The horrific effects of fracking continue to grow with doctors in Pennsylvania now caught up in the web of deceit.
Hydraulic fracturing technology, known as fracking, explodes millions of gallons of toxic chemical solutions deep into the ground in order to free natural gas deposits for drilling companies to exploit for massive profit.
Over 5,000 drilling wells have been blasted across the state of Pennsylvania alone, with more added each and every week.
These toxic chemicals being pumped into the ground are making people in relative proximity to the wells sick – very, very sick – even at low levels of exposure. Over 85% of the 750 chemicals used in fracking are known carcinogens!
While Pennsylvania law requires drilling companies to inform local doctors what chemicals are being used so that they can properly treat the victims of exposure, it also now requires doctors who are briefed to sign a confidentiality agreement to keep them from telling anyone about what exactly is making these people sick. This includes informing their own patients as well as other healthcare professionals!
Similar fracking laws are already on the books in Ohio, Texas, and Colorado.
Shockingly, it appears that State authorities have completely rolled over on this issue and have prioritized the “proprietary secrets” of the drilling companies ahead of the needs of public health.
Despite its so called dedication to green technologies and businesses, Federal authorities have also shown no desire to reign in this horrifically damaging technology which is akin to strip mining of decades past.
Why can’t the Obama administration simply require the disclosure of exactly what is being pumped into the ground to dislodge natural gas deposits? No doubt if such a move were made, the public outrage and outcry would result in the swift cessation of fracking across the nation.
And those hefty campaign contributions from fracking executives and their operatives would come to a screeching halt.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Source: Pennyslvania Law Gags Doctors
|
|
{ 183 comments… read them below or add one }
While I won’t argue that fracking is provably safe, there are several key points anti-fracking hysterics often overlook. For example, groundwater lies principally between tens and hundreds of feet below the surface. Natural gas wells that are the subject of fracking are tens of thousands of feet down. The bore holes through which these substances are pumped are lined specifically to prevent the release of fracking chemicals into groundwater. Yes, the lining might leak, or the chemicals may leach back up into groundwater, but my point is that while fracking may in fact be harmful, the gas companies’ practices aren’t as obviously stupid and exploitative as the more vitriolic fracking opponents, such as the dubiously qualified journal you cite, try to make them seem. I also find it silly that you’d suggest state legislators in affected areas have simply rolled over. I realize it’s easy, and certainly not uncommon, to cast politicians as spineless money-grubbers, but reality may well beg to differ. Rather, I’d suspect the issue is somewhat more complex than the “newspaper for the party of socialism and liberation” (a contradiction in terms, there) is willing or perhaps able to elucidate. Certainly it would be only on very tenuous Constitutional grounds that the Obama administration could issue the monarchical decree you recommend. Certainly it seems more likely successful for those living near fracking wells to work with local politicians rather than Obama bureaucrats, as they’ll have easier access and more common ground with their more local representatives.
I’ll agree that doctors’ inability to release details on chemical contamination is awfully scary. I’d not be surprised to find doctors refusing to share important information about any chemical exposure cases for fear of legal consequences, even when those exposures aren’t likely to involve fracking at all.
If anything we should be more hysterical. There are at least 27 suits against drilling companies across the states from Colorado to Pennsylvania. Reports of poisoned drinking water, polluted air, mysterious animal deaths, and sick families is alarming.
Wait for the ‘science’? They don’t.
Did I say anything about “wait for the science”? I said there’s more to it than this article’s very dubious source chose to relate. I also said we shouldn’t wish for the government to invoke some mandate. There are alarming reports, yes. They need to be investigated, yes. But the reality isn’t as obviously slanted as the zealots and hysterics would have us believe.
Don’t believe you for one minute. Who’s paying you for using ‘zealot’s? You’re outted.
I’m only outed when you prove it, not when you make an unfounded accusation. I only wish someone were paying me for what I see as healthy skepticism. I’m a professional computer geek and amateur farmer, and have no association at all with oil or gas companies. I enjoy cooking and regularly use recipes from the big yellow Sally Fallon book. We drink raw milk, and our kids are delivered at home, schooled at home, and not vaccinated. Not that you’ll believe it when I say that.
I recommend everyone here watch a documentary called, “GasLand”, it has won and been nominated for many awards. Not to sound condescending also but please go and study some biochemistry before you comment on whether chemicals are safe to the human body.
Finally, what is the purpose of Doctors treating patients if they are not going to tell them they are sick? Don’t they take the Hippocratic Oath?
yah but that means jack s#$% now you know.
You mention people getting sick, but what, exactly, are they sick with? What are
Their symptoms? There is a lot of fracking (and earthquakes, by the way)
In Arkansas also. I’m curious to know what symptoms are being attributed to the dangers of fracking.
Guido, I agree about the water table and the lining of the bore holes. If the chemicals are so dangerous then why are the workers not ill or suffering. Where exactly do you get your figure of 750 chemicals? It is easy to scare people without facts and the story lacks quite a few facts.
Dear Rhoda…..
There are many workers living around us who work on the rigs &,yes….some have reported being sick & don’t know why. (Oh, please.)
