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In This Issue:Health Care Reform: Opposing views of two Kentucky Congressmen |
Health Care Reform
Opposing views of two Kentucky Congressmen
The following points/counterpoints on health care reform from two Kentucky Congressmen (including Owensboro-Daviess County’s representative) were extracted from recently published articles or statements released by them.
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| We need health care reform. We need to make health care more affordable and more accessible. However, I oppose the bill the majority pushed through Congress. | Since Teddy Roosevelt first called for health reform, leaders from both sides of the aisle have worked to fix a broken health care system. |
| It is just a massive spending bill costing $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. | It will lower the national debt by $1.3 trillion over the next two decades. |
| The legislation does not address the No. 1 issue associated with health care reform – lowering costs for all Americans. | Without health reform, by 2016 annual health care premiums for the average family of four will be $24,000. |
| Seniors will be getting a half-trillion dollar cut in Medicare, including a $202.3 billion cut to the Medicare Advantage program. For those who live on a fixed income, the possibility of having to pay more or see their benefits reduced is very worrisome. | Much of the savings from insurance reform will be invested into Medicare with a six percent increase. The Trust Fund will be extended from 2007 to 2026. The bill also offers free preventive and wellness care for seniors, increases coordination of care, and older citizens will retain their right to see the doctor of their choice. Prescription drug costs will also be lower for the elderly as we permanently close the “doughnut hole” in Medicare Part D that left millions of seniors with no drug coverage. There will be a $250 rebate this year and 50 percent discounts on name brand drugs beginning in 2011. |
| Beginning in 2014, Americans will be required to buy health insurance or pay a penalty. Families will see higher taxes and insurance premiums, including the 46 percent of families who make less than $66,150 who will be forced to pay the individual mandate penalty. | 32 million Americans (10,560 in Owensboro-Daviess County) will receive new, private health coverage. When reform is fully implemented, the ranks of Americans with health insurance will increase to more than 95 percent. 176,000 Louisville families (23,200 Owensboro-Daviess County families) will also receive tax credits and stipends to help pay for the health care plan of their choosing. |
| The new law includes a tax on health insurance providers that will cause costs to go up and subjects more income to the Medicare tax, taking even more money out of the pockets of middle class families. An estimated 16,500 new IRS auditors, agents and other employees may be needed to collect the hundreds of billions of dollars in new taxes and penalties levied on the American people. |
The new law bans insurance companies from denying benefits, hitting policyholders with huge premium increases and cancelling a policy because of “pre-existing” conditions. |
| There are $52 billion in new taxes and fines on employers who cannot afford to pay their employees’ health care or provide government approved plans, imposed at a time when unemployment is 9.7 percent. Small businesses, who are already struggling in this economy, will now have a hard time hiring new employees, continuing to provide for the ones they currently have and an even more difficult time maintaining part-time staff, leaving those most in need of jobs with fewer options. |
The majority of small businesses saw their premiums more than double this decade. More than 28 million uninsured Americans now own or work for small businesses (approximately 9,240 in Owensboro-Daviess County). The new law will remove this enormous burden from business by making insurance affordable for their employees and immediately providing tax credits to employers who choose to provide coverage. |
| The liberal majority in Congress was not willing to work in a bi-partisan way or listen to the will of the American people. The only bi-partisan thing about this bill was the vote against it. | The new law includes many Republican ideas: the removal of the public option, allowing insurance companies to compete across state lines, tort reform and abortion restrictions. |
| The reconciliation bill only made matters worse; it increased cuts to Medicare, raised taxes even more, cut critical payments to community hospitals and included a government takeover of student loans. | The reconciliation process removed special deals for individual states and reflected a hard fought compromise that addresses the most pressing needs of the American people. |
| I supported an alternative to this bill that focused first on reducing the cost of health care for every American. Our solution showed that it is achievable to address many of the health care issues Americans are concerned about without such terrible consequences. Our solution, which included coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, allowed parents to keep their children on their health plans through age 25, tackled meaningful medical malpractice reform and allowed Americans to purchase insurance across state lines, did so without raising taxes, destroying jobs, cutting Medicare, or burdening our children and grandchildren with trillions in new debt. |
Health reform is based on American free market principles, will guarantee adequate and affordable health care to every citizen, rein in costs, expand consumer choice and lift the burden from small businesses. |
Sources:
Guthrie, Brett “Health care reform package overspends, doesn’t deliver,” Messenger-Inquirer, April 18, 2010 and “Health care law does more harm than good,” Bowling Green Daily News, April 3, 2010.
