

 
RECENT EVENTS
The first diminishing of our name arrived with the Cuban boatlifts from Mariel Harbor, Cuba in 1980. They left the great country of Cuba seeking political asylum, in search of freedom, and a better way of life. What was different and still different today, they and their children and grandchildren, many born in the United States, refer to themselves as Cuban or Cuban American. One can’t be both. It is a confusion of national origin with nationality. We Americans are all proud of the country where we or our ancestors came from, but we are now simply and correctly identified as Americans.

Since 1980, there has been a growing number of Americans believing they to should recognize their national origin as their nationality (example, Chinese or Japanese American), none more so than the term African American being substituted for one’s nationality and even race. Some years back a TV magazine show asked a group of well-educated middle-class Black Americans if they preferred being referred to as African Americans. To a person they said no. In the 1960s the federal government changed the racial identifications of Caucasian to White and Negro to Black. Incidentally, in Spanish and Portuguese, Negro means Black. But then in the 1980s the term African American crept into our language. The intent is to identify one has having coming from, or having ancestry from Sub Saharan Africa, which is mostly Black. But there are sizeable populations of Europeans, Asians and Whites who are citizens of Sub Saharan countries living there for generations. Recognizing those facts, African American does not solely identify Black Americans.

SOLUTION
Latin, Hispanic, Asian and Arab are all capitalized. So if White and Black are the new Caucasian and Negro, they to should be capitalized. The Census Bureau, our dictionaries and schools should soon rectify the incorrect teachings of the above information.

Semper Fi,

Dick

Redistricting is the Gerrymandering by which Congress manipulates the voting system enabling the legislators to further enhance their chances of making a career out of their elected position.

HISTORY
Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution requires a census be taken every 10 years to determine the number of members in the House of Representatives to represent the population according to the states where they live. The first census was taken in 1790, and it is believed representation has been based on census ever since. Except, that is, when Congress started Gerrymandering the system to their benefit in 1812. The term comes from then Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. The State legislators redrew the districts to favor Governor Gerry, ensuring his reelection.

NUMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES
The drawing of districts is accomplished by each state, and there are a variety of ways it is accomplished. Until 1967, some states had single-member districts, and some had multi-member districts to ensure citizens of each major party were adequately represented. But in 1967, Congress further protected their party representation by passing a law requiring congressional districts be single-member. Gerrymandering and redistricting has spread like wildfire ever since. When a population grows in any area, the legislators find out how the majority of citizens in the district voted and play monopoly with the districts, moving lines and trading areas so they can capture the most votes in their individual districts and remain in office. 

SOLUTION
Demand Congress stop Gerrymandering and redistricting. Right now each state is entitled to a fixed number of representatives according to population. It should not matter where they live, so there is no real need to split a state into districts. If a state, such as California, has 53 representatives, then the voters of California should be allowed to vote for all 53 house seats, because all 53 have the responsibility to represent all the people of the state, not just a few who live in a certain neighborhood. This system would allow voters to have control over who their representatives are, and would preclude the legislators from rigging the game in their favor. Such a system would also void the Electoral College (which was almost done in 1968). We are the only country in the world, save maybe two, with such a complex system that denies its people the right to choose their own president. Congress should remember, we are a  government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Semper Fi,
Dick 

WAR ON DRUGS
In 1971, President Nixon declared War on Drugs authorizing use of government initiatives to prohibit the introduction of drugs, e.g. marijuana and cocaine, into the United States, including assistance with foreign military intervention. In 2010 the program cost over 15 billion dollars. Hundreds of millions go to Colombia each year to combat drug traffickers such as FARC. In 2008 the Merida Initiative with Mexico poured 1.4 billion into Mexico over 3 years, to combat drug trafficking, where drug related killings and violence occur almost daily.

CONGRESS HAS FAILED US FOR 40 YEARS
Earlier this year the Global Commission on Drug Policy said the global war on drugs has failed. 50 years after the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was held, arrests and incarcerations of drug offenders are staggering. In 1986 the RAND Corporation said the “use of the armed forces . . . would have little or no effect on cocaine traffic”. In 2008, 1.5 million drug arrests were made, of which 500,000 were imprisoned. A poll of Americans showed 3 of 4 say the War on Drugs has failed. It has, in fact, produced more crime, caused dangers to invade residential communities, and overtaxed our courts and prison systems. Yet Congress sits on its hands and does nothing.

OTHER COUNTRIES
The Netherlands approach to the problem has caused “junkies” to disappear from the sidewalks, through heroin-assisted treatment. Addicts are able to go to work every day and lead productive lives, harm to users has been reduced through controlled usage, and drug related crimes have diminished significantly. The model has been so successful, that several European governments are looking to use The Netherlands model in their countries.