Once again…..my husband & I have lived in Penna. most of our lives & the gas fracking /drilling has turned our beautiful commonwealth into a nasty mess in every way. I don’t knbow,(messed up spelling & no way to correct it) about 750 chemicals,(something Guido says)…..but, know there are more than a couple that are used to blast thru the rock formations & are highly toxic. to anybody who breathes it in or ingests it into their body in other ways such as drinking the water.
Now, New York State’s fighting hard against it & I’m so afraid the gas companies are going to ignore what the land owners want & plow on thru anyway. It’s like someone else stated, ” They don’t have to live with it!” Hey, Guido!!! Want a glass of MY water?!!! Yea. Didn’t think so.
Fracking has not killed as many people as high fructose corn syrup. If this blog has all intentions to bring the many health issues to the people, it should be equally concerned with the ads it allows (or posts). The capri sun ad is disturbing – I know we have a right to choose etc but it just seems a tad inconsistent with the supposed idea of healthy homes and the kids in the homes who are suffering more and more from sugar’s mal effects – way more than the still “not fully sure” what the true issue of fracking is.
Misty
Holy cow Misty! Sarah is just making people aware of the issue.
This is a health blog – or is the name just cute and catchy? I don’t know if sarah is even fully aware of the issues or if she just feels it’s something to post that people can discuss – so that there could be plenty of traffic – more traffic more dollars!
u noticed she didn’t respond to why she can’t or won’t blog for free like the others. I am always leery of peoples intentions. The whole fracking subject speaks to peoples intentions. Sarah is not a bad person just like companies who do what they do with the fracking. What there simply needs to be, across the board, is the greatest degree of transparancy.
Misty, the ad you see for Capri Sun is based on your own web surfing. The ads I see on this page are based on mine. The ads I see are for Century link, Mercola, Travelers.
Now I am more confused. At the end of the day, they are allowed on this site. I wasn’t surfing for drinks or sugar – I get the internet picks up on key words but one still has control over the content ads they allow – or don’t do ads altogether. Or when you speak with the compannies who will sponser or endorse you, you can create a widget type ad wherein in you have no formal ads but recognise and promote certain products – this way every one is happy; products get exposer, bloggers get revenue, and readers aren’t disturbed by conflicting ads (ads that are not in concert with the website theme – in this case health.)
There are few things in this world where everyone is happy. What you have described sounds clean and nice but is just not how it works in reality – unfortunate but true.
Way to dodge the “profit at all costs” issue
The ads are random and not individually picked by her. She’s stated MANY times that she tries her best to not let ads like that slip through.
Also, blogging costs money, especially when you have a high traffic site such as hers.
Sarah has helped many people make better decisions to become healthier. Her blog has helped me change my and my husband’s eating habits, effectively turning our lives around.
I stated many times as well that you can have an ad free blog or a blog where you can absolutly pick and choose what ads you run, and the type of add right down to the very product.
If you go to a raw food blog there will not be any “accidental” or “uncontrollable” ads running about hot pockets ckicken delights – none whatsoever – why can’t you people see that? Why are you all buying this feigned innocence or ignorance as to how to have what you want posted as ads or your site – she pays money for it is all the more reasion that tells me she can disallow certain ads.
This has little to do with her giving sound advice about food and health – nor are we asking her to shut down the site – some of us are just questioning a few different issues about the trueist intents of certain things. And advertisers don’t always read these posts that you and i write – they just count the number of posts – so u and i going back and forth is cha ching to product people and to blog hosts( and yes, that normally would be worthy of envy
Misty, I do my best and I understand that not everyone will be happy. No worries.
Sarah – your blog suits me just fine. As much as I bitch, and care to call people to the carpet, i still like the blog. Don’t wory about convincing me (even if that is not what you are trying to do).
Since you are not at a picnic, then you should have answered beths question about what else you are doing as you post these “issues”. You have not responded to her asking you that.
If you really knew or cared, or cared to know, you would tell beth that in fact there are a number of places she can contact that are doing real change and are pro active in the efforts to do away with fracking – beyond just writng your senator – which is useless. Give her that info… Forget about indulging my idiocy rants about your profit margin (however small), and give beth that info.
By the way, of course Sarah is making a profit (income) on this website. Don’t you or your husband go to work to earn an income? This is Sarah’s career choice, and she darn well needs to make an income on something that is her full time job. (And if you think she spends only 10 minutes a day on this blog, you’ve gotta be kidding.) In fact, I’m GLAD she makes money doing this, even if IS only 10 minutes a day! She’s built a successful blog – KUDOS to her!
I don’t even know why I’m wasting my precious time arguing with a troll.
Renee – you too are a troll – it doesn’t matter if you have been on this site for ten years or ten minutes – you came here as a troll – at no point were you promoted, at no point did they give you non troll stripes on your uniform – And that is why you as a fellow troll have no problem going back and forth with me and wasting your precious time.
How come you lifers never get that – and you think there is some glory in rank an file on a blog site? Sup with that!?
I don’t care if sarah spends 10 minutes or ten hours – it a job – What part of me not caring about her making money can’t you gather from all my posts where i said “I don’t care about her making a profit”?
Now go back, read my posts again, and see the real point I am making and speak to that.
