I do not know why the politicians can’t figure out how to create the jobs that are needed right now to help end the Recession we are in. I could easily put millions of people to work in a matter of days, including Illegal Immigrants.

  I would start tomorrow, using a portion of the $819 Billion fund that President Obama is trying to spend, and start building a 1969-mile triple layer fence across our Southern Border. Since all the material is not already manufactured, there would be lots of work in existing and newly created Manufacturing Facilities to manufacture the necessary pieces and parts that would be needed. Then we would need trucks and truck drivers to transport the material to the job site. We would also need to build Barracks type living quarters and Chow Halls to house and feed the workers, preferably structures similar to Quonset Huts, which are easy to build and easily removed when their task has been completed. Then we would have the out of work Americans build the center and northern portions of the fence, and the Illegal Immigrants work on the Southern section. And when the job is completed, the workers could just turn away from the fence and go home.

  That would work toward partially solving six problems, Putting people to work so they could pay their mortgages and help end the Housing Crisis, Collecting Income Taxes that the Government needs to help pay off the Deficit, Getting the Illegal Immigrants out of the country without costly deporting costs, Slowing down the amount of Illegal Drugs that are crossing our border, and sealing our border from Terrorists.

Posted by rj06042 at 9:44 PM EST

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This was originally written Sept 27 2005, Right after Hurricane Katrina

They should be using Higgins Boats. The Landing Craft of WWII LCVP that were manufactured in New Orleans Louisiana.

  There should be people around that were familiar with building them that could assist today’s workers to build more today and It should not take any longer than one day to build them. After all during WWII they were building “Liberty Ships” which were full sized ocean going Welded Metal Cargo Ships in a matter of days, So for the government of today, and the high speed manufacturing capabilities they should be able to produce at least 50 Higgins Boats per day

  With the Higgins Drop Ramp, they could transport the cattle to better locations.

.

  R. J. MacLachlan  Manchester CT 06040

That goes with an e-mail that I sent out right after Katrina

Being prepared for Natural and Man Made Disasters

  We in The United States of America have a number of disasters almost every year. Some are Man Made, but Mother Nature thrusts many upon us. But for some reason we never seem to be prepared to cope with them till after they occur.

  Hurricane Katrina was an example of the lack of preparedness that has caused many unnecessary deaths. Now it should not happen that way, as there are plenty warnings that these disasters will occur. There will in the next few years be Earthquakes, some of them very destructive, mostly on the Pacific Coast. There will be Town Flattening Tornados, generally on the Plains States. There will be Killer Hurricanes in Florida, The Gulf of Mexico States and on the Atlantic Coast. And there will be floods along most of the great rivers in the country. Now I am not claiming that I have special powers to forecast these events, it is just that following the past history of this great nation, they will happen.

  The five most important things needed after any disaster is: Fresh Drinking Water, Communication, Transportation, Temporary Shelter, and Auxiliary Power and lighting.

All of these needs could be taken care of by the manpower and resources that are available to us in the different branches of the United States Military and The National Guard.

  Let us take each of these needs item by item. The first item is fresh drinking water, and back during WWII this was accomplished by putting a pill into your canteen to kill all the bacteria. But in today’s military there are Water Purification Detachments that are capable of providing up to 600,000 gallons of drinking water per day from a fresh water source, and 400,000 gallons per day using a salt-water source. And every US Naval Vessel has water purification facilities on board, so that one or both of these sources of water could easily supply the fresh water needs of any stricken community. The Army or Air force could easily off load the necessary equipment near any lake or river near the stricken area using Air Force Hercules C130’s Cargo Planes or Helicopters. And during the Hurricane season there should be a small fleet of US Naval Vessels cruising in the mid Atlantic out of the area of hurricanes. But as soon as the path of a hurricane was determined and they had designated a specific area of landfall, these ships could follow in the wake of the storm, and pull into port an hour after the storm passed, with fresh water, Medical Facilities and Food Preparation Facilities if needed. If it happened to be a small storm and the help was not needed, then chalk it up as a Training Exercise.

