In my day job, I listen. That's mostly what a doctor does. I do prescribe medicine and treat illness but more often than not my ability to read between and under the lines is what helps me out from day to day. I also talk to my patients, and I am scared by what I am hearing. Kids don't care anymore. I know that adults have been saying that for 50 years but honestly these kids care more about their phones and their TV then this country. I just spent a few minutes IMing with a motivated young man who is not sure how to go about changing this nation or his friends. By glancing at his Facebook pace, I really got to see Social Media in action, and he thinks that he is not doing enough. We both agreed that the path our Nation is on is scary and we are not sure where we are headed. I encouraged him and anyone else, stand up, and speak out. Know how and why Congress and the President is spending your money. That's right its your money if you pay taxes - its not their money till you send it to them. Call Congress, ask questions... And heaven forbid maybe we all need to drink a little more "tea from parties". The same old same old pork earmarks won't do - not with my hard earned money. Nor should it do for yours... Learn about how America works and if you don't understand - ask a friend, facebook a question, or tweet your query to the world... there will be answers.
Lets take back this land I love - the home of the free and the brave.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
How do we engage the unconcerned?
I've had a really great week. Its been a busy week, a hectic week, but overall a good useful week in the life of this country doctor. I've had sick patients and well patients and patients that made a trip into the office just to ask my opinion about the new health care bill signed into law. But mostly this week, I've been proud to see one of my nurses become a Grandma to her first grandson and I watch my youngest daughter learn to make her e's without them looking like some sort of deformed monsters.
While I have been living life, I still have been busy annoying Congress... see that SGR that I keep talking to y'all about was up to be renewed again for like the fourth time this year. And it actually was the second time that doctors worked for 24 hours with a 21.2% pay cut but medicare CMS promises that they will go back and pay us all the right amount. Pardon me, if I am not to comforted in Government promises after having to right out my IRS check this week. I have to pay them on time but they can just decide to not pay me for two weeks while Congress is debating on whether or not doctors are a worthy group to pay. Pardon me, but if the federal government is going to hand out money like lolly pops at my office then why are they so DAMN tight with fixing the FLAWED formula for Medicare Physician repayment. I mean, they have payed for half of Wall Street and GMC, so why cannot we fix the physician payment formula since the President has screwed us all with his health care plan.
I know, that according to the AMA and the AAFP, I am supposed to take hold of the health care bill and be a proud provider in this new system, I am not. If I wanted to be a socialist I would move to Moscow. I disagree with the government mandating any purchase of a product and can see no way that this is going to do anything other than raise the cost of insurance for those of us with private insurance. I disagree with $500 million dollars being cut from medicare. I disagree with forcing the states to take millions more onto their medicaid roles when many states cannot pay the medical bills that they have. Yet, I have always agreed that health care needed reform. We pay our specialist too much and pay too much for procedures. There is not enough incentive to go into primary care and we are letting to much of that care go to under trained nurses who often end up acting like doctors. There is a time and a place for a nurse practitioners care but it is not in running their own clinic and being called Doctor cause they have a PhD in nursing that just confuses patients.
Did you know that we in the US have one of the most expensive health care systems in the world and we get as a society some of the worse care? Japan does worlds better with less cost, but then they don't have quit as many law suits. I think Congress failed to realize that there can be no meaningful health care reform without torte reform.
But, anyway... you have probably gone to sleep reading this by now, but the original question was how do we get the uninvolved involved? Why do most Americans care? As long as they have money to pay their bills and a job, most Americans don't seem to care. But as the jobs numbers showed today with 24,000 new unemployed I think maybe the time has come that more and more Americans will listen... So stand up and speak out. Whatever your opinion is at least lets get it out there... for the first time in years, we as a society are not totally dependant on the major networks to give us our news and information. The more we talk and the more information we share, the more we can hope to get the uninvolved interested.
