Army is No Longer in My Future

Hello everyone. Its been a rough week. I finally made it home from the United Kingdom early yesterday morning. I was very sad to go. But now to the Army part. You know that the Volcano in Iceland kept me from coming home in time to make it to Army Basic Training. Well while I was going though customs to get back into the States I started getting tons of calls to my mobile from people in the Army wanting to know whats going on and saying that they are shipping me in the morning. Obviously that was going to be a problem. So they said I would have to redo my contract and go in a couple of months up to like 6 months. Well then my recruiter was telling me different. He said I was still shipping Friday and when I confronted him he was like well I think you might be able to but its not confirmed.
Sort of the story I am sick of all the Army and their Glory in how they like to work and not let anyone know what is going on. So I voluntarily signed a discharge from the military. Check out this video here.

Long time no see!

As you all might know I have been in the United Kingdom for 2 weeks now. I was supposed to go home last week but due to the Volcano in Iceland I am still here till tomorrow. I am having a great time here with my friend Liam. I am currently in Gravesend just relaxing. Last week I spent time in London with my good friends Emily and Liam for some good sight seeing and some drinking. Okay more than just some drinking. But you get my point.

I ship off for lovely Army Basic training on Friday. Boo. I am very nervous and scared. I hope it is the right decision. But here enjoy a fun video of me with a street performer down on the South Banks of the River Thames in London.

Cheers
Heath!

Image Dump...

Sorry but there will be no image dump this week. I am working on some things right now and have been too busy to keep up with it.

So for the time being this blog will be getting lonely.

-Bastian

Image Dump #11

Senator's Tom A. Coburn views on bill H.R. 3200 (You know... Obama-polosi Health Care)

A few months back I wrote Senator Coburn asking him his stance on the health care reform that is working its way though our government. I do believe I posted a blog about it. Its been a while but I finally got a reply. Here is his response. Enjoy!

Thank you for taking the time to email me. I appreciate hearing from you, and I welcome the opportunity to respond to your message. I would also like to apologize for my delayed response. I have received literally thousands of letters regarding health care from Oklahomans and I personally read and respond to all of them.

President Obama's proposals-along with those in the majority of Congress-would place the government in charge of all of health care in America. According to independent analyses, as many as 115 million of Americans would be pushed into a government-run insurance plan. Medical decisions would be made by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. rather than by doctors and their patients. Americans would be left with a single-payer, government-run health care system. You can search the bill H.R. 3200 at http://www.thomas.loc.gov/">www.thomas.loc.gov. Once there, type in "HR3200" in the search box, click "Bill Number" directly beneath it, and hit "Search." Then you can click "Text of Legislation" or "CRS Summary" to read about HR3200.

I believe such a model would be disastrous for this country. Socialized systems stay afloat by rationing care, denying costly treatments, and letting people die before their time. If the United States cancer survivorship rates were as low as Great Britain's- a single-payer health system-one million more Americans could die from cancer each decade. That is unacceptable to me.

But our current health care system is clearly broken. We see signs of its failure: out of control medical costs, lack of health insurance coverage, limited choice in which doctor you can visit, and hassles in getting an insurance company to pay for medically necessary care.

Fortunately, there is a better way. I have introduced S.1099, the Patients' Choice Act, to give all Americans the ability to make their own health care decisions, see the doctor they want, and get the care they need.

The proposal includes a provision for individual health care tax credits of $2,290 for each American, and $5,710 for each American family - regardless of employment status, age, health condition, or pre-existing conditions. This means that about nine in 10 American households would see a tax cut, and for most patients and families making under $250,000 annually, their health insurance premium costs would be lower. Employers would still be able to deduct from their taxes the cost of providing health insurance to their employees, but millions of Americans who do not currently receive health insurance would have real buying power. Coupling this policy with other substantial reforms will create a market for customer-driven, portable, and universal health coverage. The Patients' Choice Act would put individuals in charge of their health care decisions and would increase access, affordability, and choice of health care plans. This proposal is a clear market-based alternative that seeks to strengthen the relationship between the patient and the doctor.

We do need health care reform in America, but we need American solutions. We do not need to follow some European countries that have a socialized mold of a single-payer system. America should achieve universal access in a way that puts individual Americans in charge of their own health care decisions. I can assure you that I will continue to persuade my colleagues to do what is best for America.

As a practicing physician and a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, Pensions committee, I am committed to major reforms. Please know that I will do everything in my power to better America's healthcare system. Thank you again for contacting me. You can read more on my website, www.coburn.senate.gov, and I sincerely appreciate your email message.

-Bastian Gatten