Dr. Benjamin Carson’s Amazing Speech at the National Prayer Breakfast — Gifted Hands — Who Gives Children A Second Chance –Videos
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Dr. Benjamin Carson’s Amazing Speech at the National Prayer Breakfast with
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Doctor’s Amazing Grace, Life and Speech
By Raymond Thomas Pronk
Ever hear a speaker that got your attention and kept it for an entire speech?
Dr. Benjamin Carson, world-renowned neurosurgeon, told the National Prayer Breakfast audience in Washington that his mother, who had a third-grade education and worked three jobs as a domestic, knew he and his brother were smart, made them turn off the television and read two books a week from the public library and write reports about them.
“You know, after a while, I actually began to enjoy reading those books because we were very poor, but between the covers of those books I could go anywhere, I could be anybody, I could do anything. I began to read about people of great accomplishment; and as I read those stories, I began to see a connecting thread. I began to see that the person who has the most to do with you and what happens to you in life is you. You make decisions. You decide how much energy you want to put behind that decision. And I came to understand that I had control of my own destiny. And, at that point, I didn’t hate poverty anymore, because I knew it was only temporary. I knew I could change that. It was incredibly liberating for me, made all the difference.”
Carson commented upon education, fiscal irresponsibility, taxes and health care.
“Why is it so important that we educate our people? Because we don’t want to go down the pathway as so many pinnacle nations that have preceded us. I think particularly about ancient Rome. Very powerful. Nobody could even challenge them militarily, but what happened to them? They destroyed themselves from within. Moral decay, fiscal irresponsibility,” he said.
Carson would replace the existing federal income tax system with a flat and fair tax modeled after the tithe. He said, “What about our taxation system? So complex there is no one who can possibly comply with every jot and tittle of our tax system. If I wanted to get you, I could get you on a tax issue. That doesn’t make any sense. What we need to do is come up with something that is simple.”
He continued, “When I pick up my Bible, you know what I see? I see the fairest individual in the Universe, God, and he’s given us a system. It’s called tithe. Now we don’t necessarily have to do it 10 percent but it’s principle. He didn’t say, if your crops fail, don’t give me any tithes. He didn’t say, if you have a bumper crop, give me triple tithes. So there must be something inherently fair about proportionality.”
A practicing physician, Carson briefly outlined his alternative solution to the health care crisis: “When a person is born, give him a birth certificate, an electronic medical record, and a health savings account to which money can be contributed—pretax—from the time you’re born ’til the time you die. If you die, you can pass it on to your family members, and there’s nobody talking about death panels. We can make contributions for people who are indigent. Instead of sending all this money to some bureaucracy, let’s put it in their HSAs. Now they have some control over their own health care. And very quickly they’re going to learn how to be responsible.”
Carson said the response to his speech has been “overwhelmingly” positive.
Carson’s life is one of achievement and success through hard work and persistence. Carson graduated from Yale University, majoring in psychology and the University of Michigan, school of medicine. He completed his internship in general surgery and his residency in neurological surgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institution.
When he was 33, Carson became the youngest director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins.
Medical history was made in 1987 by Carson and his surgical team, when they operated for 22 hours and separated the back of the heads of conjoined twins (the Binder twins). The twins survived and live independently today.
Carson’s medical practice focuses on traumatic brain injuries, brain and spinal cord tumors, achondroplasia, neurological and congenital disorders, craniosynostosis, epilepsy and trigeminal neuralgia.
In 1994 Carson and his wife, Candy, created the Carson Scholars Fund which awards each year a “$1,000 college scholarship for students in grades 4-11 who excel academically and are dedicated to serving their community.” More than 5,200 scholarships and medals have been awarded across the nation.
Dr. Carson with some of the Carson Scholars with their Olympic-size metals.
Credit: http://carsonscholars.org/scholarships/about-our-scholarships
He has written more than 100 neurosurgical publications and several bestselling books including “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story,” “Think Big,” “The Big Picture,” “Take The Risk,” and his most recent, “America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great.”
“Gifted Hands,” a made-for TV movie about Carson’s life starring Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carson and Kimberly Elise as his mother Sonja was broadcast in 2007.
In 2008 Carson received the nation’s highest civilian award, the Medal of Freedom, from President George W. Bush in the White House.
Celebrate black history month by listening to Carson’s speech and viewing his compelling life story, both of which are readily available on YouTube.
Raymond Thomas Pronk is host of the Pronk Pops Show on KDUX web radio from 3-5 p.m. Fridays and author of the companion blog
http://www.pronkpops.wordpress.com/
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Background Information and Videos
Ben Carson biography
http://www.biography.com/people/ben-carson-475422
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Benjamin Carson
Benjamin Solomon “Ben” Carson, Sr. (born September 18, 1951) is an African American neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, by President George W. Bush in 2008.
Early life
Carson was born in Detroit, Michigan and was raised by his single mother, Sonya Carson.[1] He struggled academically throughout elementary school, but started to excel in middle school and throughout high school. After graduating with honors from Southwestern High School, he attended Yale University, where he earned a degree in Psychology. He chose to go to Yale because in College Bowl, an old knowledge competition TV program, he saw Yale compete against and defeat many other colleges, including Harvard. Carson wanted to participate in College Bowl, but the program was discontinued. From Yale, he attended University of Michigan Medical School.
Career
Carson’s hand-eye coordination and three-dimensional reasoning skills made him a gifted surgeon.[2] After medical school, he became a neurosurgery resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Starting off as an adult neurosurgeon, Carson became more interested in pediatrics. He believed that with children, “what you see is what you get,[2] … when they’re in pain they clearly show it with a frown on their face or when they are happy they show it by smiling brightly.”
At age 33, he became the youngest major division director in Johns Hopkins history, as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery. Carson’s other surgical innovations have included the first intrauterine procedure to relieve pressure on the brain of a hydrocephalic fetal twin, and a hemispherectomy, in which a young girl suffering from uncontrollable seizures had one half of her brain removed.