Yarmuth, John “Congressman Yarmuth’s Statement on Health Care Reform,” April 19, 2010 (http://yarmuth.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=111&itemid=603)
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Results of online survey: Your ideal downtown
To a great extent, the successful transformation of downtown Owensboro will have everything to do with our ability to attract a concentration of appealing businesses, services and attractions into existing buildings or new construction projects in the downtown area.
A total of 306 of our 1,178 readers (26 percent) responded to the survey. Who or what would they like to see occupy space or build new in our downtown?
Respondents indicated their preferences from 95 different ideas in six categories listed on the survey. They were also allowed to add their own ideas – and they did emphatically, suggesting 120 additional ideas.
Major public facilities (e.g., convention center, amphitheater, tennis complex, minor league baseball/multi-purpose stadium, water park, carousel, parks, etc.) were not the focus of the survey.
What were the most popular ideas overall? 1. Bookstore |
What were the most popular ideas not listed – ideas that respondents added to the list on their own? 1. Indian restaurant |
What were the most popular ideas by category? |
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Food & Drink RETAIL |
11. Music ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES |
Specific local/area businesses/attractions you would like to see expand or relocate to downtown 1. Great Harvest |
Specific out of town businesses/attractions you would like to see expand to downtown Owensboro 1. Old Spaghetti Factory |
What the survey may tell us
The survey indicates a strong interest in downtown: a 26 percent response on any survey is unusual and suggests high hopes for the future of downtown Owensboro.
Responses suggest activities that would enhance downtown vitality day and night, a gathering place and community focal point with a special interest in restaurants that could complement the expanded Smother’s Park, RiverPark Center, museums, future convention center and more.
Respondents placed a high value on both local and chain businesses. Specialty retail seems to have an important place in this vision, without suggesting that downtown can compete with malls, major strip centers and big box stores.
There was also a sense that downtown, as a neighborhood, needs a convenient cluster of services, from hair salons to fitness centers, grocery store to pharmacies and dry cleaners.
If a market can be substantiated for even a portion of the food and drink, entertainment, retail and services endorsed for downtown through the survey, a fundamental challenge will be to find appealing space to attract and accommodate these uses. Moreover, the mixing and clustering of these uses, the proximity to other appealing and complementary tenants, and the predictability connected with nearby properties will be essential elements to a downtown business development and tenant mix plan.
This may underscore the importance of infill development, relocation of street front parking, and the transition of first floor space to retail, restaurant and services to attract and serve the general public. An effective downtown association will also be important in order to coordinate hours, promotions and more.