  The second item in my list was Communication, and this was a great problem during the hurricane Katrina. It was also a serious problem during the 9-11 disaster. Back during WWII they used Walkie Talkies, and during the 70’s and 80’s it was CB Radio, but now it is Cell Phones. But Cell Phones will not work unless there is a Satellite Tower somewhere nearby. And during Katrina many of the existing towers were flooded,  destroyed, or lost power. My idea to correct this problem would be to have vehicles preferably like the WWII Military Duck which are amphibious, travel to various locations around the stricken area and erect a temporary Satellite Tower and power it using a temporary Generator. That way many of the survivors that were trapped in attics would have been able to phone for help, because the regular telephone lines were unusable.

  The third item in my list is Transportation. I noticed that many rescue crews during Katrina were using V Bottom, Outboards that appeared to be about 16 to 18 feet in length. And it appeared to me that these boats seemed to be carrying a five-man crew. The problem there is that is about all the people that a boat of that size can safely carry, so my question is where were they going to put the seven people that they might find in a house? My idea to fulfill this task also would use Amphibious vehicles like the WWII Duck as these can travel on land and water interchangeably and carry many more people and equipment that than a small outboard boat. Another option would be a craft like the WWII Landing Craft LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel) that could go right up to a house or rooftop or the shore and lower the ramp in front for easy loading of Beds and Wheelchairs and capable of carrying up to 50 people as during the war it normally carried 36 fully equipped Soldiers or Marines. By the way these boats were also known as “Higgins Boats” and were manufactured in New Orleans LA.

  The other part of my idea on transportation would be to have part of the Naval Fleet made up with a few Helicopter Carriers which could anchor a few miles off shore and their helicopters could be used to transport potable water, Medical Supplies and Food to areas on shore, transport injured people to the medical facilities on board. The Helicopters could also be used to assist in rescue operations if necessary.

  The Ducks (DUKW) (Amphibious version of a Military 2 ½ Ton Truck)  I mentioned earlier could be stored and maintained at an army base in a place like southern Tennessee where they would be far enough from the shore so they would not be damaged by the hurricane, but would still be within one days drive to any point on the Gulf Coast where they might be needed. They can easily travel on land or water and can carry a lot of cargo or many people.

  The fourth item on my list Temporary Shelter again goes back to the WWII when they set up temporary Quonset Huts. These are buildings made out of corrugated metal that was curved like the top half of a circular tube. These were very strong and could endure virtually any weather conditions. They could be erected in a matter of hours, last for years, and when they were no longer needed, be disassembled in a matter of hours. They could be used for housing, Hospitals, Warehouses, Stores or any other use needed. There is one in Manchester CT that was built right after WWII and served as Barrett’s Plumbing Supply till a few years ago. I used to shop there often, as I knew the family. It iis now being used as a Gift/Novelty Store.

  The last item on my list was temporary power and lighting. These things would go hand in hand with the erection of the Quonset Huts as each of them could have a generator, or one generator furnishing the electricity to a group of buildings. After the dire emergency had subsided the Quonset huts could be used as temporary locations for the companies and construction workers while they rebuilt the city.

  Another thing that should have been addressed was the breeches in the Levees around New Orleans. The leaks could have been plugged so there would not have been the extensive flooding that occurred. As the New Orleans area is so involved in oil production and Oil Transport, it is highly probable that there was an empty or partially empty Oil Tanker somewhere nearby. And since these tankers are fairly long and their sides are fairly flat, It would have been simple to position an empty tanker at the site of the breech and partially put enough sea water in it to partially sink it, or lower it till it blocked or at least slowed down the flow of water till the levee was repaired. It would have probably saved hundreds of lives and prevented at least half of the flooding that occurred. My Son suggested using a Submarine for the same purpose, as he served on the SSN Sam Houston and saw the beauty of my idea but noted that the Sub’s hull is much stronger and would not be damaged as easily as a Tanker. He also mentioned that that sub has two water purification systems, and over 10,000 gallons of fresh water on board.