In 1987, Carson made medical history by being the first surgeon to successfully separate conjoined twins (the Binder twins) who had been joined at the back of the head (craniopagus twins). The 70-member surgical team, led by Carson, worked for 22 hours. At the end, the twins were successfully separated and can now survive independently. Carson recalls:
I looked at that situation. I said, ‘Why is it that this is such a disaster?’ and it was because they would always exsanguinate. They would bleed to death, and I said, ‘There’s got to be a way around that. These are modern times.’ This was back in 1987. I was talking to a friend of mine, who was a cardiothoracic surgeon, who was the chief of the division, and I said, ‘You guys operate on the heart in babies, how do you keep them from exsanguinating’ and he says, ‘Well, we put them in hypothermic arrest.’ I said, ‘Is there any reason that – if we were doing a set of Siamese twins that were joined at the head – that we couldn’t put them into hypothermic arrest, at the appropriate time, when we’re likely to lose a lot of blood?’ and he said, ‘No way .’ I said, ‘Wow, this is great.’ Then I said, ‘Why am I putting my time into this? I’m not going to see any Siamese twins.’ So I kind of forgot about it, and lo and behold, two months later, along came these doctors from Germany, presenting this case of Siamese twins. And, I was asked for my opinion, and I then began to explain the techniques that should be used, and how we would incorporate hypothermic arrest, and everybody said ‘Wow! That sounds like it might work.’ And, my colleagues and I, a few of us went over to Germany. We looked at the twins. We actually put in scalp expanders, and five months later we brought them over and did the operation, and lo and behold, it worked.[3]
Awards and honors
Carson has received numerous honors and many awards over the years, including over 60 honorary doctorate degrees. He was also a member of the American Academy of Achievement, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, the [[Alpha Omega Alpha|Alpha
Publications and appearances
Carson has written four bestselling books published by Zondervan, an international Christian media and publishing company: Gifted Hands, The Big Picture, Take the Risk, and Think Big. The first book is an autobiography and two are about his personal philosophies of success that incorporate hard work and a faith in God; Carson is a Seventh-day Adventist. In a debate with Richard Dawkins, Francis Collins, and Daniel Dennett, Carson stated he doesn't believe in evolution: "I don't believe in evolution...evolution says that because there are these similarities, even though we can't specifically connect them, it proves that this is what happened."[4]
A video documentary about Carson’s life titled Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story was released by Zondervan in 1992. Subsequently in 2009, a separate television movie with the same title premiered on TNT on February 7, 2009, with Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. in the lead role and Kimberly Elise portraying his mother.[5]
On February 7, 2013, Dr. Carson was a key speaker at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast.[6]
Personal life
In June 2002 Carson was forced to cut back on his public appearances when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, but the cancer was caught in time. He still operates on more than 300 children a year, but has been trying to shorten his days: prior to his cancer he used to work from 7:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night.[7]
Carson and his wife Lacena “Candy” Rustin met at Yale in 1971 when he was a junior and she was a freshman; they married in 1975. Candy holds an M.B.A. degree and is an accomplished musician, and both are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Carson’s life and work was so admired in 2007 that a feature film was made about the doctor, “Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story”.[8][9]
Publications
- (2011) America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great, Zondervan Publishing. ISBN 978-0310330714
- (2009) Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, Zondervan Publishing. ISBN 0-310-21469-6
- (2008) Take The Risk, Zondervan Publishing. ISBN 0-310-25973-8
- (2000) The Big Picture, Zondervan Publishing. ISBN 978-0310225836
- (1996) Think Big, Zondervan Publishing. ISBN 0-310-21459-9
- (1990) Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, Review & Herald Pub., ISBN 0-8280-0669-5
References
- ^ Ben Carson Biography – Facts, Birthday, Life Story – Biography.com
- ^ a b Conversation from Penn State: Ben Carson Interview.
- ^ Biography and Video Interview of Benjamin Carson at Academy of Achievement.
- ^ Richard Dawkins & Daniel Dennett vs. Francis Collins & Benjamin Carson : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive
- ^ Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009) at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ ”Zondervan Author Ben Carson Gives Keynote at 2013 National Prayer Breakfast”. prnewswire.com. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ^ Encyclopedia of World Biography: Biography of Benjamin S. Carson.
- ^ ”7 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT DR. CARSON — THE PRAYER BREAKFAST SPEAKER WHOSE SPEECH IN FRONT OF OBAMA WENT VIRAL”. TheBlaze. 8 February 2013.
- ^ ”Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story”. IMBd. 7 February 2009.
External links
- Ben Carson interviewed on Conversations from Penn State
- Everyday Matters Magazine Interview with Dr. Ben Carson
- Home Page of the Carson Scholars Fund
- Dr. Ben Carson M.D.
- Benjamin Carson receives a Presidential Medal
- Dr. Benjamin Carson – Pediatric Neurosurgery
- There Is No Job More Important Than Parenting: NPR Interview With Dr. Benjamin Carson
- Dr. Ben Carson: The Gifted Hands Interview with Kam Williams
- America the Beautiful: Dr. Ben Carson at Blackburn Institute, University of Alabama C-Span Video Library from 24 February 2012
- Dr. Benjamin Carson’s Speech at the National Prayer Breakfast from February 7, 2013
- Carson Scholars Fund – Discovering Promise … Rewarding Excellence!
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Donald M. Berwick
“…Donald M. Berwick (born in 1946 in New York City, and raised in Moodus, Connecticut) is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)[1], a not-for-profit organization helping to lead the improvement of health care throughout the world. On July 7, 2010, President Barack Obama appointed Dr. Berwick to serve as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services through a “recess” appointment.[2]
Berwick has studied the management of health care systems, with emphasis on using scientific methods and evidence-based medicine and comparative effectiveness research to improve the tradeoff among quality, safety and costs.[3] Among IHI’s projects are online courses for health care professionals for reducing Clostridium difficile infections, lowering the number of heart failure readmissions or managing advanced disease and palliative care.[4]
Berwick’s critics have cited his statements about the need for health care to redistribute resources from the rich to the poor, and his favorable statements about the British health care systems (which they accuse of rationing care and “death panels”). They quote Berwick as saying, “It’s not a question of whether we will ration care. It is whether we will ration with our eyes open.” They point to statements such as, “Any health care funding plan that is just, equitable, civilized and humane must, must redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and the less fortunate. Excellent health care is by definition redistributional.”[5][6]
Berwick is Clinical Professor of Pediatrics and Health Care Policy in the Department of Pediatrics at the Harvard Medical School and Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard School of Public Health[7]. He is also a pediatrician, Adjunct Staff in the Department of Medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston, and a Consultant in Pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital. …”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Berwick
Donald Berwick, MD, MPP, Founder, President and CEO
of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
”…Dr. Donald Berwick is one of America’s leading patient safety advocates. A clinical professor of pediatrics and health care policy at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Berwick is the founder, president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). For more than 20 years, he has been a positive force for health care quality improvements and a champion of transparency within the health care system. Dr. Berwick’s decades-long crusade has earned him a knighthood from the Queen of England, and he has been ranked as the third most powerful American in health care – behind Bill Gates and ahead of President Bush. …”
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Dr. Donald Berwick will bypass the confirmation process — and any effort by Senate Republicans to stall it. The GOP decries the move and the idea of rationed care.
“…Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) accused the administration of sneaking Berwick through, calling the recess appointment and the lack of a confirmation hearing “truly outrageous.”
“As if shoving a trillion-dollar government takeover of healthcare down the throat of a disapproving American public wasn’t enough, apparently the Obama administration intends to arrogantly circumvent the American people yet again by recess-appointing one of the most prominent advocates of rationed healthcare to implement their national plan,” McConnell said in a statement.
The new law strives to make Medicare more efficient as well as dramatically expand Medicaid, the joint state-federal insurance program for the poor.
Approximately 47 million people are enrolled in Medicare, and 58 million people are enrolled in Medicaid.
