Onto the muddled state I find myself in…all thoughts, comments, yeahs or nays welcome.

Thought #1: Health care.  I am one of the self-employed corralled into an individual health plan and therefore subject to limits based on what I’ve been able to afford to buy into.  You’ve heard me complain about the cost of my premium, but what I forgot to mention (some of you emailed that your own plans were more costly) is that I’m on what is called a 40/60 plan with no limit on the deductible and no preventive coverage, and a $40/visit co-pay.  So if I go to the doctor 10 times in the year (let’s say I had been injured, or got whooping cough), that is $400 for my co-pays, plus 40% of each visit.  If I were hospitalized and the bill is a mere $10k, I’m on the hook for $4k, etc.  So here is where I’m a bit confounded right now.  We are all aware that there is a pertussis (whooping cough) epidemic in California.  I’ve received emails and voicemails from LAUSD reminding me to innoculate my daughter with the tDAP vaccine.  Because the vaccine is considered preventive care, it is not covered by my plan.  It will cost me $85 – $90 each for my child and I to be innoculated. 

I’m on a search for the free vaccine, however most free or low cost clinics listed through LA city insist on a full medical exam for each of us prior to the exam, even though we both have regular doctors.  The cost for the exams will be the same, if not more, than the cost of shot.  So, it will cost me about $170 for the shots, which I plan on paying for.  Money is tight for everyone…so let’s say that I didn’t get the innoculations.  If I caught whooping cough, aside from potentially dying, wouldn’t the costs for my health care be a whole lot higher than $170?  I’m just saying….

Thought #2: Oh my gawd!  Watching the lead up to the Nov. 2nd elections is PAINFUL.  Painful.  Worse than listening to fingernails scratching against blackboard (those days are long gone…only whiteboards and dry erase markers now…) is watching the sound byte lies permeating the ads on both sides of the aisle.  However, since the GOP is spending a bit more on their ads, they seem to be even more out there in the “let me lie, but call it marketing” campaigns. 

One of my faves is the Christine O’Donnell “I am not a witch” ad.  Dressed in somber colors, lit up like a ghoul against a dark blue backdrop, with a bizarrely haunting piano track, I swear I can see ghosts floating around behind her. 

Another fave for sheer idiocy is the anti-Meg Pinnocchio nose-growing ad.  I can’t stand Whitman, but seriously…this ad is laughable. 

But my absolute favorite ad (this time for sheer brilliance) is again, a Jerry Brown sponsored anti-Meg Whitman ad, juxtaposing her sound bytes against Arnold’s bytes from his first campaign.  Yup…same words.  I’m sure she’s had a conversation or two with her campaign manager and speech writers about it.  Enjoy.

Thought #3:  Self-esteem.  Have you noticed everyone is suffering a bit at the self-esteem front?  Could it be because 41% (or just about) of the employable workforce is unemployed?  Do you keep hearing people say “well…with 10% of America unemployed 90% are working”.  False.  Untrue.  Bad math.   There are about 300 million Americans.  You have to take out the retired (forceably or otherwise) and children and other non-working family members as well as those in “institutional” roles…i.e. non general population workforce.  Then there are also those who have given up looking for work (about 2 million). Then look at the numbers in the perspective of the American non-institutional workforce.  You get a true employment to population ratio is 58.5%.  How many of those in America who CAN work are in fact, working.   Here is the report…if you head down to the bar graph at the bottom of the report it is easier to figure out.  (Look for 58.5% and you’ll see how the labor metrics work.)  So 14.8 million are unemployed out of a potential pool of 150M civilian laborers.  That’s how it shakes out.

With horror, I’m watching the Tea Party gain popularity through whitened teeth, attractive hair styles, lots of accusation and little substance.  With shock, I’m watching the Democrats continue to play humble pie, too fearful to come out swinging for all they are worth.  And with the rubber-necking fascination of seeing a roadside accident, I’m crumbling in despair as it seems the Republican policies that got us into a disastrous mess, gain ground.  On October 1, Michael Moore penned an article on Huffington Post, that only he can author – on what the Dems needs do…must do…in order to turn around their own failing tide.   As an insurance agent said to my sister after her home was red-tagged in the ’94 Northridge earthquake “The squeakier the wheel, the more oil it gets”, so, too must all those who believe in a strong middle class, with a leading government, make their voices heard.  There is precious little time to November 2^nd. 

My experience – being a Canadian/America, and steeped in both cultures and economic setups – affords me, for better or worse, a unique perspective.  So, I’d like to share two small examples of where the American system is failing the middle class, and in particular, small business owners.