While I have been living life, I still have been busy annoying Congress... see that SGR that I keep talking to y'all about was up to be renewed again for like the fourth time this year. And it actually was the second time that doctors worked for 24 hours with a 21.2% pay cut but medicare CMS promises that they will go back and pay us all the right amount. Pardon me, if I am not to comforted in Government promises after having to right out my IRS check this week. I have to pay them on time but they can just decide to not pay me for two weeks while Congress is debating on whether or not doctors are a worthy group to pay. Pardon me, but if the federal government is going to hand out money like lolly pops at my office then why are they so DAMN tight with fixing the FLAWED formula for Medicare Physician repayment. I mean, they have payed for half of Wall Street and GMC, so why cannot we fix the physician payment formula since the President has screwed us all with his health care plan.
I know, that according to the AMA and the AAFP, I am supposed to take hold of the health care bill and be a proud provider in this new system, I am not. If I wanted to be a socialist I would move to Moscow. I disagree with the government mandating any purchase of a product and can see no way that this is going to do anything other than raise the cost of insurance for those of us with private insurance. I disagree with $500 million dollars being cut from medicare. I disagree with forcing the states to take millions more onto their medicaid roles when many states cannot pay the medical bills that they have. Yet, I have always agreed that health care needed reform. We pay our specialist too much and pay too much for procedures. There is not enough incentive to go into primary care and we are letting to much of that care go to under trained nurses who often end up acting like doctors. There is a time and a place for a nurse practitioners care but it is not in running their own clinic and being called Doctor cause they have a PhD in nursing that just confuses patients.
Did you know that we in the US have one of the most expensive health care systems in the world and we get as a society some of the worse care? Japan does worlds better with less cost, but then they don't have quit as many law suits. I think Congress failed to realize that there can be no meaningful health care reform without torte reform.
But, anyway... you have probably gone to sleep reading this by now, but the original question was how do we get the uninvolved involved? Why do most Americans care? As long as they have money to pay their bills and a job, most Americans don't seem to care. But as the jobs numbers showed today with 24,000 new unemployed I think maybe the time has come that more and more Americans will listen... So stand up and speak out. Whatever your opinion is at least lets get it out there... for the first time in years, we as a society are not totally dependant on the major networks to give us our news and information. The more we talk and the more information we share, the more we can hope to get the uninvolved interested.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
America in Trouble...
Its been a while since I got to set down to a computer and have a chat with myself. That's my own private joke at how I have come to look at this blog, but between school spring break and my new involvement in the TMA physician's leadership college, I have had a busy few weekends. Oh, yeah plus Easter and being on call...
Anyway, my thoughts have been decidedly grim these last few days despite having had some of the best times in my life. I was at the TMA meeting this weekend and I am honored to have represented Overton Co. as a voting delegate to that body and to have been selected to the 4th class for the Physician's Leadership College. I have a great group of people to work with. However, I have already seen the difficulties faced by modern medicine, and getting different medical specialist to agree. Its not unlike the difficulties in getting a poultry producer and an dairy farmer to agree, and since I have experience with that sort of thing I might do alright in this TMA adventure. I met and Karaoked with some great doctors, and had a ball, in between wrestling with issues like the SGR and health care reform.
You see, I am still very unsure of this bill that Congress rammed down the throats of America. Now we have Government in health care (which they already cannot run - look at the SGR problem as of April 1rst all doctors that take Medicare took a 24% pay cut and if it is not fixed by this week it becomes LAW!!!) and government in car companies, and government in banks, and government in energy laws (by the way thank Obama when your grocery bills go up next year due to his CAP and Trade laws!!!) and I am sorry but I was raised that if you wanted something you earned it.
Call me old fashioned but I have worked for what I have since I was 14 years old. I bought my first car, and paid for it all myself. I worked three jobs and owned one of them to put myself through college. Where is this drive in young Americans? I know - its not there... they want the change that Obama promised them... well, changing America into a socialist Marxist nation is not what I had in mind... Thank you very much...
I am pleading with anyone that reads this; become involved. If you don't like my view point at least get involved enough in our nation to have an opinion of your own that does not come from biased bought and paid for Katie Couric. Vote... Call Congress, Elect new officials. Find people who will do the jobs that "WE THE PEOPLE" send them to congress to do...