Yes, you are more confused. It’s foolish to bitch and complain about that which you don’t understand. If you are ignorant to the way that online ad space and inventory is diced, sold, etc – then go get educated before spraying your ignorance in the comments section.
Blogs have to make money, and the people that own the blog can advertise whatever they want on them. Do you complain to the writers of a TV show when you see a commercial that doesn’t suit you? Get a clue.
Poor josh – now he wants to get into the fray as well, repeating the same thing everyone else has ( to no avail). perhaps he thinks it’s okay because he gave another example, TV.
Some one give him a clue that there is no convincing me of squat, but it is still all good for sarah traffic
Heather, I believe you are correct, and it has been stated before that the ads are based on your own surfing. I never see any offensive ads, but I do see Mercola (which looks to be a permanent fixture) and right now Lenovo and AARP, both recent sites I’ve visited. But whatever site comes up is always familiar to me.
The ads I see are for sites I have recently visited as well, except for the top one. That one is the Capri Sun ad. But if you look closely it’s really not for Capri Sun it’s for “BlogHer Publishing Network, Promotions & Prizes” My guess is I got this one because I recently entered a product giveaway on a blog. The promotion was probably handled by this company. Even if it was a Capri Sun ad I have to sense to know that product is not good for my family. Sarah brings to us a lot of good information on how to keep ourselves and our families healthy. If someone doesn’t have the sense to put into practice the info Sarah has written about I don’t see how it’s her fault. Use your brain and ignore the ad. Consider it a pop quiz.
Hey so cal – tell us how you feel about people being able to ignore ads that they don’t like – we’re not clear on this issue – please explain more…
The sense I’m getting from other posters is that sarah is more and more looking like a cut and paste queen – hiding behind the idea of just putting stuff out there for us to research for ourselves. Again she couldn’t really give a crap about fracking – just cut,paste, and post and let us have at it – it’s the traffic that matters most.
Yeah she may have an opinion here and there, soy babies, but as far as doing any real, even quasi type journalistic work (which is a tad more responsible),that ain’t happening – forget only then being able to make then a few posts, if the subject was really important you would vet out more to it and it could be one stop reading or at least two stop reading ( I get their will always be many, or endless sides to any topic, I’m just saying).
Misty, go to the Weston A. Price website to read about the dangers of soy. You’ve never read this blog, have you? Sarah, why can’t you just delete misty’s comments… she (or he) is not here for anything but trouble. I’m done. (she’ll probably blast this too but who really cares what she thinks?)
Why do so many of you say “I’m done” when you’re actually never done – you enjoy, in some disturbed way, this back and forth. Why else would you be still indulging me.
I know more about soy than you think – i probably know more about soy than you. We are all familiar with the Weston site – just because many of us are not his desciple don’t think we are ignorant to his or other issues.
And now to disprove this point, perhaps sarah will delete my posts or not allow them on the site – but the reality is just what I have been saying: she doesn’t really care – it’s all about the heavy traffic – it’s all about the money.
Someone yesterday talked about this was sarah’s home and how it was rude for anyone to come in slinging insults. Well if it were my home I would have kicked that person out or not let them post – you can screen each post – many blogs have a review before posting dynamic – but since sarah is all aboot the money via high traffic , people like the other person using the F word on another topic last week get to have their f word published (posted)
Now as i said she may “need” to disprove this and then this time delete stuff but normally she just cares about the traffic – when will you get that.
Thank you Sarah for sharing this information. I appreciate the varoius topics you bring to the table and share with your readers. Those readers, who are concerned, can now look into this information more closely.
I have family who live in those areas, so I have passed a link along to them. They may or may not be aware that this is something about which they should be concerned.
Many, many times, we go to our doctors and assume they will know what is affecting our health, inform us and treat us properly. This is not the always the case, in my opinion. I have found it critical to do my own health research to make sure I get proper care.
Again, thank you for sharing.
@Misty: most blogs have very little say over the ads that appear. They can usually opt out of categories (like politics, or religion), but not out of specific products.
But still, we both know there is a some degree of control. Or at least do as others and say, “these ads do not represent this health blog” or something to that effect so that the reader doesn’t feel like we are just being had by everyone and that profit is the real motive.
I do my best to block offensive ads but the filtering process is highly imperfect unfortunately. I have for example blocked all political and religious ads but I consistently see ads for the Obama campaign slip through. I have no idea how this happens, but it is disturbing to me as the ads are obviously incorrectly categorized precisely so they can slip through the filtering mechanisms. Food companies do the same thing .. I have opted out of all processed foods ads but some do occasionally appear as they are either intentionally or accidentally miscategorized.
Having no ads is not an option as this blog would not be possible without ad revenue.
Why can’t you have a blog without ad revenue? So many are free; wordpress, blogger, et al. There are so many ways to control ad content, or to post disclaimers and such. It can’t all be about the money. If there was a vegan blog, which there are, there would never be an ad for bacon or turkey. Never. And there should never be a post for sugary drinks on a site that is about health. Now one can adopt the “personal choices” approach to justify these things, but it still speaks of disingenuity.