1)      In 2008, I left the corporate world and started my own business venture.  With the interest rates low, and a desire to sell my home and purchase a different one, I contacted my mortgage lender, Bank of America, to whom I had been paying a mortgage without one late day of payment for over 10 years, to ask for a letter of approval so that I could use the exact same mortgage amount I currently had, to purchase a new home.  I wasn’t asking for more credit…just the same as I’d had for 10 years – essentially transferring the debt allocation to a different address.  I was turned down.  Because I’d been in business for only 2 years, my situation made me ineligible to qualify. 

The business practices small business owners employ put us at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a mortgage.  Banks that are proud to partner with small business, would qualify me, so I’m in a positive position, however, how is it possible that this big hefty bank can so quickly dismiss the small business owner and 15 year client?  (It’s not just me…there is more coming.)

There is a deep disconnect and a bit of a catch-22.  The federal government freed up money specifically so that the banks would lend.  However, the banks aren’t owned by the government, so law or no, the banks aren’t accountable to the government.  Even if the spirit of TARP was to help get us back on our feet, in reality, the big bullies…umm….banks care not for us and will not share.

2)      The Small Business Administration federally mandated a loan called the ARC (America’s Recovery Capital) loan program, intended to help small business pay off debt or notes in order to free up liquidity and stay in business, or pay staff, or buy new equipment.  The loan (up to $35,000) was available through different, but not all, banks.  The program went up to September 30, 2010 or when the funds ran out.  Bank of America did not offer the program.  Wells Fargo, who initially held the program open to all, eventually limited it to clients with a 2 year history with the bank.  Chase, also open to all for awhile, ended up closing the program early (early September) in order to use the remaining time to process the applications.  Gateway Bank was open to all and will continue running until government funds are gone.  The loan was a 0 percent loan with a 5 year repayment program.  And while the SBA didn’t charge any fees, the banks could – such as a lien verification – for about $600, which they can justify because the insurance that the federal government promises to guarantee the loans is based on the banks doing their due diligence in verifying the borrowers are capable of making restitution.  Hmmm…therefore they can decide to lend or not lend based on what they think the risk is (ummm…I’d say very great for most small businesses right about now) and also add fees for verifications that end up adding 2-3% on the loan. 

The excellent officer at Gateway took the time to really go through the program with me and it ended up not worth it for my purposes (too much work for very little cash influx), but through Gateway, I could have been approved.  It took me about 10 hours of research, including speaking with the SBA representative at my local chapter, to even find a bank to work with.  I’ve included here (from the SBA website), a copy of those lenders working the ARC loan program.  In California 462 loans were given out.  462.  California has 3,320,977 small businesses.  Wells Fargo told me, unofficially, that they had received over 17,000 applications.  They gave out 176 loans or .01 percent of those that had applied. 

If the banks (or some of them) were federally owned, opting into the loan program would not be an…option.  It would be mandated and followed, because the banks would be accountable to government. The coffers would have to open up.  Do you see what I see?  A decent program with lots of money allocated to it, is created.  And in California ONLY 462 loans (or .0001 of California small businesses) are given out. 

That is why big finance, big banks, big anything cannot continue to hold the seat of power – regardless of which party leads the country.  Because middle America is falling, quickly and dramatically.  It takes a long time to build up an empire, but even America can fail in the blink of an eye if it continues to forget the people.  That is one of the reasons why I can never support the Republican party – it would be like stabbing my own self in the back.

My message to anyone who doesn’t believe that all Americans should have affordable healthcare (and yes, I believe 100% in a single payer system, with supplemental insurance plans available to “up” your coverage), then you really need to talk to some of my readers, and some of my friends.   For some reason, those against supporting healthcare reform, truly believe that those who don’t have coverage just don’t work hard enough…and that if they DID work hard enough, they could then afford healthcare.  Talk to my colleagues who are, at VP levels, still looking for work after TWO jobless years.  Talk to the VP next door, who had to fire almost all the people at the company he was working for…and then terminate himself.  Two years ago and not a single prospect on the horizon.  Talk to me, and everyone like me – small business owners who represent a huge part of the fabric of entrepreneurs in this country…who can’t even contemplate bringing on employees and offer them healthcare.

It doesn’t matter if this particular healthcare reform bill touches on all the bases.  The reality is that it is a start toward fostering a healthy American population.  Healthy, educated Americans, make for a healthy, educated, and entrepreneurial middle class.  I’m all for it.

Beattie is a passionate proponent of saving our planet, coupled with the need of his country to sell coal to Japan — it puts Australia in the same situation as the US with our dependance upon oil.  The equally passionate and insightful Mutsuyoshi Nishimura (Special Advisor to the Prime Minister’s Cabinet; Former Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for Climate Change), made it clear to this audience that each country had limitations on how it could reduce their carbon footprint even though they were greatly supportive of enforcing emissions limitations.  Japan, tiny Japan, currently must burn coal as it has no other resources (and purchases its coal from Australia.)  Both Beattie and Nishimura embrace the need for clean coal (Japan has just opened its first Zero Emissions coal-burning plant) and face two realities. 