PROHIBITION YEARS
During alcohol prohibition from 1920 to 1933, the use of alcohol did not diminish. Bootlegged booze from Canada was big business. Alcohol is, of course, a drug, and Americans weren’t about to give it up. It didn’t take but 13 years for Congress to realize the mistake and passed the 21^st Amendment to the Constitution on December 5, 1933. Laws have since been put in place to “control” the abuse of alcohol, and provide treatment for those who become addicted and/or ill from such abuse.

SOLUTION
Today we are faced with a serious budget deficit which cannot be resolved in one fell swoop, but rather a number of initiatives which will take years to bear fruit. In 2008 a study showed legalizing drugs would inject 76.8 billion dollars a year into our economy. YES, EVERY YEAR. 44.1 billion would come from savings in law enforcement, and 32.7 billion in tax revenue. There is no down side to such a move. Mexican President Calderon even suggested legalizing narcotics would reduce crime. We know it would make life safer in the streets of the United States, Mexico and other Central and South American countries. We should “look to the past to better see the future”. Control of drug use can be handled the same as we do alcohol. Example: whether you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, or marijuana or cocaine makes no difference, it is illegal to drive under the influence.

Congress should get off their duff, legalize the use of marijuana and cocaine and institute a control program similar to that of The Netherlands. Now if the Republicans and Democrats in Congress can find a way to disagree on this budget reduction initiative, they are dumber than they appear to be now with their head in the sand partisan politics.

Semper Fi,
Dick 

PROBLEM
As a nation, we are falling behind other countries in the education of our children. In many countries children are denied education due to wars, famine and pandemics. But we are free of such elements within our borders. What is our excuse for not caring for our children who will one day lead us and compete in the international marketplace?

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
To name just two examples of where other nations place education of their children as a top priority, I mention China and Chile. In China, children start competing for an opportunity to go to secondary and higher educational institutions in the first grade. And if they get into college, it is free. Chile has a billion dollar program to pay for graduate studies in the United States, with the understanding the students will return to Chile to live and work, thereby benefiting themselves and their country.

A recent study showed what was most important to educating children was to provide stability in their lives, security, and affirmation and acceptance, all found in schools. Following those elements, children need time together with their family and friends, and involvement in their communities.

A 40-year study by the University of Washington shows improving the education of child bearing age women reduces the mortality rate of children. In developing countries, when the average years of schooling for women 15 – 44 increased from 2.2 to 7.2 years, the child mortality rate dropped from 16 million to 7.8 million. An estimated 51% of the reduction was due to increased education of the women. Globally, the education of women 25 and older has increased from 4.7 years to 8.3 years. A better educated mother translates to better educated children.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES?
At the national and state levels our efforts to educate our children are dictated by “how much is it going to cost?” When our governments feel a need to reduce costs (at all cost), they reduce the funds available for education and public safety (police and fire departments). Why do they not understand these are benefits of living in our great country that should never take second place to any budget line item?

Compared to the world, here is where we rank when it comes to educating our children:

How is it students can reach the 12^th grade who can’t read and don’t do well in other subjects? The answer is because our school systems no longer hold back a student who is failing because “they don’t have the funds for repeats”. Schools are pushing students through, and in some cases even altering test scores, so students will pass and the teachers won’t lose their jobs. Recently, several states said they will ignore the requirements of the No Child Left Behind law because “they’re unrealistic.” One might ask why they can’t have 100% proficiency in reading and math by 2014, nine years after the law was passed. In any other profession, you meet the goals set by your boss or they find someone else to do the job.

High schools need to prepare students for college through college prep courses and other major studies instead of telling the students “you can wait to take those courses at the community college because it is nearer to home and the cheapest.” Such advice limits the student in maturing and achieving their goals. This is also the time when students need counseling to identify which are the better colleges/universities they should strive to qualify for admittance, based on the profession or major they have chosen. As parents and teachers we need to help our children to receive the very best education possible and not hold them back. They are our future.

SOLUTION
Federal and state budgets need to spend more on education, and stop saying we can’t afford it. If we have to raise taxes to better educate our children, then that is a priority. Some poorer nations spend two to three times the percentage of their GDP as we do. When Congress and state governments provide the funds, then we can and need to increase primary level teachers’ salaries to attract more of the better teachers in the country. Some teachers are just babysitters willing to accept the low paying jobs. As in any profession, the more you pay the better professional you get for the job.

