The Greeks Recently Discovered Computer Invented in 250 BC Displayed in Athens, Reminds Us That Our Knowledge Base Concerning Other Cultures May Be Limited. For example, most of us are unaware that for decades a system of health care has been developed by the leading nations of Europe, such as France, that is far superior to that of the United States.   To Privatize Is To Marginalize the Voice of the People Many organizations see the importance of refusing to let Social Security be privatized and we have enjoyed working with them on that issue for the past fifteen years. What we have a hard time understanding is how a winning strategy for universal health care can be immplemented by allowing what should be a public utility, to be continued to be dominated by various profit centers that claim to be operating in a market, that is really a monopoly business model. To support this monopoly health care business model the few companies that run it are willing to pay off national retiree organizations, unions, business associations, doctors, academics, hospital administrators, brokers and consultants and government officals and regulators to keep their power. The only way to break this power is for grassroot sectors of the economy to create new coalitions that do not have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. Sadly, it is not possible to reform the private health care system of the U.S. and control costs. As long as the system is private, health care will not be affordable. That is the history of every reform of the last 40 years. That is, massive failure to control costs, including the lastest Massachusetts reform effort. While the leaders of many organizations are unwilling to fight for National Health Care and are willing to have their members pay the higher costs in monthly premiums and lost benefits, the local members can see what pressure this economic panic is bringing on hard won benefit plans that did not exist in many caes before 1960. It is possible that an economic stimulus package alone will not be enough to improve the wounded economy, because nothing tried so far has really worked. We need National Health Care to help get the country moving again.   If the Government Can Take Over the Financing of Major Banks, Investment Houses and Insurance Companies, It Can Also Take Over the Major Health Insurance Companies and Health Care Organizations Before the Cost of Health Care Destroys the Economy   An economic stimulus of almost a trillion dollars is great start President Elect Obama, but the depths of this economic meltdown will require long term government investment solutions to rebuild the core of U.S. economic power; reduce the cost of health care with national health care, rebuild the U.S. auto industry with electric technology, build a new intra city high speed rail system and convert to a green sustainable economy that relies on using a much smaller amount of the world's resources.     End of the Year Returns on 401(k) plans, IRA plans and Mutual Funds Show Small Investors the Devastation Caused By the Wall Street Ponzi Scheme Operation The full impact of 2008 economic loses in what is loosely called the financial markets, will not be felt until well into 2009. All these plans take the place of what we used to call pension plans and the impact will be severe. The evidence is loses in 2008 of 30% to 50% for people whose confidence in unregulated U.S. style capitalism has resulted in their ruin. There is as of yet no bottom in sight and additional 20% losses are possible in 2009. The only alternative for many pre retirees is to continue working. Right now many employers are unlikely to hire people over 50, for fear of the impact on their health insurance premiums. They are going to be even less likely to want to hire people over 65. The question is what can be done to correct the situation. One answer is to close the remaining holes in the health care cost exposure of this population and at the same time lower costs for the over all population of Medicare participants, without reducing benefits. NASRO knows how to accomplish this goal within a few years.   Senators from Low Wage States Plot to Destroy the U.S. Auto Industry Many people drive Toyota's and Honda's that used to drive cars made by U.S. auto companies. But that does not mean they love the auto companies from Japan. Clearly, Senators Shelby of Alabama, Corker of Tennessee and McConnell of Kentucky, who just lead the fight to kill the Auto Industry Bailout Bill in the Senate, love capital coming to their states from anywhere. Rather than try and help build up wages in their third world states, they prefer to bring down the wages of everyone in the middle and working classes because if the U.S. auto industry goes bankrupt there is going to be a depression in the United States in 2009. Just like the financial meltdown of the insolvent major banks would have also caused a depression to take place. So, yes it is petty, cheap politics at work again, seeing in action Senators who know in less than a month no one will listen to them for the next four years, are having their fun at the expense of blue collar people whom they resent making good money in blue collar jobs, be they on the line making cars or building the country from their small construction businesses. Playing games with peoples lives, particularly at Christmas time is playing with fire in every state.   2009 & 2010 Look To Be Years of Continued Housing, Financial and Job Declines   The worldwide recession we now know for sure we have been in since December 2007, can be expected to get much worse in 2009 as most consumers are hit with double digit health care cost increases for the eighth straight year and housing prices move sharply down again. The September 2008 Case/Shiller Standard and Poor's report indicated a one month decline in housing prices in greater Boston to be 2.5% and greater Los Angeles to be 5.1%. That was twice the rate of decline from the month before. Another disturbing report is the projected almost doubling of delinquent mortgages by the fourth quarter of 2009, 7.17% from a rate of 4.67% in the fourth quarter of 2008. With underlying numbers like these it is unlikely our policy makers know where the floor is in housing or where the ceiling is in health care. We need bold new policies not only with fiscal policy, but also a top to bottom restructuring of our financial and health care systems to inspire consumer confidence and to enable people to improve their lives without being taken advantage of by financial and insurance criminal business people. Our area of expertise is in the health care sector which amounts to one fifth of our current economy. Strict regulation of health insurance companies and health care providers is the only way to control costs and protect consumers and the payers . The current new consensus that is being talked about by the current group of stakeholders, who have consistently failed to control cost over the past 30 years, does not in even a general way address the problem of cost that is directly related to health care access and economic performance of the economy in all our major industries.   30 years without adequate anti-trust enforcement in the U.S. gives us Citigroup and AIG, companies too big to exist. NASRO urges the Obama Administration to begin drafting documents to have its Justice Department break up the financial companies recently taken over by the government. Let heads roll / Laissez le rouleau de tetes Marketing 101, What type of market will a Chevy Volt, a $40,000 plug in GM electric car have in the United States after two years of mass unemployment, massive losses of retirement funds and the loss of much of the nest egg consumers saved through home ownership? The answer is a small niche market for the upper middle class consumer. How can the government consider bailing out a management team with this type of product/market match? The 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid is selling for $25,000 and its MPG is 33 city, 34 highway. Redesign the Volt to sell for $30,000 without all the frills and maybe that car will increase the market share of the U.S. auto industry.   Check out writer and NASRO member Sue Katz's new timely book on Sarah Palin and the upcoming election. It is called "Thanks But No Thanks" and is available at http://palinvoterguide.blogspot.com, and can also be found on Amazon.com.