1. Japan will continue to burn coal for decades; and
2. In 20 or 30 years, coal will not be a viable energy source.

The other panelist who very humbly shared the incredible strides her company is making with investing in alternative energy was President and CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)Vicky Sharpe.  Sharpe explained that for any alternative energy solution to grow and flourish, it had to be scaleable. Her company was invested almost a billion dollars in 181 alternative energy start-ups, with 34 of them commercially viable.  What that means is that SDTC has created partnerships with multinational corporations (think FedEx, Dupont, Toyota) who would be incorporating the technologies and using them worldwide. 

With Copenhagen still fresh, and each of these panelists very compelling positions and directions, Beattie’s voice kept ringing through to me, echoing statements from almost all of the other panelists. 

The United States needs to set the stage for carbon emission reduction and alternative energy. 

Beattie felt that Obama has already done a great deal for changing the world public opinion of the US, but he also stated that in terms of leading the charge on the renewable energy front,  he yet to see true evidence of an Obama backbone.  If the US takes the lead and creates a technology that will surpass the value of fossil-fuel, then that will allow China and India to leapfrog the fossil-fuel era they claim to need in order to develop their economies. 

[There is a...] lack of leadership in the US.  The private sector is the only way forward unless President Obama has a backbone that he hasn’t seen yet…

That is the statement got me.   Obama had raised World Public Opinion of the United States.  A very strong positive. 

Domestically, however, Obama’s goals for change haven’t really seen him dramatically take this leadership role…or at least not in a way that resonates with the American people or in the World Public Opinion.  Bi-partisanship can only go so far, especially when it is a failing concept in the current political climate.  We can’t just all get along.  We need clear direction and decisive and swift action.

I was excited to see what he would say in his State of the Union tonight.  And I wasn’t disappointed. 

He took a strong position, called out where he had to, put the focus on the American people and jobs in a big way.  He laid out the need to take the lead and be the #1 country in the race for sustainable energy innovation.  He called out the politics of politics and basically laid the framework — pushing through with a majority and having the Republican party vote “no” just for the sake of politicking — that is not leadership and leadership is what he intends to provide the people in the years ahead. 

The only thing that would have made me even happier would be to see him say he’d trash the health care reform bill as is and just move to Medicare for all with optional plans available (like the way the plan works for seniors.)  But that would really not be bi-partisan…would it?

But he reminded me of why I voted for him.  And I liked the backbone.

I hope Mr. Beattie was pleased.

*******************************

Driving the Alternative Energy Marketplace at the VERDEXCHANGE Conference

Business and Policy Leaders Advance Global Clean Tech Opportunities and Cutting-edge Policy

LOS ANGELES – With the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen top-of-mind and the State of the Union address forthcoming, government and business leaders from the Western region and around the world gathered in Los Angeles at the VERDEXCHANGE Conference to advance the growing and fast-evolving markets for green and clean technologies.

“This is my third VERDEXCHANGE Conference,” said the Chair of the California Air Resources Board Mary Nichols. “Each time I think it gets better because we’ve gone beyond generalizations about the importance of climate change and opportunities for the business community into really concrete discussions about areas where investments may be appropriate and ways in which government can do more to help promote opportunities and create jobs within California as well as nationally.”

The 26 expert panels focused on sharing the “game changing” impacts of new regulations and attitudes towards environmental sustainability, climate change and energy conservation efforts shaping the global, trillion dollar green marketplace.

During the event’s first panel Congressman Earl Blumenauer (Oregon) said, “I come to California for inspiration for what we are doing in Washington D.C.” He added that “government policy does in fact work and drive energy policy.”

The conference is a noteworthy occasion bringing together the financial professionals, politicians and the utilities important for increasing energy security and making a new economy, remarked Member of the German Parliament Hans-Joseph Fell.“It is important for all parts of the world to avoid rising oil prices and provide new jobs. When we make new policies like feed-in tariffs, capital will be invested. This conference is a good place for discussions like this,” said Fell.

Regarding a regional low-carbon economy, Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas declared, “We’ve begun to see the long-term payback of green infrastructure. What’s good for the environment can be good for business.”

VERDEXCHANGE, in collaboration with strategic partners the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, Southern California Edison, AECOM, SoCalGas/Sempra Energy, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Craton Equities, and the consulates of Canada, German and Japan, once again hosted an unmatched opportunity to learn from and network with global, national, and subnational climate change leaders, elected officials, environmental stewards, investors, and financiers.

Participating speakers also included: Chair of the California Energy Commission Karen Douglas; Western Director of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Felicia Marcus; Former Special Envoy of the Government of Japan for Climate Change Mutsuyoshi Nishimura; President of the California Public Utilities Commission Michael Peevey; President and CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada Vicky Sharpe. For the full list of speakers, visit: http://www.verdexchange.org/conference/speakers.