Berwick, 63, is a leading advocate of expanding research into the comparative effectiveness of various medical treatments, a major focus of the new healthcare law that many experts think is crucial to improve the quality of care that Americans receive and cut waste in the system. …”
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/07/nation/la-na-obama-recess-appointment-20100707
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The war on drug has failed:
| Drug | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Low precision; no estimate reported. a Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. b Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. 1 Illicit Drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically. Illicit Drugs Other Than Marijuana include cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically. The estimates for Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics, Stimulants, and Methamphetamine incorporated in these summary estimates do not include data from the methamphetamine items added in 2005 and 2006. See Section B.4.8 in Appendix B of the Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. 2 Nonmedical use of prescription-type psychotherapeutics includes the nonmedical use of pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, or sedatives and does not include over-the-counter drugs. 3 Estimates of Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics, Stimulants, and Methamphetamine in the designated rows include data from methamphetamine items added in 2005 and 2006 and are not comparable with estimates presented in NSDUH reports prior to the 2007 National Findings report. For the 2002 through 2005 survey years, a Bernoulli stochastic imputation procedure was used to generate adjusted estimates comparable with estimates for survey years 2006 and later. See Section B.4.8 in Appendix B of the Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. |
|||||||
| ILLICIT DRUGS1 | 108,255b | 110,205b | 110,057b | 112,085b | 111,774b | 114,275a | 117,325 |
| Marijuana and Hashish | 94,946b | 96,611b | 96,772b | 97,545b | 97,825b | 100,518 | 102,404 |
| Cocaine | 33,910b | 34,891a | 34,153b | 33,673b | 35,298 | 35,882 | 36,773 |
| Crack | 8,402 | 7,949 | 7,840 | 7,928 | 8,554 | 8,581 | 8,445 |
| Heroin | 3,668 | 3,744 | 3,145a | 3,534 | 3,785 | 3,780 | 3,788 |
| Hallucinogens | 34,314 | 34,363 | 34,333 | 33,728a | 35,281 | 34,215a | 35,963 |
| LSD | 24,516 | 24,424 | 23,398 | 22,433 | 23,346 | 22,656 | 23,547 |
| PCP | 7,418 | 7,107 | 6,762 | 6,603 | 6,618 | 6,140 | 6,631 |
| Ecstasy | 10,150b | 10,904b | 11,130b | 11,495b | 12,262 | 12,426 | 12,924 |
| Inhalants | 22,870 | 22,995 | 22,798 | 22,745 | 22,879 | 22,477 | 22,274 |
| Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics2,3 | 47,958b | 49,001b | 49,157b | 49,571a | 50,965 | 50,415 | 51,970 |
| Pain Relievers | 29,611b | 31,207b | 31,768b | 32,692b | 33,472 | 33,060a | 34,861 |
| OxyContin® | 1,924b | 2,832b | 3,072b | 3,481b | 4,098b | 4,354 | 4,842 |
| Tranquilizers | 19,267b | 20,220 | 19,852a | 21,041 | 21,303 | 20,208 | 21,476 |
| Stimulants3 | 23,496b | 23,004a | 22,297 | 20,983 | 22,468 | 21,654 | 21,206 |
| Methamphetamine3 | 15,365b | 15,139b | 14,512b | 12,663 | 14,206b | 13,065 | 12,598 |
| Sedatives | 9,960a | 9,510 | 9,891 | 8,982 | 8,822 | 8,396 | 8,882 |
| ILLICIT DRUGS OTHER THAN MARIJUANA1 | 70,300b | 71,128b | 70,657b | 71,822b | 72,906a | 73,494 | 75,573 |
http://oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2K8NSDUH/tabs/Sect8peTabs1to43.htm#Tab8.1A
| Drug | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Low precision; no estimate reported. a Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. b Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. 1 Illicit Drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically. Illicit Drugs Other Than Marijuana include cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically. The estimates for Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics, Stimulants, and Methamphetamine incorporated in these summary estimates do not include data from the methamphetamine items added in 2005 and 2006. See Section B.4.8 in Appendix B of the Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. 2 Nonmedical use of prescription-type psychotherapeutics includes the nonmedical use of pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, or sedatives and does not include over-the-counter drugs. 3 Estimates of Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics, Stimulants, and Methamphetamine in the designated rows include data from methamphetamine items added in 2005 and 2006 and are not comparable with estimates presented in NSDUH reports prior to the 2007 National Findings report. For the 2002 through 2005 survey years, a Bernoulli stochastic imputation procedure was used to generate adjusted estimates comparable with estimates for survey years 2006 and later. See Section B.4.8 in Appendix B of the Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. |
|||||||
| ILLICIT DRUGS1 | 46.0 | 46.4 | 45.8a | 46.1 | 45.4b | 46.1 | 47.0 |
| Marijuana and Hashish | 40.4 | 40.6 | 40.2 | 40.1 | 39.8a | 40.6 | 41.0 |
| Cocaine | 14.4 | 14.7 | 14.2 | 13.8a | 14.3 | 14.5 | 14.7 |
| Crack | 3.6 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Heroin | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Hallucinogens | 14.6 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.9 | 14.3 | 13.8 | 14.4 |
| LSD | 10.4b | 10.3b | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 9.4 |
| PCP | 3.2b | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Ecstasy | 4.3b | 4.6b | 4.6b | 4.7a | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Inhalants | 9.7b | 9.7b | 9.5a | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Nonmedical Use of Psychotherapeutics2,3 | 20.4 | 20.6 | 20.4 | 20.4 | 20.7 | 20.3 | 20.8 |
| Pain Relievers | 12.6b | 13.1a | 13.2a | 13.4 | 13.6 | 13.3 | 14.0 |
| OxyContin® | 0.8b | 1.2b | 1.3b | 1.4b | 1.7b | 1.8 | 1.9 |
| Tranquilizers | 8.2 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 8.6 |
| Stimulants3 | 10.0b | 9.7b | 9.3b | 8.6 | 9.1a | 8.7 | 8.5 |
| Methamphetamine3 | 6.5b | 6.4b | 6.0b | 5.2 | 5.8b | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Sedatives | 4.2b | 4.0a | 4.1a | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