There are private entities that have seen the need and taken up the cause to start the process of better educating our children as soon as they are of school age. One such initiative is that of David Lawrence, Jr., the former publisher of THE MIAMI HERALD. 11 years ago he became President of the Early Childhood Initiative Foundation in South Florida, and dedicated the rest of his life to helping better educate our young children to prepare them for life in an ever-changing and more difficult world. Recently Dave founded and became the Chair of the Children’s Movement of Florida. Through his tireless efforts, the Movement has expanded into most counties in Florida, and is poised to become a national program. There is no greater cause than to educate our children for the good of our country and generations to come.

Semper Fi,
Dick

Every four years our political parties hold debates with the top candidates seeking their party’s nomination to run for President. It is an opportunity for each candidate to introduce themselves to their party members, describing who they are and what their qualifications are for the job. The job, in this case, is the party nominee, not the Presidency. That is a later debate which they may or may not participate in.

WHAT HAPPENED?
Unfortunately it was American politics as usual. Salad dressing, but no meat and potatoes. Employers (in this case members of the Republican Party) and sales people know you sell yourself by showcasing one’s attributes, experience, and what they bring to the table. But not what’s personally wrong with the other candidates. We got no debate on the issues. Instead we got trite sound bites like “anyone of us here can beat Obama”. Which we know means nothing more than “anyone of us here can lose to Obama”. When the moderator tried to get them to comment on each other, they often sidestepped the question and misdirected their answer like a magician. We Americans deserve better. We have heard this type of political rhetoric for too many years. Mentioning what they’re going to do when they are President is really jumping the gun. It’s like a boxer saying who he’s going to fight next when he’s the world’s champion, before the title fight. Expressing their opinion of President Obama is also off point. They’re there to debate each other.

SOLUTION
If our political parties are going to hold such debates where the American public can listen and watch, the candidates need to agree to the following to make the debates worth our time. 1. Answer all questions put to them by the moderator. After all, we want to hear what they think about the issues. 2. Identify specific issues to address of import to us, recognizing the hard time element constraints. 3. Not waste time talking about anyone or anything not on the agenda. Failing in such agreements wastes our time and we walk away from the debate knowing nothing more about the candidates than their names.

Semper Fi,
Dick

PROBLEM
Gas prices at the pump soar whenever there is unrest anywhere in the world, the Arabs simply raise the price of oil, or big oil companies think their huge profits are going to be diminished in some way.

WHO’S TO BLAME?
Blame can only fall on those who actually raise the price of gas – the oil companies. At recent Senate panel hearings big oil said they were not to blame because the price of their main raw material (oil) has increased. That is not a reason, it is an excuse. All manufacturers, producers, and businesses of all kind constantly deal with rising material prices. It simply means they have to find ways to reduce the cost of materials and/or methods of production or reduce their profit margin to remain competitive. In today’s economy, most businesses, save oil companies, are patriotic and business savvy enough to do their part in helping their customers by reducing their prices, cutting their profits, offering significant discounts and special sales. We are all in these difficult times together, and these businesses exemplify what it means to be a good American and help our country in time of need. Too bad big oil doesn’t see it that way.

OTHER CLAIMS BY BIG OIL
They say if their billions of dollars in subsidies are cut they will layoff employees, cut domestic production and raise their prices even more. We all understand supply and demand economics; so shame on big oil for threatening to manipulate the market for their own greed at the expense of their employees and their biggest customer, the American public. Do they truly believe we are so dumb and naïve as to accept such a ruse?

WHAT ABOUT CONGRESS?
Will Congress suspend or reduce the “favored nation” deal oil companies now receive? Not likely. Why? – Because big oil is in their pocketbook. Oil companies and their lobbyists give big bucks to Congressional campaign coffers in anticipation of receiving special consideration on laws and regulations affecting their industry. That’s how the oil companies started receiving the subsidies in the first place.

SOLUTION
If you have been reading my blogs, you will notice I never present a problem without a sensible, reasonable solution. In this case, Senator Jay Rockefeller (great-grandson of John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil) said the oil executives are “deeply, profoundly out of touch” with the American public. If Congress has any backbone at all, this is what they should do:

1.  Terminate the tax subsidies for Standard Oil, Exxon, Mobil, Shell, ConocoPhillips and BP America. Use that money to help balance the budget instead of cutting into education and health programs.

2.  Give big oil a “drop dead date” to stop buying oil from Arab nations, such as Iran, that use that money to provide financial support to terrorist entities such as al-Qaeda.

3.  Allow oil companies to drill and refine American oil from vast fields such as the Williston Basin in Montana, North and South Dakota and Saskatchewan, Canada. The field, discovered in 1953, is four times the size of the largest field in Saudi Arabia. Montana has long been ready to tap into the field, but Congress continues to save it and pay higher prices to Middle East countries. How dumb is that? NOTE: Read about my high school summer job in North Dakota, working as a roughneck in my novel Corps Vet.