Congratuations for Delivering this Day of Liberation to Us

Mr. President

Barak Obama,

January 20, 2009

National Health Care Conference in St. Louis Sponsored By Labor for Single Payer Kicks Off New Campaign to Win Passage.

If there is any group in our society that should be leading the fight for National Health Care it is labor. For the past two decades much of the gains for workers won in collective bargaining have been to keep excellent health plans in place, while most other people saw their health plan benefts start to diminish. It is now up to professional associations, the representatives of self employed occupations and non-profits to join with progressive trade unionists and fight for the interest of the country and not make deals with insurance companies. The health insurance system has been proven in research studies and by some of the top journalists in the United States to be corrupt and that corruption spreads to everyone who works with them. We have faced the leaders of the health insurance industry for decades and know from experience that they will ruthlessly defend their financial interests. Think tobacco companies and oil companies and you will have a true picture of the board rooms of insurance companies.

The health insurance industry is counting on the fact that so many other institutions are intertwined with their interests, that enough people will agree to maintain the current dysfunctional health care system, even in the face of a coming economic depression. If we agree to start off this process by compromising our basic needs even before we get to the table with other parties we will fail to achieve real change again.

With health insurance premiums rising and benefits falling, during this period of economic and financial negative growth, the problems with our health care system are forcing many leaders to reconsider their previous opposition to national health care.  Right now the key next step for national health care this month is for Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts to hear from supporters of national health care and ask him to be with the self employed people and the workers on this issue and support Bill 676. Please call Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts and let your voice be heard. Please call 202-224-4543 or fax 202-224-2417.

Only by cutting out the middle man, the health insurance companies, can we stabilize the price of health care and cover all residents of the United States. To make this change is a "calculated risk" on the part of the country, as opposed to a blind risk we enter into with private companies right now.

 

The Mass Layoffs and Job Losses In the U.S. and Around the World Have Begun as the Immediate Impact of the Serious Economic Recession Compounds the Problems of the Financial Crisis. The Democratic Majority in the U. S. House of Representatives Will Vote On an Authorization of an Expanded Children's Health Insurance Program in the Next Week as a Stand Alone Bill.