| ILLICIT DRUGS OTHER THAN MARIJUANA1 | 29.9 | 29.9 | 29.4 | 29.5 | 29.6 | 29.7 | 30.3 |
Government intervention to make legal drugs such as tobacco and alcohol products more expensive by plaicng higher excise or sales taxes on them has failed as well:
| Gender/Substance | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Low precision; no estimate reported. a Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. b Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. 1 Tobacco Products include cigarettes, smokeless tobacco (i.e., chewing tobacco or snuff), cigars, or pipe tobacco. 2 Binge Alcohol Use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. Heavy Alcohol Use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days; all heavy alcohol users are also binge alcohol users. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. |
|||||||
| TOTAL | |||||||
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS1 | 71,499 | 70,757 | 70,257 | 71,519 | 72,873 | 70,939 | 70,868 |
| Cigarettes | 61,136 | 60,434 | 59,896 | 60,532 | 61,565 | 60,069 | 59,781 |
| Smokeless Tobacco | 7,787a | 7,725a | 7,154b | 7,682a | 8,231 | 8,051 | 8,670 |
| Cigars | 12,751 | 12,837 | 13,727 | 13,640 | 13,708 | 13,263 | 13,126 |
| Pipe Tobacco | 1,816 | 1,619 | 1,835 | 2,190 | 2,321a | 2,046 | 1,877 |
| ALCOHOL | 119,820b | 118,965b | 120,934b | 126,028a | 125,309b | 126,760 | 128,974 |
| Binge Alcohol Use2 | 53,787b | 53,770b | 54,725b | 55,090b | 56,575 | 57,778 | 58,096 |
| Heavy Alcohol Use2 | 15,860a | 16,144a | 16,689 | 16,035a | 16,946 | 17,010 | 17,292 |
| MALE | |||||||
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS1 | 41,991 | 41,288 | 41,569 | 42,175 | 43,389 | 42,369 | 41,881 |
| Cigarettes | 32,636 | 32,263 | 32,278 | 32,312 | 33,220 | 32,607 | 31,942 |
| Smokeless Tobacco | 7,242a | 7,096b | 6,730b | 7,174b | 7,843 | 7,589 | 8,215 |
| Cigars | 10,669 | 10,372 | 11,375 | 11,355 | 11,092 | 10,940 | 10,900 |
| Pipe Tobacco | 1,487 | 1,400 | 1,579 | 1,877a | 2,023a | 1,797 | 1,486 |
| ALCOHOL | 65,210b | 65,927b | 66,317b | 68,497 | 68,025a | 68,088a | 69,989 |
| Binge Alcohol Use2 | 35,456b | 35,565b | 36,195b | 36,025b | 37,298 | 38,128 | 38,292 |
| Heavy Alcohol Use2 | 12,216 | 11,958 | 12,388 | 12,172 | 12,775 | 12,786 | 12,882 |
| FEMALE | |||||||
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS1 | 29,509 | 29,469 | 28,688 | 29,344 | 29,484 | 28,570 | 28,986 |
| Cigarettes | 28,500 | 28,171 | 27,618 | 28,220 | 28,345 | 27,462 | 27,839 |
| Smokeless Tobacco | 545 | 628 | 424 | 508 | 388 | 461 | 455 |
| Cigars | 2,082 | 2,465 | 2,352 | 2,285 | 2,616a | 2,323 | 2,226 |
| Pipe Tobacco | 330 | 219b | 256 | 313 | 298 | 249a | 391 |
| ALCOHOL | 54,610b | 53,038b | 54,616b | 57,531 | 57,283 | 58,672 | 58,986 |
| Binge Alcohol Use2 | 18,331a | 18,205b | 18,530a | 19,065 | 19,276 | 19,651 | 19,805 |
| Heavy Alcohol Use2 | 3,645b | 4,186 | 4,301 | 3,863a | 4,172 | 4,225 | 4,410 |
| Gender/Substance | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Low precision; no estimate reported. a Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. b Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. 1 Tobacco Products include cigarettes, smokeless tobacco (i.e., chewing tobacco or snuff), cigars, or pipe tobacco. 2 Binge Alcohol Use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. Heavy Alcohol Use is defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days; all heavy alcohol users are also binge alcohol users. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. |
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| TOTAL | |||||||
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS1 | 30.4b | 29.8b | 29.2 | 29.4a | 29.6a | 28.6 | 28.4 |
| Cigarettes | 26.0b | 25.4b | 24.9a | 24.9a | 25.0a | 24.2 | 23.9 |
| Smokeless Tobacco | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.0b | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| Cigars | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.7a | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Pipe Tobacco | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 0.9a | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| ALCOHOL | 51.0 | 50.1b | 50.3a | 51.8 | 50.9 | 51.1 | 51.6 |
| Binge Alcohol Use2 | 22.9 | 22.6 | 22.8 | 22.7 | 23.0 | 23.3 | 23.3 |
| Heavy Alcohol Use2 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.6 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
| MALE | |||||||
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS1 | 37.0b | 35.9 | 35.7 | 35.8 | 36.4a | 35.2 | 34.5 |
| Cigarettes | 28.7b | 28.1b | 27.7a | 27.4 | 27.8a | 27.1 | 26.3 |
| Smokeless Tobacco | 6.4 | 6.2 | 5.8b | 6.1a | 6.6 | 6.3 | 6.8 |
| Cigars | 9.4 | 9.0 | 9.8a | 9.6 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| Pipe Tobacco | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.6a | 1.7b | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| ALCOHOL | 57.4 | 57.3 | 56.9 | 58.1 | 57.0 | 56.6 | 57.7 |
| Binge Alcohol Use2 | 31.2 | 30.9 | 31.1 | 30.5 | 31.2 | 31.7 | 31.6 |
| Heavy Alcohol Use2 | 10.8 | 10.4 | 10.6 | 10.3 | 10.7 | 10.6 | 10.6 |
| FEMALE | |||||||
| TOBACCO PRODUCTS1 | 24.3b | 24.0a | 23.1 | 23.4 | 23.3 | 22.4 | 22.5 |
| Cigarettes | 23.4b | 23.0a | 22.3 | 22.5 | 22.4 | 21.5 | 21.7 |
| Smokeless Tobacco | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Cigars | 1.7 | 2.0a | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.1a | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| Pipe Tobacco | 0.3 | 0.2a | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2a | 0.3 |
| ALCOHOL | 44.9 | 43.2b | 44.0a | 45.9 | 45.2 | 46.0 | 45.9 |
| Binge Alcohol Use2 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 14.9 | 15.2 | 15.2 | 15.4 | 15.4 |
| Heavy Alcohol Use2 | 3.0a | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 |
Individuals not governments should decide which products and services including drugs they want to consume and at what price.
Individuals should decide when they need treatment for their consumption decisions.
Let individuals regulate themselves.
Government regulation has failed and continues to fail.
How many Americans will be in U.S. prisons and at what cost for drug use and selling, until the American people say to themselves this war is ” a colossal absurdity”.