And I have one more rant before heading off to bed, if we tried to impeach Clinton for having, no lying about oral sex, why can't we impeach Obamma for spending more money then our children can ever repay? Why can't he be held accountable for making it illegal for our military to use the words Islamic fundamental for fear they might "hurt the feelings" of the terrorist that attack and kill AMERICANS on our own soil? Why can't he be held accountable for signing away our nuclear superiority and tying our hands with meaningless treaty's that make us - the USA - look impotent to the other worlds nuclear powers? Why can't he manage to have more than a week's worth of conversation with Israel and not piss them off? and Why oh why did America elect a Marxist Socialist as President? Don't we already give enough of what we make to the less fortunate? Why do they get to sit and do nothing while I work 80+ hours a week...
I know we are just a small group of people in Tennessee, but Paul Revere was just a man with a small group of friends and see what he did. Lets stop ignoring the political environment in which we find ourselves and take bake Washington...
And did you know that our President has declared April as NATIONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH... he wants us all to learn to balance our check books, not to buy risky products, avoid credit card debt, and MOST IMPORTANTLY he wants us to AVOID DEBT. I want you to know that I nearly laugh myself silly and cried at the same time when I heard that... The man that has single handed put this country in deeper debt then ever before - so much so that we are at an ECONOMIC CRISIS - wants us the America people to not have debt. Maybe he should practice putting his money where his mouth is...
And FYI ... the percent of appointed government officials that have experience in the field that they are a Presidential appointment too is at an all time low. With Reagan it was at 52-54% of his appointed officials had previous work experience, and it was in the 40's% with Clinton, and now with Obama the percent of his appointed people that have previous experience in their appointed job is at 8%... Gotta love this...
Anyway, my thoughts have been decidedly grim these last few days despite having had some of the best times in my life. I was at the TMA meeting this weekend and I am honored to have represented Overton Co. as a voting delegate to that body and to have been selected to the 4th class for the Physician's Leadership College. I have a great group of people to work with. However, I have already seen the difficulties faced by modern medicine, and getting different medical specialist to agree. Its not unlike the difficulties in getting a poultry producer and an dairy farmer to agree, and since I have experience with that sort of thing I might do alright in this TMA adventure. I met and Karaoked with some great doctors, and had a ball, in between wrestling with issues like the SGR and health care reform.
You see, I am still very unsure of this bill that Congress rammed down the throats of America. Now we have Government in health care (which they already cannot run - look at the SGR problem as of April 1rst all doctors that take Medicare took a 24% pay cut and if it is not fixed by this week it becomes LAW!!!) and government in car companies, and government in banks, and government in energy laws (by the way thank Obama when your grocery bills go up next year due to his CAP and Trade laws!!!) and I am sorry but I was raised that if you wanted something you earned it.
Call me old fashioned but I have worked for what I have since I was 14 years old. I bought my first car, and paid for it all myself. I worked three jobs and owned one of them to put myself through college. Where is this drive in young Americans? I know - its not there... they want the change that Obama promised them... well, changing America into a socialist Marxist nation is not what I had in mind... Thank you very much...
I am pleading with anyone that reads this; become involved. If you don't like my view point at least get involved enough in our nation to have an opinion of your own that does not come from biased bought and paid for Katie Couric. Vote... Call Congress, Elect new officials. Find people who will do the jobs that "WE THE PEOPLE" send them to congress to do...
And I have one more rant before heading off to bed, if we tried to impeach Clinton for having, no lying about oral sex, why can't we impeach Obamma for spending more money then our children can ever repay? Why can't he be held accountable for making it illegal for our military to use the words Islamic fundamental for fear they might "hurt the feelings" of the terrorist that attack and kill AMERICANS on our own soil? Why can't he be held accountable for signing away our nuclear superiority and tying our hands with meaningless treaty's that make us - the USA - look impotent to the other worlds nuclear powers? Why can't he manage to have more than a week's worth of conversation with Israel and not piss them off? and Why oh why did America elect a Marxist Socialist as President? Don't we already give enough of what we make to the less fortunate? Why do they get to sit and do nothing while I work 80+ hours a week...
I know we are just a small group of people in Tennessee, but Paul Revere was just a man with a small group of friends and see what he did. Lets stop ignoring the political environment in which we find ourselves and take bake Washington...
