Mrs. Obama, may we eat cake now?

When Mrs. Obama stated that her clandestine shopping trips were a "welcome relief for a family with the weight of the free world on their shoulders," images of Marie Antoinette danced in my head.  While my husband and I, two small business people taxed almost out of business, struggle to make ends meet, our first lady takes a break from the luxourious abode provided by us to spend sometime amongst the little people.  Hey I am happy when the ends manage to wave at each other, crazy happy when they meet.

I am neither comforted nor impressed when the lady whose husband's policies have increased my interest rates, bank fees and health insurance premiums by over 20% each, while decreasing my real after tax income by much more than 20% tries to prove that she"feels my pain." Apologies to former President Clinton who knew, we knew he was spoofing us when he said it.

Note the man behind her in the picture above.  He would have been happy just to have one less person in front of him in the line. He looks like he has worked all day and just wants to get home. Mrs. Obama how much overtime did we pay for the secret service to do the advance work for you and Bo? What did it cost us in police coverage to make sure that your motorcade made it through the streets of DC without a stoplight? And if you really wanted to be like us little people why use a credit card with your name on it? No cash? Funny, most of us little people don't have credit. Thank you for trying to relate.  I hope you will have ample time to shop at Target and Petco in Chicago after November 2012.

Oh well, at least it wasn't a trip to Spain with forty or more of her closest friends!

Racist, Really? Is that the best we can do?

I awoke this morning to the firestorm about Herman Cain's comments on Rick Perry's father's hunting camp.  First, if you are democrat and you have never asked why your party allowed a man who recruited 150 of his friends to start a new chapter of the Klu Klux Klan in a state that was the location of the infamous anti-slavery rebellion led by John Brown--shut-up, sit down.  Your opinion is tainted by opportunism at best. For those of you who need subtitles, I am referring to Robert Byrd, the esteemed Senator from West Virginia. And John Brown lead anan anti-slavery insurrection in West Virginia.

For those of you who never protested your Democrat Governors' decisions to fly the "stars and bars" over the state house in honor of the state's southern history--shut-up, sit down. Also for those of you who need subtitles--Confederate flag.

Two viable candidates have a difference of opinion.  From looking at the transcriptions and listening to the clips, the worst thing said by Herman Cain is that Perry's father and Perry hunting at a camp called by custom and stone outside of the camp--"Niggerhead" was insensitive.  I listened,  and listened for the part where Cain uses the word "racist".  Didn't hear it. For the record...I don't care when they painted over it in the 1980s? Really in the 1980s, it was insensitive! If you painted over it in the 1970s, still insensitive.  In the 1960s or 1950s understandable for Southern Democrats.

Let's talk about real issues.. Where is all the talk about the 9-9-9 Program? The flat tax plan that Mr. Cain discussed? Where is the conversation about his belief that he can win 1/3 of the Black vote...he can! He can win the votes of those of us who, as I say, "have outlived our democrat parents."  In truth, those of us who vote our values not our race, those of use who know the history of oppression in the democrat party, and those of us who think an abortion loving, fascist who thinks America should not be proud of its history regardless of his race is wrong for this country could vote for Mr. Cain or any other good conservative candidate, regardless of race.

This Bumble Does Not Bounce!

So on Friday, August 26th your Conservative Black Barbie rolled her Tacoma Pick-up on Woodhaven Road.I was coming home from an overnight volunteer shift at the USO. The results--a smashed tibia, smashed next to pinkie finger and a middle finger with multiple dislocations. At 6'2" I have always identified with the Bumble from Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer. I felt protected by Yukon Cornelius' declaration that, "Bumbles bounce." Two surgeries, three hospitals and a lot of therapy later, I am able to hop on a walker and spin in a wheelchair! Want to race? I don't think that counts as bouncing! My life is a blessing and very unexpected if you have seen my poor totalled truck. Better still, and most important, I did not hurt or kill or hit anyone else. Thank you God!!! Thank you God!!! I will not be able to put weigh on my left leg for three months. Then I get to learn to walk again! I am blessed beyond all reason to be alive, to feel the pain of physical therapy, and to experience every event again for the first time ...in my new life.

Here is what I know:
Nurses, CNAs, PT, OTs and Drs are great! Most of the rules I helped write as a health care executive really....what is the technical word...suck for patients. I love, appreciate and miss my battle buddies from the hospitals --Linda and rehab--Diana, Joyce, June, Dante, etc. I feel like so much has happened since I went away. September 11th anniversary, a hurricane, floods.... On the health care front...the first encounter with the health insurance world involved my insurance company trying to send me to a nursing home (skilled nursing facility) versus active rehab. For those not in the feild, the SNF is a step down from inpatient care, but does not have intensive PT and OT, as in 3 hours per day. Knowing that I was going to be hopping for three months, I knew I needed intensive strengthening and conditioning--more than "this is how you move from a bed to a wheelchair and wheelchair to a walker." The rules are clearly written to favor those on Medicare, as in cost shifting for rehab from the private payor to the Medicare program. While I was not a candidate for three hours of therapy a day, I shared the gym with one old lady who could not even move from the wheelchair. I learned the value of filing an appeal of the decisions of the health care bureaucrats, like me! I learned that for those with cognitive impairments from accidents or cardiovascular events, how on earth do you expect the person or family to keep track of the bills and rulings and everything. I have high hopes for my auto insurance company who keeps asserting responsibility for all bills. Thank you! Every health care executive should have to live as a patient prior to making decisions. To the clients of my programs in my past...I apologize. I will catch-up!