    Below are a few Web Sites to verify some of the data I used. There is another article that I found after I wrote this letter that shows that even the resources that were available were not used.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509040369sep04,1,4144825.story?page=2&ctrack=1&cset=true

R. J. MacLachlan, Manchester, CT  06040

Water Purification Detachment

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/10-115/Ch4.htm

Higgins Boats

http://www.higginsboat.org/

Quonset Huts

http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1278.htm

Posted by rj06042 at 4:04 AM EDT

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  Are Illegal Immigrants really looking for Work, Or just Easy Money?

  The Pilgrims from Great Britain and people of other nationalities from Europe and other parts of the world came to the area on the North American Continent, now known as the United States of America and Canada 400 years ago, and settled into a wilderness. They came here because were dissatisfied with the tyrannical government and forced religion in the places the left, and came to strive for the ability to be free and live their lives as they chose, and worship as they chose. They then cleared the forests and plowed the fields and planted crops to feed themselves and their families. They planted orchards and vineries to grow fruits and grapes for food and drink. They started raising herds of animals as beasts of burden and meat, and flocks of turkeys, chickens, and geese.

  They built Mills and Factories to process their food and make the tools and equipment they needed. They sought out the natural resources that were here and dug mines to get all the things this country had to offer. They built ships for fishing, commerce, and defense.

  When the jobs were more than one man and his family could handle, neighbor helped neighbor to clear the trees and use the lumber to build homes, barns, churches, schools, stores, and other buildings that were necessary for their town. And during that time both the USA and Canada have become prosperous Agricultural and Industrial countries. In some parts of the country people like the Amish in Pennsylvania still exist living that same way, neighbor helping neighbor for the betterment of all.

  At about the same time, some 400 years ago, the Spanish Conquistadors invaded the areas now known as Cuba, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands; they were primarily looking for Gold and other treasures to bring back to Spain. I do not think their primary goal was to colonize these places, but just collect all the riches they could carry back to Spain by looting and plundering the people and cultures that inhabited those locations.

  I believe that same train of thought of “Do as little work as possible, but grab all the treasure” has endured and been carried down through their descendants. To clarify my position on that subject, let us look at the territories in question. The areas of the US and Canada are two of the greatest growers and producers of food products on the planet, but Mexico and Central America have a much longer growing season than we do, and do not have the 4 to 6 months when the ground is frozen and covered with snow. So why aren’t Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Guatemala the rich agricultural powers they could and should be, selling food to their northern neighbors? Primarily there is no food product in those countries to harvest because no one took the time and effort to plant it.

  I have a serious doubt that the people who have deserted their native lands and homes in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and so on to cross the border illegally and enter the United States as Illegal Immigrants really did it out of their desire to make a better life for themselves and their families. If that were their main goal they would have used the longer growing season and abundant natural resources their countries are blessed with to build a better life and help their native country to grow and prosper, rather than abandon their natural riches to lead a life of crime

  In my opinion they have decided to become criminals and they crossed the border into this country, and break laws to obtain illegal jobs because it is easier than clearing the land they live on and plant and harvest their own crops for their own needs, and be able to sell the surplus to others.  So rather than work the whole year as the land owner must, plowing the fields, planting the seeds, fertilizing, watering, and weeding the fields to allow the crops to grow a great harvest, the Illegals just have to show up at harvest time and work a few weeks and make as much money as possible working only as little as possible.

  My final question is that if these Illegal Immigrants are in fact the hard working, diligent, dedicated, industrious people that their supporters claim them to be, why is it that the countries they deserted to come here are so much lower in the standard of living, level of education, and wealth than the United States, only a few hundred miles away?

Posted by rj06042 at 12:53 PM EDT

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Lets have a Quiz!

  How will letting Latinos from Mexico, Central America and the
Caribbean Area affect the standard of living in the USA?
  