Total Online Survey Vote Tally |
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| Bookstore Wine and cheese Bakery Old Spaghetti Factory IMAX theater Joe’s Crab Shack Ice cream/soda fountain Seafood Coffeeshop Local/Kentucky crafts Newsstand Comedy club Great Harvest Art gallery Cinemas Deli Italian Jazz club Panera Bread Starbucks Coffee Bars Gift shop Steakhouse Antiques Pangea Rafferty’s City Subs and Salads Women’s apparel Pharmacy Barber Shop Bar-b-q Greeting cards and gifts Reid’s Street vendors Bagels Maker’s Mark bar Music Grocery Hair salon Flowers Old Hickory Baker’s Rack Bluegrass club Food court Pizza Fitness club Men’s apparel Liquor Ruth Chris Steak House Diner Children’s apparel Thai Dry cleaners Outlet mall Photography Einstein Bagel Carmichael Books Trunnel’s Candy Food vendors Burger Mexican Shoes Jewelry Shoe repair Moonlite Donuts Japanese Cakes and pies Excursions The Earle Chinese Computers McDonald’s Pancakes Toys Cigar store Framing Bowling Bristol Jos. A. Bank Matt’s General Store Ear X Tacy Cafeteria Furniture Video/DVD Electronics UK gifts Men’s Wearhouse Allshop’s Hardware Pets Sporting goods Eight Ball Hardware Cosmetics Office supply Indian Old Chicago Pizza Micro brewery & pub P J Chang Barnes & Noble Baseball stadium Cheesecake Factory Longhorn Steakhouse Old Navy Outback Skate park Turoni’s |
199 175 161 161 158 155 149 148 145 145 145 139 139 134 133 133 132 131 129 126 124 121 119 115 115 111 110 104 99 98 98 98 98 98 97 97 97 96 96 95 93 91 91 90 87 84 84 83 81 80 73 73 71 71 71 70 69 69 67 65 57 57 57 54 52 51 50 50 49 49 48 47 45 45 44 43 42 42 40 40 40 40 38 37 35 35 33 33 32 31 29 28 27 26 24 24 10 7 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 |
Bonefish Chili’s Chipotle Dave & Busters Demos Dollar theatre Dunkin’ Donuts Greek Independent film arthouse Joseph Beth Booksellers Texas Road House U of L gifts 2nd Texas Roadhouse 50s & 60s music- not in a bar Acropolis Amphitheater (concerts) Aquarium Arcade/Kid Zone AT&T Beyond the Brim Biaggi’s Big River Grill Bike Sales and Rentals Blue Grass Store Book and Music Exchange Borders Buca di Beppo Candles, soaps Carrabbas Italian Grill Cell phone store Cheeseburger in Paradise Chick-fil-a Chico’s Cold Stone Creamery Collectibles (i.e. old maps, postcards, prints) Copy shop Country music/variety show venue Country store Dave & Buster’s activity Day spa Daymar College Group corporate offices DDI Dillards Drive-In theater DSW Shoes Fazoli’s Film festival Fresh air garden dining Gambling Spot Gameworks Gap H&M Clothing Home cooked meals Huge upgrade to children’s museum I like existing restaurants Imports with clothing Indie Books Irish Rover Jillian’s Krispy Kreme Large farmers market with local produce Lic’s Live music in restaurants (rock, 70s, easy listening Live music venues Logan’s Roadhouse Macaroni Grill Mediterranean Nashville Music Scene Neighborhood grocery New Age Store Niko’s No smoking venues Noah’s bagels Organic food store Organic Foods Market Outdoors store (fishing, hiking) Pancake Pantry Plenty of free parking lots or garages Pool Hall Post Office Pretty club room for meetings of 40 people Public Works Theatre Rainforest Café Red Robin Red Star Tavern Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Ruby Tuesday Sambuca’s Sandwich shop Shahi Dawat Royal Indian Cuisine Shaker’s Pizza Skatepark Small book store Small business Smoke-free bar Specialty boutiques Specialty retail: yarn and crochet Sprouts Food Store Subway Tea room Techno-80s Club The Crème Tim Horton’s Trader Joe’s Upscale boutiques Vera Bradley Whole foods Wyndall’s Wonder Whip |
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 |
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“We the People” 2010
What topics would you like to see discussed?
Due to the positive response and encouragement from participants in the 2007 “We the People” AmericaSpeaks 21st Century Town Meeting®, plans are underway for a follow-up mega event in October of this year.
Broad community support and participation is vital to a successful meeting. Project Manager Shelly Nichols has been recruiting volunteers to help with the overall planning, content and program development, outreach, technology, marketing, logistics and more.
Our 2007 event focused on five topics: education; community and economic development; environment; health and social services; and government.
Several focus group exercises have been held to identify the topic(s) that will be examined during this year’s event. Additional focus group meetings are scheduled, to be followed by meetings with community leaders, surveys, email blasts, Facebook promotions and other steps to ensure that broad public participation characterizes the topic selection process.
There are many ways you can be involved: Contact Shelly Nichols at 685-2652 or shelly.nichols@plfo.org.
In the meantime, save the date:
October 23, 2010
Owensboro Sportscenter l 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
“We the People” 2010 l AmericaSpeaks 21st Century Town Meeting®