And did you know that our President has declared April as NATIONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH... he wants us all to learn to balance our check books, not to buy risky products, avoid credit card debt, and MOST IMPORTANTLY he wants us to AVOID DEBT. I want you to know that I nearly laugh myself silly and cried at the same time when I heard that... The man that has single handed put this country in deeper debt then ever before - so much so that we are at an ECONOMIC CRISIS - wants us the America people to not have debt. Maybe he should practice putting his money where his mouth is...
And FYI ... the percent of appointed government officials that have experience in the field that they are a Presidential appointment too is at an all time low. With Reagan it was at 52-54% of his appointed officials had previous work experience, and it was in the 40's% with Clinton, and now with Obama the percent of his appointed people that have previous experience in their appointed job is at 8%... Gotta love this...
Friday, April 9, 2010
Upset with our President, are 't you? First, he campaigns on the platform to change America and tell Joe Plumper that he doesn't want to punish his success but he wants the same success for all Americans whether they have earned it or not.
Now he wants to saddle us with TEN Trillion dollars in debt to pay for six years of health care reform that the American public was up in arms about. And now he has signed a nuclear arms treaty that days even if we are attacked as long as the county has followed this new treaty we won't fight back. Israel os barley speaking to us and Korea is making all kinds of noise. Why can't we impeach him?
Just a thought...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Monday, March 29, 2010
Agvocating to the modern consumer...
I read an article in my Smithsonian magazine this month and realized that there may be people advocating for agriculture in this world that are not aware they are. There is an article about The Cowboys of the R.A. Brown Ranch in Texas that really gets to the heart of modern cattle farming in America. It explains very technical issues like Expected progeny Differences (EPDs to those in the know) and freeze branding with a very non-biased and informative approach. It gave me heart to realize that there are journalist in the world who are not out to sink modern Agriculture.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/multimedia/videos/The-Cowboys-of-RA-Brown-Ranch.html
Most farms are still a family farm, especially beef farms like we own. And lord knows that I now know that EPDs are like air to my husband. We live and breath birth weights, weaning weights and all those other numbers that look like a stock report to me.
I hope the above link can help us all realize that there are other people telling our story in a positive not negative light. So, if you get the chance you might want to read this months Smithsonian magazine story about a red Angus bull named Revelation and his ranch in modern Texas. Cowboys with Blackberrys - Its a brave new world...
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/multimedia/videos/The-Cowboys-of-RA-Brown-Ranch.html
Most farms are still a family farm, especially beef farms like we own. And lord knows that I now know that EPDs are like air to my husband. We live and breath birth weights, weaning weights and all those other numbers that look like a stock report to me.
I hope the above link can help us all realize that there are other people telling our story in a positive not negative light. So, if you get the chance you might want to read this months Smithsonian magazine story about a red Angus bull named Revelation and his ranch in modern Texas. Cowboys with Blackberrys - Its a brave new world...
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Speaking up and Speaking out...
If you haven't figured out by now there are two issues that I am passionate about... agriculture and medicine. I want to make sure that my Husband and I have a farm to leave our three children, and I want to be able to practice medicine in my rural hometown in the way I was trained to provide it. Sometimes keeping these two goals together is hard like when I was bottle feeding a calf on Christmas Day and had to stop to talk to the Nursing Home, but that is the life I have chosen. And it is the life I love. many of the blogged that I have posted in the last few days have been somewhat negative, and overall I'll admit my outlook on our nation has been grim, but as I was reading and studying the word of our Lord last night after the kids were in bed I found hope and comfort that I wanted to share...
In Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who streghtenthens me."
Yes, that made me feel better at the time, but then I thought that maybe even our Country, founded on the words, "In GOD we Trust" can still do all things through him as well. We are not supposed to understand the overall plan for us, just believe, work, and have faith.
So along those lines, I wanted to share some positive things some fellow AGVOCATES are doing to get the word out about the positive impacts American Farmers have on our Country.
My personal favorite agvocacy example is about being an example. Ray Bowman served at the soup kitchen in Kentucky. He said “Didn’t hear much discussion about food ethics. Guess they were just happy and grateful to have something to eat. Thank a farmer.”