4.  Oil companies are in the energy business. Encourage them to expand production in the alternative fuel business with a view toward phasing out oil, which is unfriendly to our environment.

Look for future blogs related to energy and other issues affecting our nation.

Semper Fi,
Dick

WHY?
The recent demonstrations and upheaval in Egypt are yet another example of people being frustrated and unhappy with their lot in life, believing they deserve more in the way of  freedom to do as they wish in a society that offers them good jobs, education, housing, and, an all around better life style. In Middle East countries where they are ruled by dictators, one can understand their plight.

In some cases, however, such as Bahrain, where their standard of living is quite high, is their discontent justified? Unfortunately it has become somewhat of a norm for people to always want more of everything in life than what they currently have. Far too many Americans have that same approach. They have not yet found out more is not better.

On the flip side, Sweden and Brazil come to mind; both countries are quite prosperous, and their children are well educated; their working class has good jobs, enough money to provide for their needs, their citizens are quite proud of their country and are content with their lives. Their governments take care of them, they don’t meddle in other people’s business, nor do they try to tell others how to live their lives. There’s something to be learned from that.

IN THE UNITED STATES
We Americans were one of the first people to rise up against and overthrow our government. But it didn’t stop with the Revolutionary War. Less than 75 years into our free democracy, the southern states decided they could do better on their own and tried to secede from the Union. The subsequent Civil War resulted in far more losses of lives than any war we’ve ever been engaged in. Some 625,000 soldiers were killed in just 4 short years, most of which were Union troops. After 10 years fighting for freedom in the Middle East, our fallen numbers are less than 6,000. It isn’t the number lost we should question, it is whether or not the cause was just.

In 1966 the Black Panther political party was formed in protest against the treatment of Black Americans. It was so powerful, that J. Edgar Hoover called it the greatest threat to the security of our nation, at that time. Somewhat like the Confederacy, the Black Panthers wanted five states to be given to them to create their own nation. How blind had we been to not see how poorly we were treating a large segment of our population.

TODAY
Today our Congress is poised to try and take away some of the programs we Americans count on to survive. At every level of government we hear our police forces, our fire fighters, our teachers ranks must be scaled back because we are short of money. We have millions of Americans who are homeless, out of work, living below the poverty level; and yet we put ourselves further and further in debt spending billions and billions of dollars fighting other people’s wars and helping the homeless and needy in Haiti. Don’t misunderstand me; I fully support such efforts to help others, providing we don’t do it on the backs of our own.

SOLUTION
We must not take away anything we have given our People. To reduce government spending we should continue to look for and end corruption, fraud, and excess spending, etc. If we do not then have enough money to provide for our own, we should look at our trade laws, import/export duties, and any other means to improve our trade imbalances with other nations. And here’s a big one, one that Congress has shied away from for too many years. Fix our income tax structure to make it fair and equal for all. We have known for years a flat tax system would be the most fair, and it would bring in far more revenue than our present system does. That’s how any good business balances the budget. Congress, don’t wait until the fomenting discontent blows up in our own backyard.

Semper Fi,
Dick

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, JOHN BOEHNER
Today, Speaker Boehner spewed more misguided initiatives he has planned for the United States. He said the House was working on a tax cut bill, and efforts to repeal our new Health care system because it’s what the American people want. Speaker Boehner, that’s not true. You were only speaking for a smaller portion of our population. When one speaks for the American people one is expected to be speaking for the majority, because we are a democracy. The majority of Americans want the new system.

FACTS ON HEALTH CARE
The American people have been asking Congress for a better health care system for decades. Speaker Boehner has been there for 19 of those years, yet he has not helped to craft a better system, nor does he give any indication of doing so now. He says we have the best healthcare system in the world. How wrong he is. We are the only wealthy industrialized country in the world without some form of universal health care. And ours is the most expensive in the world. Yes, members of Congress and other federal employees have excellent health care at a very favored cost. But here’s what most Americans receive.