This Action Is Critical to Our Members Threatened by the Rapid Decline in Economic Activity Across Many Industries. NASRO urges the U.S. Senate to also Immediately Take Up Their Version of the Bill, Take it to Conference Committee and Have it on President Barak Obama's Desk By January 20, 2009.

     

Social Responsibility Means Ending the Old Business and Political Model of Reagan/Bush Cowboy Capitalism, Built on Debt and Transferring Wealth From  the Middle & Working Classes to the Upper Class, to Becoming a a More Egalitarian Society  Favoring Smaller Producers.       

The National Association of Socially Responsible Organizations (NASRO) is a 16 year old non-partisan, non-profit, community organization, founded by health care consultant

and activist Robert Gaw. The most important aspect of NASRO is its unique members, who come together voluntarily and are from hundreds of different occupations and include people with backgrounds from many different countries from around the world. We do most of our work taking care of our members. NASRO is providing critically needed health care service programs and advocacy for members and the broader community. People and organizations join NASRO to have an advocate that will find more affordable and quality health insurance and benefit plans, to receive creditable and reliable advice and to be part of

an organization that reflects their values, that works for them and offers socially responsible solutions that links them to the broader issues.

NASRO represents the interests of organizations that want to thrive in a country that takes care of its people and industries with affordable universal health care. If we

focus our attention on the "life" part of our core principles of life,liberty and the

pursuit of happiness,and see how many people of almost all income groups are dying

and are suffering from illness needlessly for want of a correct and timely diagnosis,

then political action can succeed. It takes sacrifice and struggle to achieve our goals. Instead of sacrifice, 30 years ago with the start of the Supply Side Reagan Administration, the political leadership of the country ignored their responsibility to

avoid having the United States and our allies in Europe and Asia be dependent

on authoritarian governments for oil and gas and instead embarked on a glutinous

gorging of foreign energy sources. The first act of the Reagan administration was to

order the removal of solar panels on the White House roof that had been placed there

by Jimmy Carter. The last act of this era was the McCain/Palin campaign featuring a completely fraudulent person, "Joe the Plumber" and the chant " Drill Baby Drill".

Many of our board members have sacrificed for a lifetime and have never given up the fight to build a more egalitarian United States. We help keep the pressure on the

powerful who serve only their own ends, the corrupt and the lazy who do not care if people live or die, are fed or go hungry, take buses for two or more hours each way to get to work or have accessible mass transit, are sick or well, housed or homeless,

have good jobs or not, and graduate from high school and college or fail to have the

skill sets to advance. These are some of the issues NASRO believes are critical to achieving both social responsibility and personal responsibility. We believe that so

called corporate social responsibility has not produced what was promised and that change will come from below from the masses of sole proprietors, self employed, small businesses and workers who are activated to participate in campaigns and mass movements that throughout our history have produced the necessary change.

NASRO's environmental and energy policies call on the country to prove its greatness

in our time, as we did when we went to the moon in eight years. The US. is a car

based culture. If our cars give up using gas and oil the rest of the energy consuming sectors will follow. In eight years we can build new industries and develop the

technology to meet our health care, environmental and energy challenges. Delaying action on these issues for the past 30 years when our leaders and elites knew there

were major problems, has hurt the economy of the country badly. There is no time to waste, both health care costs and energy costs are rising at a rate we do not now

have the money to pay for.

 

It Is Time to at Least Temporarily Nationalize the U.S. Auto Industry and Fire the Management of General Motors and Chrysler When the Obama Administration Takes Over the Government.

Twelve years ago NASRO participated in Earth Day activities in southern California that featured the new hybrid cars from Toyota and Honda. It took time for the new technology to be accepted and for consumers to believe they had a good product that was better than just the internal combustion engine. To say that the world has passed by the management of the U.S. auto industry since that time is one of the greatest understatement of all time.

The next generation of electric cars has been displayed and supported in this newsletter for the past year and they represent a small fraction of what is going in alternative auto development around the world. Missing from these pictures are production electric cars from U.S. auto companies and the U.S. auto workers wages and benefits can not be blamed for that fact.