About VerdeXchange, LLC:
VerdeXchange, LLC is an environmental think tank and publisher created to inform and  strategically advise green innovators wishing to diffuse green technology and innovations in the marketplace. http://www.verdexchange.org

Every day since she sent the letter, she races to the mailbox waiting for her answer from the White House.  So far, no letter has arrived, even though, I believe all written letters do ultimately get a response.  I’ll let you know when it comes.

And today was the pre-exam for the best 50-year present of all…the colonoscopy.  Great doc…explained the procedure, the pros and cons of sedation vs. anasthetic.  I was satisfied and good to go.  Set up my appointment and then was sent to the “window”.  This is the accounting window, where the accountant advises you of what is and isn’t covered for this procedure in your health care plan.  I’m a self-employed, hard working, butt-kicking small business owner and as such have to settle for a pretty bare bones, high deductible plan.  But imagine how my colon reacted when the accountant told me I’d have a $500 (FIVE HUNDRED dollar) co-pay on top of the 40% I have to pay for the procedure.  We are talking $900-$1000 for the privilege of having a tiny camera travel where the sun don’t shine. 

Here’s the deal.  I don’t have a cool $1000 sitting around in this economy just waiting to be spent on those inner reaches.  Thankfully I was able to pull myself up off the floor and get myself out to the car without the aid of a walker, wheelchair or attendants.  I’m pretty sure I didn’t have a stroke.  But if I HAD a stroke, I’d be paying about $7500 out of pocket for my first 4 days in the hospital.

And I thought today was going to be a better day?  Hahaha.  Crikeys, people.  Who can afford health care the way it is?  Only those with secure jobs in medium size businesses.  How many of YOU does that make?  I’m not sure if I’m more on the side of livid or more on the side of just plain stunned.  We don’t just need health care reform, but there are a heck of a lot of 50-year olds who aren’t going to be having pre-cancerous pollops identified this year with the current insurance programs in place.  Maybe I would have to wait a year in Canada to have my colonoscopy…but I sure wouldn’t be paying $1K for that kick in the butt.

In 2003, the prime minister and the provincial premiers agreed upon priority areas for reinvestment. The 2003 First Ministers’ Accord on Health Care Renewal reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of the Canada Health Act. They indicated the following principles:

“Drawing from this foundation, First Ministers view this Accord as a covenant which will help to ensure that:

• all Canadians have timely access to health services on the basis of need, not ability to pay, regardless of where they live or move in Canada;
• the health care services available to Canadians are of high quality, effective, patient-centred and safe; and
• our health care system is sustainable and affordable and will be here for Canadians and their children in the future.”

The accord set the following priority areas: primary health care, home care, catastrophic drug coverage, access to diagnostic/medical equipment and information technology and an electronic health record.

Isn’t that the idea?  To work toward those goals?  I’m not a political genius, but I’m pretty sure that is what President Obama is driving.  The process to get there will be very challenging.  The system will not be perfect…ever.  But if it helps to create a healthy population…for all Americans…then there is no doubt that it will have a positive impact on the health of the American economy over decades.  A healthy, educated child becomes a healthy, educated adult.  And that builds a healthy, educated middle class, which creates small business, fosters entrepreneurship, and leads the health of our economy.

(Taking a breath…) OK.  That is health care and my two cents (cha-ching…4 Republican readers have just unsubscribed…and cha-ching…5 Democrat readers have just subscribed).

Lisa Alkana:

I fail to understand how anyone at or over 50 could oppose health care reform. If you are not working for an employer that offers insurance, good luck finding anyone to offer you insurance — at any price. Almost anything is considered a pre-existing condition. You don’t need to have MS, as I do, to be turned down. My husband has been turned down due to asthma, weight, and acid reflux. If you suffer from frequent hangnails, the insurance companies will find a way to turn you down. They just don’t want to take the risk that older customers might pose. If you find a company that will take you on, the premium prices are more than the mortgage on a $300,000 home.

I just can’t understand why people cannot make this distinction.

Beyond all this, insurance is a stupid way to deliver health care. Originally, insurance was intended to insure you against things that might happen, but weren’t all that likely. You insure your house against damage from fire, storm or theft. Any of these things could happen, but they don’t happen on a regular basis. Conversely, your health does need care on a regular basis. You need checkups, shots, tests and treatments to maintain good health and treat any health issues. Unfortunately, we will all have issues at some point. Why insure against something you know will happen? It just doesn’t make sense to me.

America is a for profit country and I don’t want to change that in terms or regular commerce. However, health care is a different animal. Having asthma was not my husband’s choice, as getting MS was not my choice. Health care visits should not be treated like buying a car or a new TV. You can live without those, you cannot live without the treatment you need.