Healthcare Blog

President Obama is now getting ready to start making speeches around the country to sell his healthcare plan. His first stop will be Iowa City. Three years ago this is where he first starting pushing for healthcare overhaul. This trip around the country will be very important since 40% of Americans are not in favor of the healthcare bill that Obama is pushing. It will be crucial that Obama is able to pursuade Americans to be in favor of this legislation. Robert Gates has stated that there are 16,500 people already signed up to hear Obama speak in Iowa. It seems that this healthcare bill is very important to many Americans and they want to hear more about it. Obama will be speak on the details and effects of this new law and that is exactly what Americans want to hear right now.

I think that healthcare does need to be reformed but right now our country simply can't afford the cost to reform it. However, I think it would be very interesting to be able to hear more of the exact details of this new healthcare plan. This current plan will affect so many Americans and even younger generations to come. I understand why so many Americans are not in favor of this bill because we know so little about it and what we do know we don't like. I think it is going to take a lot for Obama to persuade Americans to agree with him on his new plan. Although, it should be interesting to hear what Obama has to say about healthcare in the weeks to come.

To read the whole article on CNN click here.

Iceland volcano could have world consequences

On Saturday the volcano Eyjafjallajokull (AYA-feeyapla-yurkul) erupted, in Iceland. It has been dormant for 200 years. At least 500 people around the area had to evacuate. But by today many of these people have returned home. Some however, are still being advised that it is unsafe to return yet. Today on the island there were still minor tremors. Now, many scientists are worried that one of the bigger volcanoes on the island may be next to explode. If one of these bigger volcanoes exploded it would likely impact the whole world, like the eruption of Laki in 1783. Weather patterns changed and smog was seen around the earth. In some cases the gases released from the eruption were deadly.

It too bad that there was an eruption. However, there is always something happening, it's just a fact of life. I hope there is not a bigger eruption to come. However, it seems that history repeats itself so I wouldn't be suprised at all if there is a huge volcano eruption on Iceland again. It's only a matter of time.

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10 states line up to sue over health bill, Florida AG says

The healthcare bill is causing a big uproar. Today Bill McCollum, the attorney general of Florida, stated that when President Obama signs the healthcare bill into law there will also be a lawsuit filed. This lawsuit would be filed in part with 10 states, Florida, Alabama, Nebraska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Washington. They will argue in their lawsuit that it is unconstitutional to mandate Americans to buy healthcare coverage. Also, this bill would force states to spend money they don't have and that would be a violation of the 10th amendment of the Constitution. Despite all this, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has already announced that the Obama administration believes they will win any possible lawsuit filed against this healthcare bill.

It is great that Obama wants to have healthcare for everyone. However, it is not the right time to be pushing such a costly bill onto the American taxpayers and future generations. The people who presently do not have healthcare in many cases can't afford it and passing a bill to mandate healthcare coverage is only going to make it harder for these individuals. Then, if some are unable to pay for healthcare coverage the cost will simply be passes on to others. It is not right but it's likely what will happen. Not to mention it should be an individuals choice to decide whether or not he or she wants healthcare. It should not be mandated! Overall, I believe this bill will simply be adding to our deficit. The United States and the American people cannot afford a spendy bill like this, especiallly when it is taking away a bit of our freedom of choice.

To read the full story click here.

Wal-Mart customer: 'I can't go back in'

At a Wal-Mart in Turnersville, New Jersey on Sunday night an annoucement came across the PA system that suprised many local shoppers. A 16 year old boy, announced, "Attention Wal-Mart shoppers all blacks need to leave the store." While some customers waited to hear an apology others left in disgust. In fact, one frequent Wal-Mart shopper now states she will not go back to the Wal-Mart. Managers of the store did come on the PA and apologize and the local authorities are investigating the incident. Hopefully in the following days a report will be released with details of exactly what happened.

Wow! I can't believe someone would really go to Wal-Mart and say that. I'm thinking that it was probably something that some highschool students thought would be funny so they dared their friend to do it and he just happened to get caught. It is good that he was caught though and hopefully is being punished for his actions. It's too bad that many former customers are now going to somewhere else due to the incident. I hope that details are released to the community and everyone just moves on.

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2 wolves shot; tests to determine whether they killed woman

Last week Candice Berner, 32, was killed by two wolves while jogging near Chignik Lake, Alaska. Authorities tracked down and killed what they assumed were the two wolves responsible for the attack. They are now running test to confirmed that they were the wolves that killed Berner. The small communitiy of Chignik Lake was quite suprised and shaken by the incident. They often see wolves but never imagined anyone to be injured by them. In fact this is only the second fatal wolf attack in North America for more than a century. Wolves do tend to avoid humans and all contact with them. This truely is a rare occurance.

I am suprised to hear about this wolf attack. It's too bad someone had to die. However, I think that it is a little strange though that they just tracked down two wolves and killed them hoping they were the right ones. They might be but still they could've just shot them with a traquilizer to make sure they were they right wolves before they killed them. Not to mention since it is a very rare thing to have wolves killing people, I can't help but to question was it really necessary to even kill these wolves? Was she provoking the wolves in the first place? Or have they had other issues in the community with wolves? It might be interesting to hears how this all turns out.

To see the full story click here.

Fargo a fortress of sandbags

Fargo, North Dakota is surrounded by 700,000 sandbags. This is in hopes to safe the city from the raising Red River. During the last 24 hours the river has risen nearly 3 feet. Karena Carlson, the spokeswomen for Fargo, stated that they hope the sand bags will allow the city to be protected up to 40 feet. Just last year the record was set when the river hit 40.8 feet. As of early this morning the river was already at 32.54 feet. That is more than 18 feet above major flood stage. The good news is experts are predicted the crest to be at 38 feet, which will likely occur already this Sunday. College students in Moorhead are also preparing for the flooding on the otherside of the same river.

I think that many people have been working very hard to protect Fargo and Moorhead from the rising Red River. I can't believe that Fargo alone has 700,000 sandbags! It is good news to hear that hopefully the flooding will not be record breaking. Next year, as a college student in Moorhead, I will likely be part of this crew helping to sand bag the city.

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Health care foes 11 votes shy of defeating bill

Today, five more democrats said that they would be voting against Senate healthcare legislation. That means that the Senate is only 11 votes away from getting a majority and voting down healthcare reform. Mike McIntyre of North Carolina stated that he believes healthcare reform is necessary. However, he thinks that the present bill is much too expensive. He said that the bill would include spending at least $1 trillion to reform healthcare and when the deficit is already so large he wouldn't vote for the bill. Many representatives feel the same. Healthcare needs to be re-evaluated and reformed but at a reasonable cost.

I am glad to hear that more democrats are deciding to vote against this bill. I think that the current healthcare bill is much too expensive and it will be a burden to future Americans. I think that healthcare in America does need to be evaluated and changed but at a reasonable level that Americans can afford to pay. Also I feel that socializing healthcare is not the way to go. I think it will cause many people to have to pay for themselves as well as those who are not insured or willing/able to pay for their own insurance. I hope that the current healthcare bill is not passed and that it can be re-evaluated and made much more reasonable.