Yes, we need a successful U.S. auto industry. No, the auto bailout bill will not produce that result, but it will keep the industry alive until a new team of auto executives with a new management team can be brought in to produce new products for new markets that go beyond cars and trucks. Yes, we need to be able to buy mass transit cars and engines from U.S. transportation production companies within the new three years. Above ground light rail and rapid rail have been opposed by this current management of the auto industry with the same vision that leads them to sue states from developing higher mileage standards for cars and trucks and take a pickup frame and place a new inexpensive unsafe body on it and create a myth of success for those that buy them. The truth is now out in the open about the U.S. auto companies. Shareholder value has virtually been eliminated and the road is clear for a takeover not a bailout.

 

The Electric Cars Have Left the Station, Forget About Drilling for Oil on Our Ocean Coasts, Enough of Big Oil & OPEC

Think Global Inc's New All Electric Car, The Ox, With the New More Powerful Lithium Battery First Developed For Laptop Computers Is One of Several New Electric Cars, with 0 Carbon Emissions Soon to Be Available to U.S. Auto Buyers.

The cost of gas for these cars is $0. They drive a minimum of 135 miles without charging the battery. The battery charges up to 80% of capacity within an hour from a regular electrical outlet. The company is based in Norway with U.S. venture capital backing. The car is about the size of a Toyota Prius and is currently being sold in Europe for about $25,000. With mass production it will be able to lower its cost. This all electric car will be available in the U.S. in 2009. Additional models will also be available in 20011. The first year savings on this car versus a gas powered car should be on average $3,000, based on $4.00 a gallon gas in a car that now gets 25 miles per gallon.

By 2010 we should expect to see Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi will all be introducing all electric cars, to be followed by the U.S. auto companies soon after. So far, U.S. auto companies like General Motors are developing electric cars like the Volt, that will sell for $40,000 are too expensive to be competitive. We need U.S. made electric cars that are small, not over loaded with electronic luxury items and sell for under $20,000. Mass conversion to electric cars will be well under way before these new oil wells off our coasts would be able to start production.

Electric Car Update November 15, 2008

Mitsubishi just introduced its new all electric production car, the iMiEV, at the Los Angeles Auto show. The car is already on sale in Japan.

 

Legislative Update for the States

 

NASRO Joins with Massachusetts Nurses Association in Meeting with State Senator Susan Fargo to Urge Passage of the Safe Staffing Bill by the Massachusetts Senate

May 12, 2008

Improving the quality of care in our hospitals by lowering the rate of medical errors, secondary infections and readmissions is one of those issues that the Massachusetts State Senate needs to vote on in the next few weeks. The Massachusetts House

already passed the bill last year overwhelmingly and can be expected to pass it

again by the same margin. The Governor, Deval Patrick can also be expected to

sign the legislation when it passes.

Standing in the way of our members receiving improved quality inpatient care is State Senator Moore, chairman of the Senate Health Finance Committee and the Hospital Association of Massachusetts. In our meeting with Senator Fargo we learned that it

will take an all out mobilization of our members and of small businesses in

Massachusetts to contact their State Senator and urge passage of this bill.

We know Senate President Teresa Murray has just passed another health care cost containment bill which is another incremental step in the health care reform process

and is not at odds with the Safe Staffing Bill in principle. Both bills should be passed

this legislative session.

The nurses are in a critical position to represent the values of the community in demanding the end to unsafe staffing in our hospitals. This is not a new problem, but actually a problem that has been known to exist for at least the past twenty five

years and is one of the causes of higher health care costs and premature death of

our citizens. During this time market driven forces that encourage hospital

administrators to cut labor costs and medical schools to graduate class after class

with higher percentages of students choosing the higher income specialty practices

and plastic surgery are a threat to the socially responsible standards of medical

practice that Massachusetts is known for across the country.

California has already passed this bill and public health and health care administrators

are praising the impact of the bill in California now that it has passed. Lawmakers need

to be flexible and should not overly rely only on academic experts to solve our problems

in health care. Health care administrators, physicians and nurses need to work together for the good of the community and not just their own self interest. That is what makes medical careers so special and respected. If that is not the case, then there are many other fields where the business of maximizing profitability are the norm and where some

of our current providers and administrators may be better suited to apply their talents.