  Go through the list of countries named below and ask the following
questions about each, then decide if letting more Latinos into the
United States is really a good idea? Use the status of the general 
population of the country and not the vacationers. Keeping in mind 
that people from various parts of Europe settled in all these 
countries during the same time frame in the late 1500s and 1600s, 
so they all have had the same opportunities.

Country       Rich or Poor?    Standard of Living?   Primary Language?

USA
Canada 
Mexico 
Belize 
Guatemala 
Honduras 
San Salvador 
Costa Rica 
Nicaragua 
Panama 
Cuba 
Bermuda
Puerto Rico
Dominican Republic 
Haiti 
Jamaica 
Equator 
Chili 
Colombia
Guiana

  Questions anyone, did you notice any differences or similarities
about the primary inhabitants of each country and their  Standard of
 Living?

  So instead of raising the level of the Standard of Living for 
the Illegal Immigrants, it will lower the levelfor the USA. As 
they have proven from their activities,(Or lack of activities) 
in their own countries,that they are satisfied with their poverty, 
because they have done virtually nothing to change their situation 
in the last 400 years

I rest my case

Posted by rj06042 at 11:48 PM EDT

Updated: Saturday, 24 March 2007 1:50 PM EDT

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Kicking a Bee-Hive

  There are still a lot of people that do not understand why there is so much of a problem with our trying to fix Iraq.

  The only way I can try to relate to it is what would happen if we were to go up to a Beehive and Kick a hole in it. Then reach inside it and try to re-arrange it so it is the way it should be, as those bees have been doing it wrong for the last Million years or so.

  It is so difficult to get these bees to stop stinging us, and understand that we are only doing it for their own good, and if we have to we will kill them all so we can get the hive set up the way we think it should be, so be it.

  Let us face up to it, The Iraqi’s do not want us there, and they do not want our way of life. What we should be doing is showing them how we live, and let them decide if they want to live the way we do, and accomplish the change when they feel the time is right.

  Our present course is to invade and conquer and force our way of life down their throats, whether they like it or not.

  Smalltown America works quite well here in North America, but it does not fit in every location on this planet

  No matter how hard we try, we will never convince the Eskimos they should be living in Bamboo Huts, nor the Samoan’s to live in Igloos.

  Forcing your way of life on others has been tried throughout history. The Trojans tried it, the Greeks tried it, the Romans tried it, the Norsemen tried it, The Spaniards tried it, the Germans tried it, the Japanese tried it, and the Communist Russians tried, and every time it failed. And in most cases it led to the fall of the empire that was trying to force a change in lifestyle on a people who were not willing or ready to change.

  So to those of you that enjoy the American Way of Life, live it and cherish it for as long as it lasts, for if history follows it’s course, it will be gone within our lifetime.

 This message was originally written by me; Apr. 1 2004

Posted by rj06042 at 2:16 PM EST

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The reason I wrote this because of a conversation I heard on CNN between two Senators, Joseph Biden D of DE and Jon Kyl R of AZ, talking about how to pay for Hurricane Katrina. The question was asked if we should stop sending money to Iraq, and use that money to pay for Katrina, and both agreed that the mission in Iraq was too important. Republican Sen. Jon Kyl from AZ said we should pay for Katrina like many Municipal Projects, because the buildings and Highways will last as long as 70 years. So if we put it in long range Municipal Bonds then the people 70 years from now will still be using them, therefore should help pay for them.

  My question to Sen. Kyl is what about the next disaster? How many generations of the future shall we burden with expenses of projects that no one will remember, just so we can keep paying for a war that never should have happened in the first place?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  I am sick and tired of listening to The Bush Administration and virtually all of the politicians of  both parties claiming that, “Maybe we shouldn’t have gone to war in Iraq, but as long as we are there we must stay till it’s over”.

  My feelings are that no matter how long we stay, no matter how many lives are needlessly lost, and no matter how much money we spend, as soon as we finally leave there will be a Military Coup and Iraq will become a Dictatorship again. That is the way the people of that part of the world are accustomed to living, and they will not change.