| Demographic/Socioeconomic Characteristic | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Low precision; no estimate reported. – Not available. NOTE: Respondents were classified as needing treatment for an illicit drug problem if they met at least one of three criteria during the past year: (1) dependent on illicit drugs; (2) abuse of illicit drugs; or (3) received treatment for illicit drug use at a specialty facility (i.e., drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility [inpatient or outpatient], hospital [inpatient], or mental health center). Illicit Drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically, based on data from original questions not including methamphetamine items added in 2005 and 2006. NOTE: Estimates shown on this table correspond to Healthy People 2010 Objective Number 26-18a ( http://www.healthypeople.gov/ ). a Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. b Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. 1 These racial categories do not distinguish among ethnic origin (i.e., Hispanic or Latino origin), so they include respondents who are either Hispanic or not Hispanic. 2 Estimates are based on a definition of Poverty Level that incorporates information on family income, size, and composition and is calculated as a percentage of the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. |
|||||||
| TOTAL | 1,412 | 1,103 | 1,427 | 1,280 | 1,576a | 1,343 | 1,209 |
| RACE1 | |||||||
| American Indian or Alaska Native | * | * | 8 | * | * | * | * |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 13 | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Asian Only | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Only | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Black or African American | 289 | 205 | 336a | 345a | 361a | 249 | 163 |
| White | 1,056 | 829 | 983 | 892 | 1,155 | 1,024 | 987 |
| Two or More Races | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| HISPANIC ORIGIN AND RACE | |||||||
| Hispanic or Latino | 172 | 89 | 142 | 182 | 304a | 91 | 130 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 1,240 | 1,014 | 1,285 | 1,098 | 1,272 | 1,253 | 1,079 |
| Black or African American | 285 | 202 | 334a | 343a | 299a | 245 | 162 |
| White | 894 | 757 | 845 | 722 | 919 | 943 | 867 |
| GENDER | |||||||
| Male | 826 | 732 | 914 | 748 | 979a | 917 | 712 |
| Female | 587 | 371 | 513 | 532 | 597 | 427 | 497 |
| POVERTY LEVEL (% of Census Bureau Poverty Threshold)2 |
|||||||
| Less Than 100% | – | – | – | 451 | 524 | 387 | 384 |
| 100-199% | – | – | – | 301 | 361 | 272 | 333 |
| 200% or More | – | – | – | 522 | 689 | 682 | 490 |
| AGE GROUP | |||||||
| 12-17 | 142 | 113 | 134 | 142 | 136 | 111 | 111 |
| 18 or Older | 1,270 | 990 | 1,293 | 1,139 | 1,440a | 1,232 | 1,098 |
| Demographic/Socioeconomic Characteristic | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Low precision; no estimate reported. – Not available. NOTE: Respondents were classified as needing treatment for an illicit drug problem if they met at least one of three criteria during the past year: (1) dependent on illicit drugs; (2) abuse of illicit drugs; or (3) received treatment for illicit drug use at a specialty facility (i.e., drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility [inpatient or outpatient], hospital [inpatient], or mental health center). Illicit Drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically, based on data from original questions not including methamphetamine items added in 2005 and 2006. NOTE: Estimates shown on this table correspond to Healthy People 2010 Objective Number 26-18a ( http://www.healthypeople.gov/ ). a Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.05 level. b Difference between estimate and 2008 estimate is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. 1 These racial categories do not distinguish among ethnic origin (i.e., Hispanic or Latino origin), so they include respondents who are either Hispanic or not Hispanic. 2 Estimates are based on a definition of Poverty Level that incorporates information on family income, size, and composition and is calculated as a percentage of the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. |
|||||||
| TOTAL | 18.2 | 15.0 | 17.7 | 17.0 | 20.3a | 17.8 | 16.0 |
| RACE1 | |||||||
| American Indian or Alaska Native | * | * | 5.8 | * | * | * | * |
| Asian or Pacific Islander | 9.0 | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Asian Only | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander Only | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| Black or African American | 22.1 | 21.1 | 26.2a | 24.7a | 25.8a | 20.8 | 13.8 |
| White | 17.4 | 14.0 | 15.8 | 15.6 | 19.6 | 17.3 | 16.4 |
| Two or More Races | * | * | * | * | * | * | * |
| HISPANIC ORIGIN AND RACE | |||||||
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.9 | 8.4 | 12.7 | 19.4 | 24.0a | 9.6 | 12.0 |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 18.8 | 16.1 | 18.5 | 16.6 | 19.6 | 19.0 | 16.6 |
| Black or African American | 22.8 | 21.4 | 26.4a | 25.0a | 22.9 | 20.9 | 14.1 |
| White | 17.9 | 15.3 | 16.4 | 14.9 | 19.2 | 18.7 | 17.2 |
| GENDER | |||||||
| Male | 17.0 | 16.0 | 18.1 | 16.2 | 19.8 | 18.4 | 16.2 |
| Female | 20.4 | 13.4 | 17.1 | 18.2 | 21.3a | 16.8 | 15.7 |
| POVERTY LEVEL (% of Census Bureau Poverty Threshold)2 |
|||||||
| Less Than 100% | – | – | – | 24.3 | 28.2 | 22.6 | 23.2 |
| 100-199% | – | – | – | 17.7 | 20.8 | 17.9 | 19.1 |
| 200% or More | – | – | – | 13.3 | 16.8a | 16.1 | 12.0 |
| AGE GROUP | |||||||
| 12-17 | 10.1 | 8.5 | 9.6 | 11.3 | 11.2 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| 18 or Older | 20.1 | 16.5 | 19.4 | 18.1 | 22.0a | 19.2 | 17.2 |
While the number of drug users has gone down in the United States, the number of individuals in prisons has gone up.
As a classical liberal or libertarian my concern is not on the drug users but the consequences of the war on drugs on individuals who do not consume or use illegal drugs.
When any substance is made illegal to use or sell, the suppliers of these illegal drugs can earn substantial profits for assuming the risk of distributing.
The result is criminal gangs or cartels fighting to monopilize the illegal drug trade.
When you legalize drugs and take away most if not all of the high profits to be made in the distriubtion and sale of the drugs, the criminal gangs or cartels look towards another activity to make money.
As long as these drugs are illegal, the criminal gangs will be attracted to its sale and distribution.
The results in violence to those not involved in the sale and use of the drugs as well as the corruption of public officials.
Good intentions are not enough.
Make the drugs legal and you will put many of the drug gangs out of business.
Then the police can focus their attention on violent criminals.
By far overeating, tobacco, and alcohol use or abuse leads to bigger health and medical problems than illegal drugs.
Government intervention in the form of prohibition, like wage and price controls, never works, and does more long term harm than good.
Ron Paul debates Stephen Baldwin on Legalizing Marijuana
Glenn Beck Legalize Marijuana & Stop The Violence
“…The proper role of government is exactly what John Stuart Mill said in the middle of the 19th century in On Liberty. The proper role of government is to prevent other people from harming an individual. Government, he said, never has any right to interfere with an individual for that individual’s own good.
The case for prohibiting drugs is exactly as strong and as weak as the case for prohibiting people from overeating. We all know that overeating causes more deaths than drugs do.
If it’s in principle OK for the government to say you must not consume drugs because they’ll do you harm, why isn’t it all right to say you must not eat too much because you’ll do harm? Why isn’t it all right to say you must not try to go in for skydiving because you’re likely to die? Why isn’t it all right to say, “Oh, skiing, that’s no good, that’s a very dangerous sport, you’ll hurt yourself”? Where do you draw the line?…”
~Milton Friedman
Background Articles and Videos
Thucydides
“…Thucydides (c. 460 BC – c. 395 BC) (Greek Θουκυδίδης, Thoukydídēs) was a Greek historian and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the 5th century BC war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of “scientific history” because of his strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis in terms of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods, as outlined in his introduction to his work.[1]
He has also been called the father of the school of political realism, which views the relations between nations as based on might rather than right.[2] His classical text is still studied at advanced military colleges worldwide, and the Melian dialogue remains a seminal work of international relations theory.
More generally, Thucydides showed an interest in developing an understanding of human nature to explain behaviour in such crises as plague, massacres, as in that of the Melians, and civil war. …”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thucydides
Overview of Drug Use in the United States
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an annual survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), estimates the prevalence of illicit drug use in the United States. Some of the more notable statistics from the 2004 study follow.
- An estimated 19.1 million Americans age 12 years or older were current users of illicit drugs in 2004, meaning they used an illicit drug at least once during the 30 days prior to being interviewed. This represents 7.9% of the population 12–17 years. The rate declined slightly between 2002 and 2004 (8.3% in 2002 and 8.2% in 2003).
- Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, with a rate of 6.1% (14.6 million current users). There were 2.0 million current cocaine users, 467,000 of whom used crack. Hallucinogens were used by 929,000 people, and there were an estimated 166,000 heroin users. All of these estimates are similar to estimates for 2003.
- Between 2002 and 2004, past-month marijuana use declined for male youths aged 12 to 17 (9.1% in 2002, 8.6% in 2003, and 8.1% in 2004), but it remained level for female youths (7.2%, 7.2%, and 7.1%, respectively) during the same time span.
- The number of current users of Ecstasy (MDMA) had decreased between 2002 and 2003, from 676,000 to 470,000, but the number did not change between 2003 and 2004 (450,000).
- In 2004, 6.0 million persons were current users of psychotherapeutic drugs taken nonmedically (2.5%). These include 4.4 million who used pain relievers, 1.6 million who used tranquilizers, 1.2 million who used stimulants, and 0.3 million who used sedatives. These estimates are all similar to the corresponding estimates for 2003.
- Among youths aged 12 to 17, rates of current illicit drug use varied significantly by major racial/ethnic groups in 2004. The rate was highest among American Indian or Alaska Native youths (26.0%). Rates were 12.2% for youths reporting two or more races, 11.1% for white youths, 10.2% for Hispanic youths, 9.3% for black youths, and 6.0% for Asian youths.
- In 2004, 19.2% of unemployed adults aged 18 or older were current illicit drug users compared with 8.0% of those employed full time and 10.3% of those employed part time. However, of the 16.4 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2004, 12.3 million (75.2%) were employed either full or part time.
- About 22.5 million Americans aged 12 or older in 2004 were classified with past year substance dependence or abuse (9.4% of the population), about the same number as in 2002 and 2003. Of these, 3.4 million were classified with dependence on or abuse of both alcohol and illicit drugs, 3.9 million were dependent on or abused illicit drugs but not alcohol, and 15.2 million were dependent on or abused alcohol but not illicit drugs.
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0880105.html
The economics of drug prohibition and drug legalization
Social Research, Fall, 2001 by Jeffrey A. Miron
“…the paper first presents an economic analysis of drug prohibition and demonstrates how drug markets under prohibition compare to drug markets under legalization. The analysis shows that many negative outcomes typically attributed to drugs are the result of prohibition, and it explains why these outcomes would be reduced or eliminated under legalization. This analysis does not by itself imply that legalization is preferable to prohibition; the analysis suggests that one effect of prohibition is reduced consumption of drugs, and under some views this is a desirable outcome. The analysis simply makes clear that some features of drug markets and drug use are the result of drug prohibition–independent of the physical or pharmacological properties of drugs–and it provides a framework for thinking about the consequences of alternative policies.
The second part of the paper discusses the conditions under which drug prohibition is likely to be the right public policy response to the negative outcomes that can accompany drug use. Since most effects of prohibition are undesirable, the main potential benefit of prohibition is any reduction in drug consumption relative to what would occur under legalization. I discuss different perspectives on drug consumption and how these relate to the virtues, or not, of prohibition. The discussion explains that standard arguments used to justify policies to reduce drug consumption are less compelling than commonly asserted, even though drug use causes substantial harm in some cases. The discussion also explains that, even if reducing drug use is an appropriate public policy goal, other methods for reducing drug consumption are available that potentially achieve a better balance between the harms of drug use and the harms of drug policy.
The paper’s third section discusses alternatives to prohibition and legalization, such as sin taxation, subsidized treatment, medical provision of drugs, needle exchanges, and public health campaigns. Many of these policies can and do coexist with prohibition or legalization, but they are distinct policies that require separate analysis. I show that each policy has positive and negative aspects, and that evaluation of each depends on views about drug consumption and on relevant evidence. …”
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2267/is_3_68/ai_80310014/
Consumer Sovereignty
Consumer sovereignty is a term which is used in economics to refer to the rule or sovereignty of consumers in markets as to production of goods. It is the power of consumers to decide what gets produced. People use the this term to describe the consumer as the “king,” or ruler, of the market, the one who determines what products will be produced. [1] Also, this term denotes the way in which a consumer ideologically chooses to buy a good or service. Furthermore, the term can be used as either a norm (as to what consumers should be permitted) or a description (as to what consumers are permitted).
In unrestricted markets, those with income or wealth are able to use their purchasing power to motivate producers as what to produce (and how much). Customers do not necessarily have to buy and, if dissatisfied, can take their business elsewhere, while the profit-seeking sellers find that they can make the greatest profit by trying to provide the best possible products for the price (or the lowest possible price for a given product). In the language of cliché, “The one with the gold makes the rules.”
To most neoclassical economists, complete consumer sovereignty is an ideal rather than a reality because of the existence — or even the ubiquity — of market failure. Some economists of the Chicago school and the Austrian school see consumer sovereignty as a reality in a free market economy without interference from government or other non-market institutions, or anti-market institutions such as monopolies or cartels. That is, alleged market failures are seen as being a result of non-market forces.
The term “consumer sovereignty” was coined by William Hutt who firstly used it in his 1936 book “Economists and the Public”.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_sovereignty
Marian Diamond–Integrative Biology 131: General Human Anatomy. Fall 2005. –University of California, Berkeley–Videos
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 01: Organization of Body
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 02: Skeletal System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 03: Skeletal System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 04: Skeletal System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 05: Skeletal System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 06: Skeletal System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 07: Skeletal System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 08: Skeletal System,…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 09: Muscular System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 10: Muscular System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 11: Muscular System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 12: Hematology
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 13: Hematology
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 14: Hematology,…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 15:
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 16: Blood Vascular System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 17: Blood Vascular System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 18: Lymphatic System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 19: Respiratory System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 20: Review
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 21: Respiratory System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 22: Neurohistology
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 23: Neurohistology,…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 24: Development of…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 25: Spinal Cord and…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 26: Peripheral Nerves
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 27: Sensory and Motor…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 28: Motor Pathways and…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 29: Forebrain
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 30: Eye
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 31: Review
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 32: Digestive System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 33: Digestive System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 34: Digestive, Urinary System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 35: Urinary System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 36: Endocrine System03:
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 37: Endocrine, Female…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 38: Female…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 39: Male Reproductive…
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 40: Integumentary System
Integrative Biology 131 – Lecture 03:
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Donald Kagan–Ancient Greek History–Open Yale Course–Videos
Sylvia Ceyer–Principles of Chemical Science–Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Courseware–Videos
J. Michael McBride–Organic Chemistry–Yale University Online Course–Videos
Robert Schiller–Financial Markets–Videos
Steven B. Smith On Political Philosophy–Videos
David Zetland–Political Economy–Videos
Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )Obama’s Big Whopper–”The largest deficit reduction plan in a decade.”–Delusional Deceitful Democrats–Massive Tax Increases and Economy Wrecker–Health Care Bill If Passed Is Unconstitutional!
OBAMA “HEALTH CARE REFORM WILL COST
“They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security.”
“He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals.”
~Benjamin Franklin
cnn – senate passes health care bill – whats in the bill?
UPDATED
Health Care Forum Excerpt – 07-29-10
John Goodman on Health Care Reform
Stop Obama Death Care Socialized Medicine! (Share with Friends!)