• 24% of all Americans have no health care
• Most working Americans have an increasingly expensive system where the insurance companies tell them which doctor and which hospital they may use, not necessarily one(s) of their choice.
• Employer costs have increased so much, many employers no longer offer health insurance, or they require employees to pay a percentage of the exorbitant costs.
• Availability of service is based on the availability of the doctor (emergency is immediate, typical doctor’s appointment takes 3 weeks, surgery or seeing a specialist for Medicaid and low income citizens is 3 months).
• Many hospitals have closed their emergency care facilities because they have been losing hundreds of millions of dollars providing free care to those uninsured, including illegal immigrants.
• Our system has spawned Medicare fraud amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. South Florida, with its plethora of illegitimate clinics and claims is recognized as the Medicare fraud capital of the country.
• Our system often requires prescriptions to be filled by expensive American pharmacies, when the same medications are available in Canada for far less.
• Insurance companies have final decision on services, often denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.
• It is not uncommon for hospitals to release those seriously ill or injured, before their care is complete, because the patient’s insurance has run out.
• Need for air evacuation from foreign countries back to the U.S. is at the patient’s expense

UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IN OTHER COUNTRIES
Many countries, such as Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and Switzerland all have a publicly funded system which is mostly free at the point of service. Speaker Boehner falsely criticized such systems when President Obama’s plan was being discussed in Congress.

I, personally, asked about 40 Canadian friends who live across Canada, coast-to-coast, what they thought of their system. None spoke of any faults with their system.

•  All citizens are covered, period.
• Funding is 70% public and 30% private.
• Service is delivered by private “for profit and not for private” providers.
• Doctors make all the decisions for care.
• Availability of service is based on availability of doctor (emergency is immediate, diagnostic care is 2 weeks, seeing a specialist or having surgery is a little over 4 weeks)
• Need for air evacuation from a foreign country back to Canada is covered

SOLUTION
It is patently clear a comparison of the two systems shows a universal health care system to be far superior to our current system. When Speaker Boehner became Speaker of the House he said the President needs to work with us, meaning Congress. Wrong again Mr. Speaker. The President is our boss. In the case of health care, you need to work with the President to find ways to improve the new health care system rather than trying to trash it. Stop the stupid partisan politics.

Semper Fi,
Dick

Rule # 1 – Excessive Celebration
In 1984 the NFL enacted an extension of the unsportsmanlike conduct rule to include prolonged excessive premeditated celebration by an individual player or group of players. It was called the Mark Gastineau Rule, making his Sack Dance performed when he sacked an opposing quarterback illegal, calling for a 15 yard penalty. Such conduct was not acceptable behavior by athletes, and it lengthened the game, which is often one of the causes for games to go over their TV time slot, creating problems for the networks and unhappy viewers who miss the last minutes of a game.

What was allowed?
Players could spike or dunk the ball, spin, dance or do the Lambeau Leap. Then in 2004 the NFL acted like lawyers and further defined what was and was not excessive celebration. You had to stay on your feet, no push ups, sit ups, boat rowing, snow angels, or worm angels, and no foreign or extraneous objects may be used that are not part of the uniform. And why do they allow the gorilla like yell after a sack? All the player did was what he is paid millions to do, tackle the guy with the ball. There’s nothing heroic about that. You never saw Ray Nitschke act like that after a sack, or John Riggins or Jerry Rice perform such childish antics after scoring a touchdown.

Solution # 1
Baseball players don’t perform a “oh look at me” ritual when they hit a home run; nor do basketball players when they hit a 3-pointer, a golfer making a hole-in-one, or a hockey player after making a goal. They simply do a fist pump or high five as play continues. The NFL ought to apply the KISS principle. Limit any celebration to the norm in other sports – only fist pumps and high fives are allowed, period.

Rule # 2 Head Tackling
Article 8 Section 2 of Rule 12 is several paragraphs long (again, written by a lawyer) but says simply “If a player uses any part of his helmet to butt, spear or ram an opponent violently or unnecessarily . . . is impermissible.”

Applied Penalty
The violent, egregious, danger to the players involved is growing worse as the immediate penalty for such unnecessary roughness is a mere 15 yards. Play is delayed, injured players have to come out for at least one play, some are even unable to return, and yet the violator remains on the field to exact even more mayhem on the opposing team, almost with impunity. It is only the next day he might learn the League has started fined him several tens of thousands of dollars. Of course he and his agent will appeal the fine and we will probably never hear whether or not he actually paid the fine, or his agent or a sponsor paid it for him. Such fines are miniscule to the millions of dollars the players make anyway, so it means nothing more to them than a $10 parking ticket would to me. Every week the League rules on more and more such violations, and the violence continues to escalate.

Solution # 2
Instead of calling a penalty and allowing the violator to continue playing, eject him from the game. That will have as serious an impact on his team as the loss of the injured player to his team. Players and coaches will be far more concerned about the performance of their teammates when it effects the outcome of the game. Games and championships could be lost due to the violent unsportsmanlike conduct of one football player who thinks he is exempt from playing by the rules.

Semper Fi,

Dick