  History Tells Us So

Going back over a Century to the Spanish American War when The United States intervened and freed Cuba, Puerto Rico and The Philippine Islands from the domination of Spain, and Puerto and the Philippians became US Territories instead of Spanish Territories. We made Cuba a Free Democracy, even though the government was evil and stealing from the people, (Much like the Bush Administration). Until a Military Coup by Fidel Castro (supported by the US Government), overturned the government. Then Fidel Castro became Dictator and Cuba became a Communist Country and remains so till today.

  A good part of WWII was spent to protect the downtrodden country of China from being  captured by the Horrible Imperial Japanese, so they would be free from domination and become a free Democracy. But as soon as we left, China became a Communist Country.

  The other part of WWII was to free Poland and Czechoslovakia from the domination of Evil Germany, but as soon as the war was over we submitted  those countries into the domination of Evil USSR. And it took over 50 years and the downfall of the USSR before they were actually free.

  Then we were involved in a conflict (We weren’t supposed to call it a war) to keep Southern Korea from being absorbed by the Evil Communist Northern Korea, and unite both countries into one United Democracy. So after untold millions of dollars and thousands of young American and Korean lives, that one didn’t work either.

  Then of course there was the war to prevent the southern part of Viet Nam from being overtaken by the Evil Viet Cong from the northern part of Viet Nam and unite them into a United Democracy. But after fighting an un-winnable war for a Decade, with more millions of dollars and thousands more of young American and Vietnamese lives needlessly wasted, we slithered away, and it remained Communist.

  So I wonder why the Bush Administration and many politicians of both parties really think that Iraq is any different? Unless we stay there forever and make that country a territory of the United States, as soon as we leave, no matter how much money we send over there and how many lives are needlessly wasted, the people that live there will form the type of government they want.

  Look at Israel, a country that was formed 58 wears ago because everyone in the world believed it was the correct thing to do. The Israelis and Palestinians have been fighting about it ever since. Look at Ireland, a country that has not been at war with any other country since the Second World War, but they continue to fight among themselves.  Look at Sudan, Bosnia Herzegovina and other countries that have internal problems, and are fighting civil wars almost constantly. No person that lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue can resolve that the world must live as peaceful Democracies, and have that resolution come to pass.

We should not have gone into a war with Iraq in the first place as Saddam Hussein and Iraq were not a threat to The United States because they had no Long Range Missiles, No Long Range Bombers, and no Navy to speak of,  so even if they did have any Weapons of Mass Destruction, they had no way they could have delivered them to the North American Continent. And of course we now know that there were no WMDs in the first place, and the intelligence that indicated that they existed at all was fabricated by the Bush Administration because George wanted to go to war. And we should not continue to be there trying to make it into a democracy. Because whatever we try to do, it will not happen.

   History Tells Us So.

  R. J. MacLachlan, Manchester, CT 

The main body of this letter was written in Nov. 4 2005

Posted by rj06042 at 1:05 PM EST

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    I am tired of many of the so-called News Commentators or Pundits constantly implying, “Well he/she voted to go to war”. They usually give that comment to degrade the intelligence or the integrity of the person they are referring to, or imply that the person has no belief or conviction in what they say or have said in the past.

  I would like to point out to these so-called experts that the reason that most of the Senators and Congressmen or Congresswomen voted that way is because they were attempting to show the world that we Americans trust our leaders, and voted to demonstrate that trust.

  What they were voting on was the fact that they were led to believe, that by looking into the Secret Pentagon data that their positions allowed them access to, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleeza Rice, all proclaimed that they had seen definite incontrovertible evidence that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction of Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Capabilities. Now since the Senators and Representatives do not have access to these Secret Pentagon Papers, they had to take the word of those people who do have access to them.

  And since Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Rice kept repeating these statements over and over, congress naturally had to believe they were true and accurate statements, so they cast their votes to give support to The Commander in Chief and stop the “Madman” Hussein, and not because they personally believed that going to war was a good idea, and so wouldn’t we all.