So Misty, should Sarah spend all her time, take time away from her family, to do something for free that benefits countless people? Sarah makes money from ads, that is how she gets paid, and how she continues to have time to post information for people like us. She has stated, on NUMEROUS occasions, that she does what she can to control ad content. If you benefit from the information on this blog without paying one cent, then you should be thankful that there are ads at all to keep this site going.
And by the way, you’re making way too much of this. Ignore the ads, like most people do.
Joy, as she said there is profit involved with this – so that means that she takes the time to make money for her family – that is what we all do nothing wrong with that. But a blog for free is done by thousands of people across the country – if not millions, so it is not a stretch that if you really care about the health and well being of others, then posting a free blog would be a big issue.
Is that were we have come to as a $ociety If i had something that could help countless people, I would share it for free.
And again – you can do a blog for free – complete with pic and videos even – all for free.
Misty the blog is FREE to read because Sarah accepts ads. I would rather overlook a few ads to get this wonderful information, than pay to be a member. I don’t have time to look up all the information myself. I rely on Sarah (and other bloggers) to point me in the right direction. If Sarah does not make money from the blog, then she quits blogging. Then, no more free information. I don’t understand why you can not grasp this fact. If you want to start your own FREE blog with no ads, to help countless people, then please do so. And on your own blog, you can completely control the content. Then you can get the pleasure of having people with too much time on their hands critique what you do, and denigrate your integrity.
Oh snap… thanks Joy for saying exactly what we all are thinking! Anyone who really knows Sarah because they follow this blog, knows what kind of diet she promotes and what is just “blog noise” from the ads. I think Misty is miffed that she doesn’t have this kind of following, poor thing.
Joy – i don’t mean free for you and me. i mean that you me and sarah can start and run a blog for free – as so many thousands do. Blogger.com is a free site that you can do what sarah is doing.
it is not time consuming to cut and paste an article about fracking or write a paragraph about which celebrity is brushing their teeth. It takes all of five minutes or less to link a video about popcorn – there is zero over head cost to do that and there is no sweat or manual labor – you can’t even get Carpal tunnel syndrome with the short topic posts.
Ten minutes a day to post a few things and that’s it – she doesn’t even have to engage in the back and forth – she can go out with her kids on a picnic – - the only emails she has to “concern” herself with is the one with the checks from the ads
Again she is not criminal – just not as genuine as one may think – beth asked her what she really knew about the fracking issue, is she really doing anything about them – did she get an answer from sarah (maybe she’s out for the afternoon?)- My money says the answer is no – just so long as we go back and forth on her site – that is all that matters, the traffic (also known as ratings).
I am just calling a spade a spade and it is my right to go elswhere or stay right here and give my idiotic opinions…
As Sarah has said… occasionally an ad slips through that is from a disallowed category. It happens. I’m not sure what shows up on vegan blogs as I don’t tend to visit any, but I’m sure that there would be similar cases where something slips through that shouldn’t!
I see nothing wrong with earning money from blogging. It’s how some people earn a living! Of course anyone who wants can do a blog for free… but for those who make a living from blogging (or earns a substantial part of their living from blogging), well they really can’t, can they? Heck if I could earn my living from blogging I’d do it in a heartbeat.
Fiona – in the spirit of beating a dead horse… You can absolutly prevent what ads are on your website – period end of story – we have the technology for it and we also have legal recourse if someone posts an ad on someone elses blog.
Is she getting paid for those random ads? Is she accepting and cashing those checks? That is the question. You can be naive and gullible – i am not.
I never said there was anything wrong with making money, but it is false to claim that you can’t prevent certain ads – again, is she getting paid for these accidental ads – it’s not as random as you think and as she is letting on. And no vegan blogs do not have ads forr beef etc. Hebrew blogs don’t have ads for christian or muslim paraphanalia, Gas companies don’t have ads on their sites for coal or electricity. Apple blogs don’t have ads for dell… not rocket science here.
Misty, you are a troll. Just because the internet is somewhat anonymous, that is no reason to throw good manners out the window.
Frankly, I’m not sure which of us is the bigger idiot. You, for coming into someone’s “house” and insulting them repeatedly, calling their integrity into question, assuming the worst of them, and then ignoring or twisting the answers you receive; or me, for sticking up for someone I don’t know, for caring what you think, and for wasting my time trying to make you understand.
I am a longtime reader of this website, but seldom comment. While I don’t know Sarah in real life, it gets my hackles up to see people attacked unjustly. If you don’t like the way she runs her website (a dotcom, not just a blog, note the name in your address window), you are free to leave and find the information somewhere else.
Through her FREE website (you aren’t charged a dime for this information), Sarah is educating many people about health and proper nutrition. Does she know everything? Of course not. She has never claimed to know it all. Is she knowledgeable about nutrition? Absolutely. Is she passionate about health? Judging from her website, I would say yes.
It costs money and time to run a successful website and blog. Hosting a website is not free. The more hits on the website, the more bandwidth it uses, and the more it costs the website owner. Sarah has been blogging since 2009 (according to the archives), and has filmed numerous videos showing people how to make their food healthier. All of this takes time. For every short post here, there are plenty of longer ones, often meticulously researched (from what I have seen). Ask any successful blogger how much time they spend on the blog, and the majority will tell you “too much time” for what they earn.