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Stop Spending Our Future – The Crisis
LOL
The Progressive Radical Socialist Democratic Party Goes Over The Precipice
Senate Dems reach 60 vote threshold on health bill
By DAVID ESPO AND RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR (AP)
“…Nelson, D-Neb., said Saturday he made his decision after winning fresh concessions to limit the availability of abortions in insurance sold in newly created exchanges, as well as tens of million in federal Medicaid funds for his home state.
“I know this is hard for some of my colleagues to accept and I appreciate their right to disagree,” he said at a news conference in the Capitol, referring to the abortion issue. “But I would not have voted for this bill without these provisions.”
He also noted he had successfully fended off attempts to provide for a government-run insurance option to compete with private insurers.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the revised measure would lower deficits by $132 billion over a decade, with the possibility of much higher reductions in the subsequent decade.
At the White House, Obama cited those numbers in hailing the legislation as “the largest deficit reduction plan in a decade.” In a brief statement, the president also said the country is “on the cusp of making health care reform a reality.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091219/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_care_overhaul
The only way to control health care costs is to increase competition in the health insurance and provider markets and empower individuals to chose affordable, portable, and individual insurance plans that meet their needs.
Markets work, government monopolies do not.
Medicare is going broke and doctors refuse to see Medicaid patients.
Social Security+Medicare Projections
The Federal Government refuses to pay their bills and shift cost to those with private medical insurance.
Government health care will lead to even higher medical costs.
The American people will revolt over this bill once they learn what is in it.
Once the American people find out that they will be required or forced to buy a government mandated health insurance plan from an insurance company that is very expensive because it is community rate and must take all people who apply, President Obama will lose the youth vote and white vote for good.
If you do not buy the forced mandated government approved health insurance plan, you will be fined by the IRS.
Instead of consumer sovereignty or the freedom to choose what you buy with your hard-earned money, the Federal Government will dictate what you must buy–a very expensive community rated health insurance plan from a large insurance company.
This will lead to the eventual elimination of individual high deductible health plans (HDHP) that are combined with a Health Saving Plan (HSA) that are very popular with the American people because they are both affordable, portable and enables them to control their health care costs.
Health Savings Accounts – Part 2 – HDHP Insurance
John Stossel – Insurance, Health Care, Government, and Rising Prices
If you do not buy health insurance plan, you will be fined by the IRS and the money taken out of your checking account or other assets.
This health care bill is tyrannical, unconstitutional, and un-American.
How dare they?
They did it in Massachusetts and this is the result:
Don’t Want Health Insurance? It’ll Cost You
The progressive radical socialist Democratic Party have already lost the conservative and libertarian, independent, and those on Medicare that comprise over 80% of the voters.
This is indeed committing political suicide for the simple reason that the core political base of the Democratic party consisting of blacks and liberals/progressives which make up 20% of voters.
Thank you progressive radical socialists of the Democrat Party for committing political suicide.
There will be day of reckoning.
In six years the progressive radical socialist Democratic Party will be a very small minority party consisting of progressive radial socialists that at most comprise 20% of the American electorate.
The words hubris and marginalized would be a fair description of the Democratic Party.
The irony is that if the reader President Obama has shown some leadership he could have easily obtained a health care reform bill that would have received over 90 votes in the Senate and 400 in the House by building a consensus bill that has the support of the American people.
Instead his fatal conceit and unconstrained progressive radical socialist vision lead him down the road to serfdom and the end of his presidency.
Mr. President you are now a lame duck and a marked man for selling out to the special interests including the large insurance companies, drug companies, unions, and the personal injury trail lawyers–you’re a hypocrite, phony and disgrace–a reader not a leader–little hope and change few want.
You have lost the trust and confidence of the American people who by a vast majority do not support this unconstitutional health care reform bill.
Congratulations Mr. President, the conservatives, libertarians, independents, those on Medicare, Republicans, Reagan Democrats and soon the young will be working passionately for your defeat and the defeat of the progressive radical socialists in the Democratic Party in 2010, 2012, and 2016.
“It is one of the saddest spectacles of our time to see a great democratic movement support a policy which must lead to the destruction of democracy and which meanwhile can benefit only a minority of the masses who support it. Yet it is this support from the Left of the tendencies toward monopoly which make them irresistible and the prospects of the future so dark. So long as labor continues to assist in the destruction of the only order under which at least some degree of independence and freedom has been secured to every worker, there is indeed little hope for the future. The labor leader who now proclaim so loudly that they have “done once and for all with the mad competitive system” are proclaiming the doom of the freedom of the individual. …”
~Friedrich A. Hayek, The Road to Serfdom, Chaper XIII, The Totalitarians In Our Midst, page 199.
Background Articles and Videos
The Health Bill Is Scary
Tom Coburn
“… My 25 years as a practicing physician have shown me what happens when government attempts to practice medicine: Doctors respond to government coercion instead of patient cues, and patients die prematurely. Even if the public option is eliminated from the bill, these onerous rationing provisions will remain intact.
For instance, the Reid bill (in sections 3403 and 2021) explicitly empowers Medicare to deny treatment based on cost. An Independent Medicare Advisory Board created by the bill—composed of permanent, unelected and, therefore, unaccountable members—will greatly expand the rationing practices that already occur in the program. Medicare, for example, has limited cancer patients’ access to Epogen, a costly but vital drug that stimulates red blood cell production. It has limited the use of virtual, and safer, colonoscopies due to cost concerns. And Medicare refuses medical claims at twice the rate of the largest private insurers.
Section 6301 of the Reid bill creates new comparative effectiveness research (CER) programs. CER panels have been used as rationing commissions in other countries such as the U.K., where 15,000 cancer patients die prematurely every year according to the National Cancer Intelligence Network. CER panels here could effectively dictate coverage options and ration care for plans that participate in the state insurance exchanges created by the bill.
Additionally, the Reid bill depends on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in no fewer than 14 places. This task force was responsible for advising women under 50 to not undergo annual mammograms. The administration claims the task force recommendations do not carry the force of law, but the Reid bill itself contradicts them in section 2713. The bill explicitly states, on page 17, that health insurance plans “shall provide coverage for” services approved by the task force. This chilling provision represents the government stepping between doctors and patients. When the government asserts the power to provide care, it also asserts the power to deny care. …”
I.O.U.S.A.
High-Decuctible Health Plan
“…A high-deductible health plan (HDHP) is a health insurance plan with lower premiums and higher deductibles than a traditional health plan.