  When the war was in progress and no WMDs were found and facts were finally uncovered, we discover that there were no such Secret Pentagon Documents describing WMDs at all, and Bush Cheney, Rice , and Rumsfeld were all lying through their teeth, just to get the vote to go to war.

  So I would like to have all these High and Mighty News Pundits who are condemning the people who voted to support the Commander in Chief, take a lie detector test to show how they would have reacted at that particular time, rather than the Monday Morning Quarterbacking they are involved in now.

.

Posted by rj06042 at 12:41 PM EST

Updated: Wednesday, 28 February 2007 1:19 PM EST

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 English as Official Language for CONNECTICUT

   I grew up in the neighborhood surrounding the 6 rooms Apartment my family rented at 142 Eldridge St, in Manchester, Connecticut. This apartment was half of a 2 family 6/6 room Duplex, this rental  property was owned by a man named Rupert Bartley.

  Across the street was a family of a father, mother and twin girls named Guovinni, and just to the west of their property was the building operated by The Sub Alpine Club, also known as The Italian American Club.

  Also living in the neighborhood were families with the Surname including; Anderson, Muldoon, Enrico, Szemplinski, Welscopp. Lewitz. Firato, Dwyer, Bereea, England, Zacarro and so forth. There were a few businesses in the area including 3 small grocery stores Firato’s, England’s and Gremmo’s a Bakery known as Illuianno’s Bakery that also sold Pizza’s and an Italian sandwich of sliced meat, cheese, and vegetables in a long bread roll, known as a Grinder.

  But regardless of the nationality of the owner’s of the stores, they all did business using English as the language. So even though the neighborhood was of many nationalities, and inside their homes many languages were spoken, outside the homes, English was the language used.

  All of the people of the neighborhood accepted The United States of America as their country of choice, as it was their option to immigrate to these shores. And all of them understood that English was the language that was spoken here, so they all learned to speak the language, and read and write in the language of their adopted country, so they could do business and socialize with other immigrants from many other countries that lived here.

  None of them demanded that signs and labels be written in their native language, as they all knew that the learning the language of their adopted land of opportunity was a task that they must accomplish for themselves in order to succeed, and for their children to be educated in this country. If they had wanted signs and legal documents to be in their native language, they would have been in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Polish, Norwegian, Swedish, Greek, and Yiddish, but these people were proud and wanted with all their hearts to become part of this great country that they had adopted as their very own.

  The main reason that I feel Connecticut must declare English as the Official Language is that the idea of any group of a certain ethnicity might claim that all local and state  documents also be written in their particular language, to make it easier for the people of  their group to understand.

  But the problem with that is that there are many groups of different nationalities that might claim the same for their group. I know we have all eaten at Chinese Restaurants, Greek Restaurants, French Restaurants, and Italian Restaurants, but what if each of these groups wanted their language to be included in all state documents. Remember there are over 2500 dialects of the 12 Chinese Languages.

  The cost of printing the state documents in two, three, four, or even more languages would prohibitive. And if the immigrants of the last 200 years felt that by immigrating to the United States they should learn to speak the language of their adopted country, what makes the immigrants of today think they deserve anything different or any better?

  The states and territories of: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming, have already made English their official language and I think Connecticut should join them

  Making English the Official language of the State of Connecticut would resolve this situation and negate any of the particular groups from claiming it is their right and privilege to have any signs or documents printed in their language. And I believe it is the correct thing to do.

  R. J. MacLachlan, Manchester, CT       Jan. 26 2006

Posted by rj06042 at 1:26 PM EST

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Dear AARP

  I am writing this to ask you to investigate the ever-rising rate of Drug Prices. It appears to me that the Drug Companies are raising drug prices not because they have to, or because of higher production costs, but more because they can get away with it.

  I say this because I am a Senior Citizen and have some of the ailments that are prevalent among the elderly. And as long as Insurance Companies and Medicare are willing to pay for these medications, the Drug Barons are constantly increasing the prices that must be paid.