A farmer in Nebraska, Ryan Weeks, spent a morning on a food panel for the local MOPS (Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers). “We had a great conversation about where their food comes from. The feed back afterwards was great, and many myths were dispelled.”
I’ll also tip my hat to Zweber Family Farm in Minnesota for knowing that connecting people to agriculture is so important. “Agvocacy is included in our budget and in our daily schedules. Check our blog to see how we agvocate four to six days a week.”
Michigan farmers rallied to defend Ag Day after Gov. Granholm declared Saturday Meatout Day in Michigan. On top of numerous ag week activities many farmers hosted “meaty” cookouts in response to the Governor’s decision to turn her back on one of Michigan’s only economic bright spots.
Andy Kleinschmidt, an agronomist in Ohio, spent time with 3rd graders with an Ag in the Classroom program, toured with Ohio Governor Strickland to Cooper Farms in Van Wert and had a meeting with the top supplier of honey to Wal-Mart.
Florida Extension was encouraging teachers to teach their students about agriculture this week through reading, experiments, field trips, anything to get them to bridge the knowledge gap of farm to fork according to mom and artist, Katherine Swift, also a DVM.
What better way to learn than through appreciation? Teacher Robin McLean said her seventh & eight graders in Introduction to Agriscience class are working on “Thank a Farmer” cards. They have picked a state and or commodity they want, found an address to send to and are designing their cards to send, she reports.
It’s heartwarming to see young people get in on the action, too. Miranda Bye reports she was part of a young group of college people representing 4-H, FFA, and AFA by doing Capitol Hill visits spreading the great story of agriculture in Washington DC.
Dairy farmer Chris Sukalski said “We host a neighborhood picnic each summer on our dairy farm inviting not just neighbors but also people from the community. We introduce and recognize our employees & family members, serve a meal with malts and the finale’ is a farm tour. The best part is when someone brings along their visiting relatives from out-of-state – we’ve had guests from Florida to California at our “neighborhood” picnic.”
LuAnn Troxel in Indiana said “Our county farm bureau is making plans to host 200 Michigan City children. Most have never been near a farm. We will teach them how their food is produced, we will feed them and then we will let them see live animals. This is always a wonderful hands-on learning experience for the students, the teachers and even the parents who come along!”
Another farmer, Bill Rowekamp, in Wisconsin, reports opening his doors to an elected official. “We had our State Senator, Sharon Ropes, out to the farm two weeks ago. She is on the Ag committee. Next time she comes out I hope she brings one of her urban legislative friends with her.
Shawn Turner, a florist in Kansas, said “Franklin County Farm Bureau Association hosted a coffee with the Ottawa Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce this morning to celebrate Ag Week! Great attendance, crowd surprised at what it takes to bring food to the plate, soft gasps as we discussed problems with HSUS.” Sometimes just the conversation is education enough.
Wisconite Barb Durtche reports, Roundy’s supports agriculture. ”I referred our local grocery chain to the yellowfail site. They’re great – they actually took the time to review it. AND… below is the email I received from them, ‘Barb,We contact the vendor and they will make sure the promotional material is changed out. ‘”
Kansan Sarah Goss found a national conservative women’s blog site, American Maggie, willing to take a chance on a piece from a rural, agricultural perspective. Goss said she was “Pleased and humbled to have made a small contribution to the ag advocacy movement.”
A college student and farm girl, Kelly Rivard, discusses several farms/people who agvocate for ag on her Midwestern Gold blog (including yours truly). (These are Quotes from Michele Payne-Knopers Blog - Gate to Plate) http://causematters.wordpress.com/
And the Above items represent just a small fraction of the good positive things that are being done every day by American AGVOCATES...
So keep your chin up America. Get out there. Be passionate about your ideas. No, they may not be they same as mine, but that's what makes this a great nation. For now, we can at least still debate the merits in different opinions.
Thanks for listening...
In Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who streghtenthens me."
Yes, that made me feel better at the time, but then I thought that maybe even our Country, founded on the words, "In GOD we Trust" can still do all things through him as well. We are not supposed to understand the overall plan for us, just believe, work, and have faith.
So along those lines, I wanted to share some positive things some fellow AGVOCATES are doing to get the word out about the positive impacts American Farmers have on our Country.