As related to health savings accounts
Participating in a “qualified” HDHP is a requirement for health savings accounts and other tax-advantaged programs. In this context, HDHPs are plans with a minimum deductible of $1,150 for self and $2,300 for self-and-family coverage. The maximum amount out-of-pocket limits for HDHPs is $5,800 for self and $11,600 for self-and-family enrollment. The Internal Revenue Service released the 2010 amounts on May 15, 2009 via Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2009-29, which will be modified each year to reflect the change in cost of living.
| Year | Minimum deductible (single) | Minimum deductible (family) | Maximum out-of-pocket (single) | Maximum out-of-pocket (family) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $5,100 | $10,200 |
| 2006 | $1,050 | $2,100 | $5,250 | $10,500 |
| 2007 | $1,100 | $2,200 | $5,500 | $11,000 |
| 2008 | $1,100 | $2,200 | $5,600 | $11,200 |
| 2009 | $1,150 | $2,300 | $5,800 | $11,600 |
| 2010 | $1,200 | $2,400 | $5,950 | $11,900 |
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-deductible_health_plan
Health Savings Accounts
“…A health savings account (HSA), is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The funds contributed to the account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. Unlike a flexible spending account (FSA), funds roll over and accumulate year to year if not spent. HSAs are owned by the individual, which differentiates them from the company-owned Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) that is an alternate tax-deductible source of funds paired with HDHPs. Funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses at any time without federal tax liability. Withdrawals for non-medical expenses are treated very similarly to those in an IRA in that they may provide tax advantages if taken after retirement age, and they incur penalties if taken earlier. These accounts are a component of consumer driven health care.
Proponents of HSAs believe that they are an important reform that will help reduce the growth of health care costs and increase the efficiency of the health care system. According to proponents, HSAs encourage saving for future health care expenses, allow the patient to receive needed care without a gate keeper to determine what benefits are allowed and make consumers more responsible for their own health care choices through the required High-Deductible Health Plan.
Opponents of HSAs say they worsen, rather than improve, the U.S. health system’s problems because people who are healthy will leave insurance plans while people who have health problems will avoid HSAs. There is also debate about consumer satisfaction with these plans. …”
“…Deposits to an HSA may be made by any policyholder of an HSA-eligible high-deductible health plan or by their employer, or any other person. If an employer makes deposits to such a plan on behalf of its employees, non-discrimination rules still apply — that is, all employees must be treated equally. However, if contributions are made through a Section 125 plan, non-discrimination rules do not apply. Employers may treat full-time and part-time employees differently, and employers may treat individual and family participants differently. (The treatment of employees who are not enrolled in a HSA-eligible high-deductible plan is not considered for non-discrimination purposes.) Also, for 2007, employers may contribute more for non-highly compensated employees than highly compensated employees.
Contributions from an employer or employee may be made on a pre-tax basis through an employer. If this option is not available through the employer, contributions may be made on a post-tax basis and then used to decrease gross taxable income on the following year’s Form 1040. The main advantage of making pre-tax contributions is the FICA and Medicare Tax deduction, which amounts to a savings of 7.65% each to the employer and employee. The self-employed must pay self-employment tax on their contributions. Regardless of the method or tax savings associated with the deposit, the deposits may only be made for persons covered under an HSA-eligible high-deductible plan, with no other coverage beyond certain qualified additional coverage.
Initially, the annual maximum deposit to an HSA was the lesser of the actual deductible or specified IRS limits. Congress later abolished the limit based on the deductible and set statutory limits for maximum contributions. For example, the 2008 statutory limits are $2,900 individual and $5,800 family.
A catch-up provision also applies for plan participants who are age 55 or over, allowing the IRS limit to be increased.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag.[7]
There are several ways that funds in an HSA can be withdrawn. Some HSAs include a debit card, some supply checks for account holder use, and some allow for a reimbursement process similar to medical insurance. Most HSAs have more than one possible method for withdrawal. The exact method of withdrawal varies from HSA to HSA and can be considered a marketing design issue. Checks and debits do not have to be made payable to the provider. Funds can be withdrawn for any reason, but withdrawals that are not for documented qualified medical expenses are subject to income taxes and a 10% penalty. The 10% tax penalty is waived for persons who have reached the age of 65 or have become disabled at the time of the withdrawal. Then, only income tax is paid on the withdrawal, and in effect the account has grown tax deferred (similar to an IRA). Medical expenses continue to be tax free.
Account holders are required to retain documentation for their qualified medical expenses. Failure to retain and provide documentation could cause the IRS to rule withdrawals were not for qualified medical expenses and subject the taxpayer to additional penalties.[8]
When a person dies, the funds in their HSA are transferred to the beneficiary named for the account. If the beneficiary is a surviving spouse, the transfer is tax-free. …”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_savings_account
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Read Full Post | Make a Comment ( None so far )In Lies We Trust–Videos
In Lies We Trust Part 1 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 2 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 3 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 4 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 5 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 6 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 7 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 8 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 9 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 10 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 11 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 12 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 13 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 14 of 15
In Lies We Trust Part 15 of 15
Background Articles and Videos
In Lies We Trust… The CIA, Hollywood and Bioterrorism
“…Government agencies are conducting a genocidal campaign against Americans according to a leading public health and intelligence agency analyst, Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz. In Lies We Trust: The CIA, Hollywood & Bioterrorism, exposes the corporations and politicians advancing the “War on Terror” as American traitors manipulating, maiming, and killing millions of unwitting citizens. ~ Documentary
In an urgent life-saving plea for sanity in the administration of domestic policies in the “War on Terror,” Dr. Horowitz, a Harvard-trained, internationally-acclaimed, humanitarian has gifted this production, free of copyright restrictions, to the American people as a last ditch effort to awaken the nation to what amounts to genocide—the mass killing, fear mongering, and pharmaceutical enslaving of people for profit.
Last summer, the Department of Homeland Security, allied with the Department of Health and Human Services, launched a 24-hour Dish Network channel devoted to national preparedness. When Dr. Horowitz viewed their feature film, History of Bioterrorism, he was appalled by the propaganda. Determined to set the record straight, he spent the next 6 months preparing this hard-hitting exposé.
In Lies We Trust weaves famous Hollywood film footage with critical commentaries to show how and why the CIA is conditioning Americans to accept new wars, deadly drugs, and poisonous vaccines, sickening and killing millions of trusting victims. Otherwise known as population reduction, or population control, the “War on Terror,” like the “War on Cancer” and the “War on AIDS,” affords policy-makers the cover to administer profitable population manipulation under the guise of public health and national security. This shocking revelation is backed by compelling evidence from secreted documents now freely downloadable at www.inlieswetrust.com.
Officials say parents need to ready their families for emergencies by getting emergency kits, pre-paid calling cards, air filtration systems, and vaccinations. Dr. Horowitz’s evidence shows those profiting most from these recommendations are the least trustworthy foreign corporations and politicians in America.
“It is one thing to tell Americans, ‘Get prepared for emergencies,’ and another to violate common sense and the public’s trust,” Dr. Horowitz said. “The government’s History of Bioterrorism lacks historic accuracy, general credibility, and audience sensitivity. This propaganda is an essential part of their ‘War of Terror,’ luring Americans, particularly millions of people already depressed or phobic, into more serious psychopathologies, drug addictions, vaccine toxicities, and pharmaceutical dependencies; restricting life, liberty, and everyone’s pursuit of happiness. . . . These are, sadly, the objectives to which Americans must awaken to save their lives.”
In Lies We Trust exposes the agents and agencies responsible for our culture of lucrative bioterror. The most profitable war in history—the “War on Cancer”—is shown to be a contrivance of the same corporations and politicians that seek population reductions through chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical poisonings. Many new diseases and treatment resistant germs, the film explains, come from laboratories, “not nature’s curses.” …”
http://knowthelies.com/?q=node/4323
