Politicians and money

Most of us know that politicians, left, right and center like spending money, especially money that is not their own.

But there’s another aspect of this that some of us might not realize:

The Milwaukee School Board has spent 20 years ignoring a “fiscal time bomb” in the form of generous and unfunded health insurance benefits for retired MPS teachers and staff that will cost the district $5 billion by 2016, according to a new report by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.

via Milwaukee schools face booming retiree health care costs – JSOnline.

I know. It’s surprising isn’t it?

We’re seeing the same thing in health care where there are plenty of accounting gimmicks. Social Security is another. The alleged trust fund has been raided over the years to pay for deficits in the regular budget.

Yes, there are consequences. But if they are far enough down the road like the MPS and Social Security, the politicians will be long out of office before the piper has to be paid.

Are these the folks you want determining your health care? episode 23

Missouri acknowledged Monday that it reported inflated numbers of food stamp recipients to the federal government, calling into question millions of dollars of bonuses paid to the state for running one of the nation’s top-flight programs.

The Department of Social Services said a computer programming error has consistently exaggerated the figures submitted since September 2002.

via Missouri reported inflated food stamp figures to feds – KansasCity.com.

Parties switch Medicare roles

For decades, Republicans scraped and clawed to cut money from Medicare. But these days, they’re talking as if they created the popular health care program for seniors.

And Democrats — seeking to trim more than $450 billion from the safety net for seniors over the next 10 years to help finance a sweeping health reform bill — are having to swallow their old rants against cutting the program.

via Parties switch Medicare roles – - POLITICO.com.

This is nothing new, of course. Political parties have been switching sides for years. Republicans used to be the “progressive” party, then an isolationist party, then the anti-deficit party (well, unless we’re cutting taxes), then….well, you get the drift. Democrats likewise have switched sides with the Republicans.

Sometimes it takes years; at other times, simply months.

At this particular phase, we have Medicare. No one wants to lose the senior vote; they vote most regularly of all the demographics.

Hence the current posturing. Remember a few years back? Republicans wanted to make some changes to Social Security. Democrats said no and so did the seniors and it was dropped never to be heard of again.

If money can be trimmed, I don’t see a problem. But in this day and age of “Gotcha!” politics, the Democrats will yield and a chance for saving money (which Republicans are in favor of, if I remember right) will pass by again.

Good show!

Red light and speeding enforcement zones set this week.

Madison police will be on the lookout for speeders and red-light runners this week on three stretches of city streets.

And then they proceed to name the stretches they will be patrolling. So I guess they want the speeders to know where they need to obey the speed limit.

Are these the folks you want determining your health care?

The federal government’s latest extension of unemployment benefits passed in early November, but jobless people in Wisconsin have yet to see the money.

State officials said Friday the delay was because of computer programming requirements that come with federal funds. They expect the first checks to be mailed Wednesday.

via State’s computers hold up extension of jobless benefits – JSOnline.

Letter from Jesus

Taken from Vibrance!:

Dear Child,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that people are attempting to take My name out of the Christmas season.

How I feel about this celebration may be best-understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own:

I don’t care what you call the day so much as I do that you get along with and love one another.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, simply put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn. If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be a need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Don’t worry about people calling the tree a holiday tree instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree.  I mean, you could decorate a grape vine if you chose to; I taught about one when I was on Earth, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks are (it’s in John 15).

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth, any of these would be good choices:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up… It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless.  Since you don’t know who that person is, give everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of complaining about what a retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them warm smiles and kind words. Wish them a Merry Christmas even if they’re not allowed to say “Merry Christmas” in return. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store has less traffic and makes less money on that day they’ll schedule fewer people, perhaps even close and let their employees spend Sunday at home with their families.

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself.
Focus on loving Me and doing what I have told you to do.
I’ll take care of all the rest.

Check out the list above and get to work; time is short.
I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court.

And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,
JESUS