 

Our Agenda for 2008

Reverse Human Impact Causing Climate Change

By rolling back carbon emissions in the U.S. back to 1990 levels by 2018.  Many cities, towns and even state governments have already switched their fleets to hybrid cars. Every state and local government can switch their fleet of cars to hybrids to set an example to the community, cut their fuel costs in half and

reduce CO2 emissions

Affordable & Simple Universal Health Care For All

This means health plans for everyone who needs one funded by removing the

cap on fica taxes and have it apply to all income, outlawing health insurance underwriting, establishing one rate pool for everyone in each state with the

same rates for everyone by plan and family size, amend ERISA requiring all employers to participate in the state rate pool regardless of how large the employers are, outlaw health plan advertising and require all health insurance companies to participate in the state risk pool or lose their license to operate, require all health plans to convert to non-profit status and set reasonable limits

to management and board compensation.

Quality Education for All

Dismiss No Child Left Behind

Mandatory High School Graduation for All Children, with new support from the state governments

Mandatory Parent or Guardian Attendance at Teacher/Parent Meetings

Full Funding for the Public Schools; including art, music, social studies, and physical training

End the war in Iraq, support long term U.S. security, not short

term oil interests, withdraw all our troops from Iraq. End the so-called son of star wars missile defense program. End the expansion of NATO. Start making decisions that are in the U.S. national interest.

Invest in Us. It is not possible to build a robust U.S. economy when so little

capital investment is made in the United States. The highest return and the

lowest labor cost is the criteria we have seen for investment, without concern

for the people affected or to loyalty owed to the country. The consequences of

this type of capitalism has been warned about for decades by groups ranging

from socialists to people like the Pope. It will take a top to bottom

reorganization to get the economy working again, it is in such trouble.

As part of an economic stimulus program and energy conservation program we should begin construction and build a new, above ground, green transportation system vastly increasing the quantity and quality of our rapid rail, light rail and Long Haul Freight Rail to Service Every Major Metropolitan Area in the U.S. by 2014. This type of transportation system is already working very well

throughout Europe and is not dependent on the price of jet fuel or gasoline.

Develop Solar Farms, Wind Farms , Geothermal Centers to Generate Massive Amounts of Electricity to Replace Fossil Fuel Burning Electric Power Plants and

to Power Large Numbers of Cars and Trucks By 2016

Build a New National Hydrogen Distribution System to Power the Re-charging of Electric Car and Truck Batteries that will capture 25% of the market by 2016.

2008 Fuel Economy Tables for Cars and Trucks, and multiply by $4, $6 and $8

Be Aware of Socially Responsible Industry Standards

California Senate Bill 180 Brings up to Date Farm Workers Right to Form a Union

Green and Local Products and Services Networking  

Quality of Life Issues - Stop Mistreating Immigrants, Where does this come

from? It has always been with us, for example - Ask your grandparents about

the NINA signs at workplaces, No Irish Need Apply. The same treatment was provided to all ethnic groups that immigrated to the U.S. and fought their way

into the mainstream of society. Of course, African people who were kidnapped and sold as slaves and Native Americans who were exterminated by Europeans have endured treatment so much worse./ Know Your Rights ,  We Are Ellis Island

Sustainable Economic Development - Investments in Education

and Jobs, Not Gambling Casinos and Slot Machines; We want our children to grow up to be Knowledge Workers or Skilled Trades Building Workers, Not Keno and Blackjack Dealers

 

 

 

We Administer Services People and Organizations Really Need, Such as Affordable Health Insurance with Comprehensive Benefits at

Different Levels Ready to Process New Enrollments on the First

of Every Month.

 

NASRO Has Lower Cost Group Health Co-op Plans, Where Self Employed People Have Access to Affordable Health Plans Where They Can Not Be Turned Down For Coverage Because of a Pre-existing Medical Condition for the Past Eleven Years in Massachusetts, through Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan, Tufts Health Plan and the Neighborhood Health Plan and in Washington State through Group Health Options.

New Group Plans Being Organized Now in California, New York and Illinois. Plans under consideration in California include Blue Cross of California, California Blue Shield and Kaiser.

Third Party Administration of Company and Trusted Health Plans

Dental, Vision and Pharmacy Plans

 

 

Daily News and Commentary for NASRO Members from Sherman's Blog

 

 

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