  One case in point is Xalatan, (Pronounced Zalatan, but it seems that the Drug Barons can’t spell either). This is a medication that is used as Eye drops to control the internal pressure in the Eyeballs caused by Glaucoma, an ailment suffered by many seniors.

  The cost of this medication on Feb 15 2001 was  $50.99 for a bottle containing 2.5 Milliliters. On Apr 30 2001 that same size container cost $54.99. And on Sept 19 2001 it was $55.99, and on June 10 2002 it went up to $58.99. That is about a 15.5% increase in a little more than a year. And as of Oct 24 2003 it is $69.99, which means it has increased about 38% in less than three years.

  Let us look a little deeper into the actual price of this precious elixir. The amount in the container is 2.5 ml (Milliliters), but the container is only half full. They give the reason for this is that it makes it easier to use it properly, but I believe that a container that would be sized hold 2.5 ml would be too small for many to grasp, as no other Eye Drop Medication comes in a half full dispenser. That leads me to wonder about the honesty and sincerity of the producer, right from the beginning.

  There are 29.57 Milliliters in one US Liquid Ounce, and as the 2.5 ml costs $69.99, One ml would cost $27.996. So one Ounce of this medication costs $827.84172. And as there are 128 ounces per gallon, one US Gallon of it would cost $105,963.74+. What Mystical Magical Ingredient is in this concoction that could justify this unearthly price? What research has been done during these past three years that can be attributed to justify the nearly 40% increase in the price of the identical product in exactly the identical container of 3 years ago.

  Or might it be that Pharmica & Upjohn has found out that they can get away with it? And the insurance companies just raise their premiums to cover their increased costs. Is it possible that there are other drug companies that are ballooning their prices as well? Is it possible that they figure that most Senior Citizens are senile and won’t notice the difference anyway?

  I think it is time to start investigating to find out why these prices are going up and up and up. Is it possible that there might be some fringe benefit packages around the boardroom, that can’t be covered any other way? 

     Sincerely,   R. J. MacLachlan,  Manchester, CT 

This letter was originally written November 18 2003

Posted by rj06042 at 3:38 PM EST

Updated: Thursday, 22 February 2007 4:01 PM EST

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 Hiding the High Cost of Drugs, or Why the Republicans Need Medicare Part-D

 Did you ever wonder why the Republican Party passed the Bill to establish Medicare Part D? Was it to make things easier for Senior Citizens? Was it to establish a Federally Funded Entitlement for the General Public as they reach Old Age?

  Get real !

   The Republican Party does everything within its power to eliminate Federally Funded Entitlement Programs, as well as State, County, or Municipal Entitlements. The Republican Party does everything in its power to eliminate Federal Power and any kind of Giveaway Programs. So what’s the catch?

  The catch is that the Drug Prices are and were going up at such a rapid rate, to allow the Drug Companies to keep increasing their prices; they had to hide the obvious increases. How is that possible you ask? Develop a program where the people do not actually pay for the drugs any more. Develop a program where the people are forced into buying an Insurance Policy to pay for a percentage of the cost, and the individuals pay the rest and they call it a Co-Pay amount.

  Now the Prescription Manufactures can keep increasing their prices and the Insurance Companies will keep paying the increased cost and the Co-Pay will go up a small amount, and not too many people will complain. Then every few months the Insurance Company will have to increase the premium they charge t cover the high cost of doing business, and the Drug companies will be free to raise prices again.

  Of course much of the money will come from the millions of dollars that were set aside years ago in a program called Social Security, set up for the Senior Citizens to retire on, that the US Government has been dipping into for years. Kind of like Daddy breaking into his kid’s Piggy Banks, to get money to pay his Bar Bill. Keep in mind that Social Security never was a Federally Funded Program, but was a type of Insurance whose monies Employees and Employers contributed on a 50/50 basis, and the Government is and was supposed to be the Trustee of the fund. Soon the Social Security fund will be gone and the CEOs and Board of Directors of the Drug and Insurance companies will all be Billionaires.

  It is happening while we watch

Posted by rj06042 at 10:37 PM EST

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