From reading the comments, it appears that Sarah has replied to numerous comments on this post alone, and very graciously I might point out, considering how many of them have been rude. [Beth et al., it isn't Sarah's job to look up how YOU can make a difference on any given subject, it's yours. Sarah is just providing the information. If there is a law preventing doctors from telling me what's wrong with me, I think I'd like to know about it.]
And finally, as many others have pointed out, the ads are tailored to YOUR surfing habits. Perhaps you are on a shared computer? I see ads for Mercola, Amazon, and websites that my children have visited. That doesn’t mean that I need to click on the ads I’m not interested in. Actually, I tend to ignore most ads.
Joy – you get zero points for being on this blog for 20 years – zip zero zilch – sorry, no gold star. If someone is on here for 2 minutes, their opinions and comments are just as valid – fresh even.
Yes, we are both idiots – you for trying to convince me of anything, and me, for just being…
This is not someones house, it is a public forum – someones house has a lock and key on it. Enuf with the I am not paying a dime – obviously u haven’t got my point – still focused on your own.
You don’t need to teach me or anyone about how blogs or websites are run. It is surprising that your seeming knowledge on the subject falls short of knowing that one does have or can have complete control of ad content.
I don’t care how she makes her money, why can’t she just admit that she is taking on all ads, including the sugary one – as opposed to feinging ignorance.
“sarah is just providing info” is a weak excuse for not really putting thought behind what you broadcast, and skimping on the issues of what can be done about xyz – leading many of us to beleive she is just pumping out topics just for traffic sake. You, can buy it if you like – we don’t.
I keep repeating my self – so do you
I’m done feeding the trolls.
Yeah right, How many times has your trolling self said that before? You do realise that sarah needs this back and forth – traffic dollars remember! lets do it for the cause!
@Misty: There’s a nifty little extension you can put on your browser called “Ad Block.” Works great. I don’t see any ads on this site at all! That’s something you can control for yourself.
I know that wasn’t your main point, but this is the internet…..honestly, I think when most people see something like a CapriSun ad, they realize it’s not actually put up by the blogwriter but by the host site. It’s common sense that a health site isn’t going to support drinking CapriSun!
I rarely ever connect an ad with what I’m reading about, since I know it’s not the blogwriter putting it up. I guess I never feel like I’m being “had” by an ad, since I ignore them anyway.
You and i are smart perhaps, or not as gullible – the point is not so much about what i will be attracted to but the real intentions of a blog host.
Well for once I disagree with this article. Animals are not dropping over dead from fracking nor are people near where this is. I do agree the toxins in food and the lke are very harmful ….high fructose corn syrup being one ….just hundreds of other things much more dangerous than fracking. Do you really think these engineers and the big oil compainies don’t know what they are doing or aren’t under strick regulations and rules ? They are. End of story. Deer and antelope abide right on the gas wells and live happily ever after. I’m kind of sorry , Sarah you let me down for the first time ..:( You just don’t know .
If you were happy with every single thing I wrote, I would consider that a huge problem with my article selection. This blog’s goal has never been to preach to the choir as that is a recipe for treading water.
I agree that fracking causes harm not only to the water supply but to our health.. for the naysayers. they have not looked into it closely or they work for the companies that are poisoning our water. . I bet when they come drilling near you and the ater you drink and bathe in become toxic you will change your mind. TOXIC FRACKING!!!!
hard to drag links to this page, here are just some information not all..
http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2012/08/20/texas-to-investigate-health-risk-of-living-near-drilling-sites/
http://www.alternet.org/story/155189/independent_test_results_show_fracking_flowback_emissions_are_dangerous_toxic_chemicals
http://degette.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1069:degette-committee-investigation-discovers-high-volume-of-toxic-chemicals-in-fracking-fluids-used-in-http://truth-out.org/news/item/10606-special-investigation-the-earthquakes-and-toxic-waste-of-ohios-fracking-boomcolorado&catid=76:press-releases-&Itemid=227
My husband works in the fields in New Mexico. While there are companies that take precautions adhere to strict codes, this is a bit of a gold rush. There are companies here that do not have the mindset or perhaps the equipment to insure they are as safe as possible. It best to be informed on both sides of the issue. I thank you for the info and find it shocking the lengths that companies are willing to go. There are people who get their water trucked in now and others that can light their water on fire. No system is perfect and we cannot afford to just trust our ground water to anyone. In new Mexico the Feds are trying to gain access to water rights. This has never happened in the history of the u.s. We cannot afford to turn a blind eye when it comes to water or health. Carlsbad, NM is turning into one big sink hole and is riddled with fracking and oil companies. !
appalling, but not surprising
we’re not surprised and yet we give up and give in allowing these things to happen.. how do we change that????
What has shocked me most about this post is the folks who are supporting fracking in the comments section.
Sarah – must be that they’re still using toothpaste with flouride in it……
Why should that shock you? Plenty of those supporters have expressed very clearly why they choose not to accept blindly the overheated rhetoric of the anti-fracking crowd. There are plenty of people, of course, who have accepted blindly the overheated rhetoric of the *pro*-fracking crowd, but they haven’t made much of an appearance here.
I’ll be fair to corporations when I’ll go into a supermarket and find something fit to eat.
