Passing the Healthcare Insurance reform Bill and the hypocrisy of our elected officials.

On the very moment of this historic Healthcare Insurance reform vote, I thought about the hypocrisy of our so called leaders in Washington. I won't name names, or Parties as to who is to blame but here's my 2 cents worth. In the last decade we faced many challenges as Americans. The issue was for all Americans to support the Government as there were threats from abroad, specifically Al Qaeda, And to do this by allowing your government to wiretap your phones unlawfully and to give this government broad powers as we were at war. We now know they at least misled us, if not blatantly lied to us. Those who supported the government back then are the same voices telling us today NOT to trust healthcare to the government, even though this bill allows the Health Insurance companies to have major control of healthcare insurance payment management. I am glad enough of the legislature has put aside their objections to enact this Bill today. I only wish we had a yearlong debate and vote as to whether we should have invaded Iraq. Any Amen's out there are most welcome in the comment section. :) This is a historic vote. IT IS A HISTORIC VICTORY FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA

Is bad Healthcare reform dead? Does good health insurance reform have a chance now? Look for answers in healthcare stock prices.

With all that has happened this past week, I thought an update on the Healthcare stocks was in order. If you have been reading here for a while, I have said countless times, that if you wanted to know if the proposed Legislation by the Democrats was good for average Americans, just watch the price of the stocks of United Healthcare and Wellpoint.

As you can see from the chart above, back on Dec, 5th, the Democrats conceded that the Public Option appeared dead. On Monday, Dec. 7th both stocks started to rise and gained almost 30% at the peak of each chart. On Tuesday, in Massachusetts voted in a Republican Senator to fill former Ted Kennedy's seat, a significant upset which continues to reverberate throughout the Democratic Party and the News media, this weekend. Again, as you can see from the charts, this election of a Republican, which denies the Democrats of their super majority of 60 votes, also appears to deny the Health Insurance companies the benefits they were hoping to get with the proposed legislation. This is signified by the drop after the market close on Tuesday, Jan. 19th and the market close of Jan. 20th and had continued through the day yesterday.

If you assume for a minute that what is good for Health Insurance companies is bad for average Americans, then this move is good and hopefully will continue. The Healthcare legislation needs to be bipartisan.

My suggestions for this are as follows:
1. What is needed is simplicity, not a 2008 page Bill.
2. Insurance companies must not deny coverage for pre-existing conditions any longer.
3. People should be able to buy Insurance across State lines, as they can do for car insurance.
4. Tort reform is also important and should be included in any proposed legislation.
5. Everyone should be required from age 25 and over to purchase Health Insurance.

This would be a good start for bipartisanship and would still allow an unprecedented victory for the Obama Administration and the Democratic Party.

Companies reporting earnings but not top line Revenue growth! We are still in a recession.

I have been watching the earnings reports come in this week and last and specifically looking at the revenue numbers of each company. Even though many companies are beating EPS (Earnings per Share) compared to last year, the real story is that most companies are reporting less Revenue this year than last year, say but a few. Th companies defying that trend are the Pharmaceuticals. Both Pfizer and Elli Lilly saw good gains in Revenue. Lilly reported this morning a 7% gain in top line Revenue as compared to last year.

Still don't think we need major heath care reform?!

Concerns about the National Debt

It seems that the Republicans have gotten the public attention in ensuring the National Debt does not grow under President Obama. The outrage has manifested itself in "Town Hall" meetings this past August and continues in any public gatherings with politicians in well organized attacks on proposed healthcare reform or should I say health insurance reform. I thought I would once again set the record straight by posting today's chart. You will need to click to enlarge it, but it is clear which Presidents have increased the National Debt over the past. Oh, and the chart does not show all the debt under George W. Bush. He actually added over $4 Trillion to the national debt so make sure you extend the chart up to $10 Trillion, as the chart only goes to $7 Trillion for President George Bush (source). Under President Clinton, you will notice he turned the trajectory of the curve only to have it turn up again under Bush. I ask you, where were the Republicans worrying about the National Debt under Reagan or under the past 8 years of George W. Bush when the Republican controlled Congress passed huge tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or spent money on the Iraq war "off budget" never accounting for the hit on our debt as we borrowed money we didn't have for a war we should never have fought.