My personal favorite agvocacy example is about being an example. Ray Bowman served at the soup kitchen in Kentucky. He said “Didn’t hear much discussion about food ethics. Guess they were just happy and grateful to have something to eat. Thank a farmer.”
A farmer in Nebraska, Ryan Weeks, spent a morning on a food panel for the local MOPS (Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers). “We had a great conversation about where their food comes from. The feed back afterwards was great, and many myths were dispelled.”
I’ll also tip my hat to Zweber Family Farm in Minnesota for knowing that connecting people to agriculture is so important. “Agvocacy is included in our budget and in our daily schedules. Check our blog to see how we agvocate four to six days a week.”
Michigan farmers rallied to defend Ag Day after Gov. Granholm declared Saturday Meatout Day in Michigan. On top of numerous ag week activities many farmers hosted “meaty” cookouts in response to the Governor’s decision to turn her back on one of Michigan’s only economic bright spots.
Andy Kleinschmidt, an agronomist in Ohio, spent time with 3rd graders with an Ag in the Classroom program, toured with Ohio Governor Strickland to Cooper Farms in Van Wert and had a meeting with the top supplier of honey to Wal-Mart.
Florida Extension was encouraging teachers to teach their students about agriculture this week through reading, experiments, field trips, anything to get them to bridge the knowledge gap of farm to fork according to mom and artist, Katherine Swift, also a DVM.
What better way to learn than through appreciation? Teacher Robin McLean said her seventh & eight graders in Introduction to Agriscience class are working on “Thank a Farmer” cards. They have picked a state and or commodity they want, found an address to send to and are designing their cards to send, she reports.
It’s heartwarming to see young people get in on the action, too. Miranda Bye reports she was part of a young group of college people representing 4-H, FFA, and AFA by doing Capitol Hill visits spreading the great story of agriculture in Washington DC.
Dairy farmer Chris Sukalski said “We host a neighborhood picnic each summer on our dairy farm inviting not just neighbors but also people from the community. We introduce and recognize our employees & family members, serve a meal with malts and the finale’ is a farm tour. The best part is when someone brings along their visiting relatives from out-of-state – we’ve had guests from Florida to California at our “neighborhood” picnic.”
LuAnn Troxel in Indiana said “Our county farm bureau is making plans to host 200 Michigan City children. Most have never been near a farm. We will teach them how their food is produced, we will feed them and then we will let them see live animals. This is always a wonderful hands-on learning experience for the students, the teachers and even the parents who come along!”
Another farmer, Bill Rowekamp, in Wisconsin, reports opening his doors to an elected official. “We had our State Senator, Sharon Ropes, out to the farm two weeks ago. She is on the Ag committee. Next time she comes out I hope she brings one of her urban legislative friends with her.
Shawn Turner, a florist in Kansas, said “Franklin County Farm Bureau Association hosted a coffee with the Ottawa Kansas Area Chamber of Commerce this morning to celebrate Ag Week! Great attendance, crowd surprised at what it takes to bring food to the plate, soft gasps as we discussed problems with HSUS.” Sometimes just the conversation is education enough.
Wisconite Barb Durtche reports, Roundy’s supports agriculture. ”I referred our local grocery chain to the yellowfail site. They’re great – they actually took the time to review it. AND… below is the email I received from them, ‘Barb,We contact the vendor and they will make sure the promotional material is changed out. ‘”
Kansan Sarah Goss found a national conservative women’s blog site, American Maggie, willing to take a chance on a piece from a rural, agricultural perspective. Goss said she was “Pleased and humbled to have made a small contribution to the ag advocacy movement.”
A college student and farm girl, Kelly Rivard, discusses several farms/people who agvocate for ag on her Midwestern Gold blog (including yours truly). (These are Quotes from Michele Payne-Knopers Blog - Gate to Plate) http://causematters.wordpress.com/
And the Above items represent just a small fraction of the good positive things that are being done every day by American AGVOCATES...
So keep your chin up America. Get out there. Be passionate about your ideas. No, they may not be they same as mine, but that's what makes this a great nation. For now, we can at least still debate the merits in different opinions.
Thanks for listening...
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