And THESE are the kind of “professionals” that society chooses to put their trust (often BLIND TRUST) in?? *smh*
It will only change when citizens get involved and use their voting power. Vote out the representatives who put corporate interest ahead of the citizens. Corporations may be able to throw lots of money at politicians to promote their interest but they can not vote. Voting should be used to hold all levels (sate and fed) of representative accountable. Until that happens we can only expect more of the same.
I shared this article! This is ridicullous!! So wrong on so many levels. I dont know if anything can be done about it, but we need to start stopping this companies and others like Monsanto!
Oops, not very good grammar there, but I meant to say we need to stop companies that are doing the fracking, as well as companies like Monsanto.
Let me just say too, that before we start attacking something that is creating energy independence, creating thousands of jobs, and giving landowners revenue I would seriously consider doing all of my homework. I’m not going to reiterate what others have said above, but there is a lot of rhetoric coming from sources who would rather pay good money to bring energy from other nations than even help the natural gas companies. Unfortunately, many of the suits are bogus and causing hysteria. Let’s take a thorough look(i.e. the health of natural gas workers and the animals that are exposed to the same situation) before we throw more gasoline onto this ridiculous fire. I’m really disappointed in this article…I always recommend your blog to others, but this was a sad use for the platform you’ve built.
Do you really think that those using fracking methods care about energy independance for this country. doubtful, more likely they are interested in lining there own pockets or they would employ Teslas methods of creating energy for the people.
Do you really think the leadership of the oil companies is so one-dimensional that they care only about exploiting the land and filling their pockets, at any cost? It’s easy to demonize someone in their absence (legislators, oil company executives, lawyers in general). As to Tesla’s much-hyped free energy device, wouldn’t a greedy energy executive start to salivate uncontrollably if he could generate free electricity in large quantities, like the hype promises?
to your first question YES!!! April 2010 ring a bell? And to your second, I live in SUNNY FL where we have sunshine almost everyday and solar power is way in the minority but in a place like upstate NY where my sister lives, she makes enough solar energy to sell back everymonth to electric company. So yes there are alternatives that are not being utilized, why???? Lets count the reasons…..
Apparently you didn’t read my comment Melissa, I wasn’t speaking of those who were fracking being concerned with energy independence, I was speaking of those who are busy bashing something they know LITTLE about. We should all be concerned with energy independence…not just those who are able to profit from it. Do you hear how ridiculous you sound? I suggest you come and say that in the middle of my town where a HUGE percentage of families survive by being employed by these companies. And for the record, if a company wants to frack on YOUR property, you have the authority to say no. No one is forcing you to have a pad on your land.
I dont think it is responsible or creating energy independence regardless of who is making money from it. The impact on the environment cant be good, unless you have studies that show me otherwise I will continue looking at safer options.
You ask why can’t the Obama administration require disclosure of the chemicals being pumped into the ground. I am not sure there is a past President, of recent history, or candidate for President that would do as you ask. I am convinced that there are far too many politicians that are simply not in office for the good of the people. They are entirely in politics to further themselves.
fundamentally the only thing that will save our country from this greed is campaign finance reform. The way the current system is set up, we basically ask any politician NO MATTER what party to bow to special interests because they need the money to get elected again. Simple. If we change this one simple thing, we can empower politicians to do the right thing again–or at least tip the scale back to that direction.
@Louise I agree .. if Romney is elected he won’t do it either. These oil and drilling companies give to both parties to buy their allegiance. Bush surely would have done nothing too.
I dont think its just a matter of getting someone to disclose the chemicals used. We should be trying to stop fracking altogether if it is that dangerous. How many people are going to have to get really sick before we can do anything about this?
We have a lot of well drilling going on in our state too (WV) I’ve not heard of these problems here (thank goodness!) and we’ve had multiple wells done on our property (not by choice as we don’t own our mineral rights). It wasn’t util after they were done that I learned of these issues. I wonder what the reason is for all the issues elsewhere and not here. The main problems we have are them tearing up roads and dangerous driving issues.
While their is plenty of ammo on both sides, anecdotal evidence abounds. I do not blame Sarah for posting such an article. I happen to be a truck driver who had worked fire the better part of the last 2 years in the oil patch of western North Dakota. I have hauled everything from fresh water, to the contaminated frack water that was stored in in-ground pits, to the”production water” that just comes up with the oil naturally when the well its just producing on an in going basis. I’ve also hauled the crude oil. In all my time on these sites, especially when hauling the fresh water… To the actual fracking operation while its going on. I noticed the huge 2500 +lb containers of chemical lined up on the flatbed trailers insure with ask sorts of hazard placards, and chemical names I couldn’t begin to pronounce on them. I admit it was quite concerning. But the extreme caution I noticed while talking to those who were actually performing the functions on site, and the explanation on just how far the well bore is down in the ground… Actually being invited into the command center to observe the process, and see just how far down they are before they push the solution down the hole. It gave me pause to see that at least the guys on the ground are doing all they can to ensure that it its all done right. Not to say that those who designed the process may well know something we don’t. I am torn as it is something that provides a very good living for me and many thousands of others…. and yet I feel very uneasy when i’m in the fracking sight , (at risk of sounding to hippie like) I feel like the earth its somehow crying out add its being injured add well. Its a rough call. Its such a needed resource. Anyone who thinks we can all get by add we do now without the energy from oil or natural gas… Simply on wind and hydro and solar is an idiot dreamer. Could it happen one day? I’m sure it will. But we live in the here and now. Are you willing to stop driving, to stop using anything plastic? To go without power for your iPad, your lights, your toaster… Your air conditioner or heater? Really think about that all you hippie types. What would you really do? Sustainable energy resources that Donny pollute its a great goal, one that I how is realized. But you have to live in the hear and now. Grow up, and realize its not going to be all sunshine and lollipops. That’s my conflicted 2 cents anyway.
