The first trial baloons about the upcoming State Of the Union speech have begun to leak.
One of the ideas Bush is preparing to propose is a new tax plan for health insurance.
From the sounds of the article, this plan would place a cap on the amount of money one pays in premiums that remains tax deductible. As it stands right now, health insurance is a pre-tax deduction from many workers paychecks.
The newfound tax revenue would be contributed to other programs to help the uninsured–at least that’s what it sounds like. The details, are somewhat sketchy at this time how this money would help the unisured. More money to Medicaid?
[This is one of the flaws with the plan to date].
My pesudo policy-wonkesque analysis: I don’t see this idea getting anywhere. Besides the fact that Rep. Rangel is against it, and his clout in the House, this idea won’t work well with many on the Right either.
First it’s a tax increase–something the right won’t like at all. Why should some employees be penalized if their employers offer plans with higher premiums?
Second, as referenced above, the lack of concrete details in how this will help the uninsured is troublesome. I’d like to see some workable proposals on the table at a minimum.
Third–this will probably also get panned by many businesses. Since most employers pay taxes on their workers wages (aka payroll taxes), aren’t these paid based on the amount of taxes the employee pays? (eg. their taxable pay/salary versus their gross pay). This would mean increased business taxes–another no go.
Is it to early to chalk up this idea as being “dead on arrival?”
So now that Gov. Bill Richardson is throwing his hat into the circus (aka the Primaries) let’s review the demographics that are in play:
White, Black, Hispanic, Male, Female, Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, Veteran, Governors, Mayors, Senators
What’s missing, besides an Asian candidate and a Jewish one?
From Yahoo’s news wire:
Marni: [Men's] Leggings Are the New Must-Have
Not….to American men at least. The Europeans are another story.
Can you imagine a man wearing leggings on the streets?
Neither can I.
Things aren’t looking to pretty around the nieghborhood this past week….
First there was Karol’s experience the other night at the Duane Reade on 86th and 1st . (Thankfully she’s okay!)
Then the other night over at 81st and York a group of rapists seems to have struck.
The neighborhood almost always seems safe to walk around, at all hours too. Perhaps this is a call for more vigilance?
(On top of the standard vigilance?)
Did you know?
The most shoplifted item in America is meat?
Who would’ve thought?
My guess would’ve been razor blades (shavers) and/or batteries, since the former seem to be sold behind the counter at most drug stores.
The book Jenna Bush is apparently shopping around town
and
Senator Schumers new book
Speaking of which, are there any good books worth reading (fiction or non) out there right now?
(Leave suggestions in the comments)
It sounds like Hillary has (formally) tossed her hat into the ’08 Presidential sweepstakes.
Granted, seeing that it’s still the start of ’07, it seems like the better question on the Democrat side (at least) is who isn’t running?
Heck, I’m not really even paying attention to most of this right now anyway.
The Parents and The Brother are coming to the Big Apple next week for a family (cousin’s) wedding.
*Gulp*
Any suggestions on where to take the Brother in the city to keep him entertained?
(He’s a railfan so Grand Central is definitely on the schedule)
This also means that I’ve got to clean the apartment big time. Scrub the floors and everything. Oh boy….this isn’t gonna be fun.
And then it’s the weekend (yay!) but there’s so much I want to do, but not enough time.
Now meteoroligists are fighting over Global warming
Wouldn’t these meteorologists be better off working on accurately forecasting the upcoming weather for their local area? Seems like they’re usually wrong on that regard
(Or is that just a side effect of having grown up in Cleveland?)
When Rosie O’Donnel speaks her mind, there’s a good change Donald Trump is going to weigh in soon with his own two cents.
Rosie Takes on ‘American Idol’ Judges
/Doesn’t watch the show
Just because a company runs the servers on which things take place, doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re to be liable for anything and everything that takes place.
AP: MySpace hit with online predator suits
How is this MySpace’s fault?
Lately, I’ve been “bringing home” a lot of work recently (one reason that posting has been light as of late–more in a later post).
By “bringing home work”, no, I’m not bringing home any real files, records. data or anything of that sort to work on. Rather, it’s been more brainstorming and problem solving.
Attempts to formulate ideas, design computer programs, those kinds of tasks.
Why is it then, that my best ideas hit me, at the most awkward times? Be it in the shower, on a jammed train (6 during rush hour) or other inoppertune moments?
Does this phenomenon happen to anyone else?
Fox News: Brandeis University to Allow Rebuttal After Carter Speech
Dershowitz will still probably wipe the floor with Carters “arguments”.
Granted, many a Brandeis student could do the same thing as Dershowitz (alas, the students aren’t as well known or published)
Come down with a case of writers block this evening. (perhaps the consequence of sitting through software training today?)
Thank goodness Office Space is on tv now.
Apples new iPhone to be inacesable in parts of New England and other states.
Granted, many of the places that don’t have coverage, are more sparsely populated; but will this hamper adoption of the iPhone?
Should one find themselves being a robber, it’s a good idea not to target the home of a police union head
Even more troubling–the perp in this case had previously been busted 50 times.
Why isn’t he spending a long period of time at Rikers or upstate?
“If something won’t matter a year from now, then it’s not worth worrying about”
“Until we meet again, goodbye my friend”
7/12/82-1/16/01