Ooops! Please excuse all the typos, hazards of using Swype texting and not paying close attention or editing beurre hitting send.
Well, I completely agree that it won’t be all sunshine and lollipops, as you put it, but it will have to happen at some point, whether or not it is resisted along the way. (And I’d bet you’d be surprised how deeply satisfying these changes are to make.) Have you ever heard of bio-mimicry? There are some good videos on youtube on the amazing technologies that can be developed by using nature as a map for solving problems. One example is designing one wall of buildings to draw water up the wall in the same way trees draw water up to the top, using cell structure, rather than using water pumps. The answers to our problems can be found in nature, and if we mimic how she does things, it will always be sustainable. But, these answers have to be sought by our society at large in order to have the resources and money to develop them – instead of spending the huge amounts of money you talked about keeping the status quo of switching from one unsustainable energy source to the next, leaving the earth crying every step of the way. As long as comfort and connivence is more important to us than stewardship and conservation, our problems will continue to multiply. My family embarked on the mission of not using disposable plastics (and found ourselves not using much that was disposable at all) out of concern for our oceans being polluted daily by huge amounts of disposable plastics. It wasn’t easy, and some things we made exceptions on. Making everything yourself that was once was picked up at the store (down to shampoo and soap) takes time to adjust to, but the benefits are HUGE! It feels great to simply take one paper bag of garbage a month to the curb, and I can see the impact right in front of me, in my own trash can. A lot more people would have to be this dedicated for it to change the status quo, but I love taking that step for my family and raising my kids to be this way from the start. While some things are more time consuming, others are surprisingly simple…you’d be amazed how easy making sour cream and butter are for example. I strongly recommend a movie that used to be on netflix…zero-impact man. What was so awesome about this documentary for me was seeing his wife (who was way more main-stream than him) realize the great benefits that came from letting go of what she knew as comfortable and embracing a new, more sustainable way of doing things. Hearing her thoughts at the end of what she learned in the process gave me the chills. The things that reap the biggest rewards are never easy, but its surprising how wide spread and diverse the benefits are. Happiness cannot be bought, it must be earned, and things like growing a garden, cooking for your family, and finding ways to simplify life, bring happiness in so many unexpected ways. Try making a change towards sustainability and I bet you’ll be surprised at how rewarding the changes are. Every step counts, even the small ones.
I know I’ve been kind of all over the place in this response but there are so many things I feel about the issues you raised – its hard to know where to start!
Sarah, I respect you, and your blog and find you to be a very knowledgeable and entertaining person. However I am afraid you may be reading this one wrong. Sorry, but fracking has been used since at least the 70′s, that I personally know of. The possibility that any Fracing fluids would find their way into ground water. is limited not by what chemicals are being used but much more by how well, the well casing is cemented into place. The only (as far as I know) documented case of frac fluids entering the ground water was here in colorado. Even in that case is was only a very small amount of actual fracing fluids and more a case of natural gas, entering the aquifer. That is not unknown of in this area as I know of water wells that tap into surface gas. I have seen kitchen faucets with the ability to burn since I was a kid. I believe that the “stop fracking” band wagon is just that a cause without any proof. but only another case of someone seeking donations, by crying wolf.
@Donald Fracking since the 1970′s? Oh that makes it fine then. Are you serious with this statement? Like that is actually a long time? Fracking is like strip mining just underneath the ground. There is no way shooting millions of gallons of chemicals deep into the earth is fine long term. Do you deny the folks that are seriously ill and in some cases incapacitated. Fracking is environmentally irresponsible and the effects of this upon the environment are only just beginning to be realized. It must be stopped.
Fracking may have been around but never at the level as today. Besides the health issue, everywhere Fracking has increased earthquakes have increased tremendously. In Arkansas near New Madrid, Fukishima, even Pa., D.C’s recent ones. All around Fracking scares the hell out of me!
I’ve never even heard of this. Now I’m scared and curious!
Nonsense, The fluids are placed under ground, with sand to fracture the oil or gas bearing formation. It is then released back into tanks or a pit on the surface in order to allow the gas and oil to flow back to be produced. Yes I am serious. I feel that what is of far greater concern is the current practice of placing all fluids, Frac, and production water (sometimes called salt water) in an injection well. This is fluid which being “disposed of” by pumping into either an abandoned, non producing well, or into a well which has been drilled into a soft formation, often much shallower under the surface, where it has a much better chance of entering the aquifer. Oil and Natural gas are both known carcinogens, and you are exposed every time you put gas in your car. I would suspect that those who are becoming ill are doing so from exposure to petro chemicals from the oil and gas. Not from any secret chemicals which are added to “millions of gallons” of water and thousands of pounds of sand in very small quantities. I have delivered truck loads of Chemicals to drill locations. The bags I saw the most were labeled things like “wood chips,” and “bicarbonate of soda.” The MSDS which I am required to carry in the truck for things like diesel, oil, or WD 40, are not required for any frac fluid ingredients I have ever hauled. If they were harmful I would have known.
Source of article: Liberation: Newspaper for the party of Socialism and Liberation. That concerns me. I’ve seen “Gasland” and “Fracknation”, read things on both sides and am still uncertain as to the truth of the matter. I do know that potentially contaminating ground water is never a good idea and Fracking seems to be the “Global Warming” issue all over again; secrets, lies, politics and money… LOTS of money.
Yes, You should be very scared…They keep it very quiet to the regular public about the effects. There are fracking protest groups in every state they frack. Join up people, get educated as to what this is doing to our precious earth and water. People power… it changes policy…WAKE-UP it is just for profit. Monsanto is dangerous also…get involved before it is too late!! Our soil is getting seriously depleted and grossly geneticly modified. They keep us in the dark so it is up to us to research and learn the real truth as to whats going on. Thats the same with the Tar- Sands pipeline they want us to believe it will help the U.S get more oil…it won’t.
I have to agree with this one… please let’s get educated. There are plenty of reliable sources in the world that will describe both the pros and cons of fracking without needing anyone to resort to “the newspaper of the party of socialism and liberation”.
Thank you for posting this article. For those opposing it, I question your motives. I have seen the heartache fracking causes families. And for the lady ranting about ads, are you serious?
Sarah, I know you are doing a good thing by writing on your blog, but do you actually do anything else about the issues that you are concerned about? And if so, what are they? It is easy to talk about these things here but we really need to know how to take more action. I don’t feel like writing my senators actually does much at all. And some friends haven’t even heard of Monsanto (and stare blankly when I describe GMO plants, etc.). Obviously fracking isn’t a natural occurance so of course there will be negative consequences– that can’t be disputed by anyone. What can we do about this that will actually make a difference?
Beth, please accept my apology for the comment I made in responding to Misty. I incorrectly attributed it to you, when it was Misty who dragged your name and comment into the “ad” fray. I am sorry that I did not pay more attention to who said what before I responded.
No problem! Thanks for expressing a sane response to an insane person!
I guess you don’t really know any more than I do at this point. I just hope all these brave people who live in these places can stand up to the people who are trying to frac on their land and say no. I suppose the more information that is out there, the more people will insist on the truth.
Apparently some people, like those being irresponsible and silencing the doctors, just haven’t been told that you can’t take money with you into the great world beyond.
So CREEPY the way big corporations troll blog sites and immediately post things that pose as responsible opinions from regular folks. Paid propaganda. Beware when reading comments people, that some are paid for. Nice job Sarah, this issue is very important.
Very true!
If I was going to be ‘fair’ to big corporations, why is it when we go into a supermarket we
find no food fit to consume?
I find all the conflicting opinions and information concerning the dangers of fracking most confusing. A few years ago, I watched the movie “Gaslands”, and was appalled by the situations featured such as families whose water was so affected that they could light the water that came out of their faucets, sick livestock, and streams so polluted that they too could be lit on fire, rendering dead fish, and death to the animals that came to the stream for a drink. From other sources I have read that scientists have linked fracking to minor earthquakes in Ohio and California.
Yet, I have heard some say that this movie was sensationalized and not fully truthful. However, my concerns to know the truth of this practice have become more personalized as in the last few months several deep wells have been constructed within two miles of our farm in West Virginia, and several more wells have been slated for our neighbor’s property. We have not received any notice as of yet for our farm property, but these new wells are too close for comfort. It would be an utter travesty to have our streams and two ponds, not to mention our well water ruined!!! The thought of this is very scary!
And for the naysayers who claim no one is getting sick from fracking, why then in 4 states so far have confidentiality agreements to muzzle doctors treating these folks been passed? If it were a nonissue, the oil and drilling companies would not be lobbying for these measures. Obviously, there is something BIG they are trying to hide.
All these companies are trying to buy is TIME. TIME to make huge profits … by the time so many folks get sick and things are stopped, they will have already made their fortune. Same business model as putting out a new drug that has questionable safety. Make your $$ fast and then when it is discovered that the drug is bad, pull it off the market, pay the lawsuits and chalk it all up to necessary costs of doing business. The lawsuits are less than the massive profit from putting the drug out in the first place or in this case, the revenue from the natural gas extracted.
I think you’re right on this. Follow the money. Whatever the issue is, follow the money.
Exactly. EXACTLY. Sounds too weird to be true, but unfortunately this is what we have allowed our America to become.
This article is full of fear and not one single fact. Comments like millions of gallons of toxic chemicals pumped downhole in each frac job are evidence of the writers bias. Frac fluid is 99.5% by volume fresh water (that’s right folks the stuff we all need to drink to survive) and other 0.5% is sand and chemicals. Of the 0.5% by volume that contains chemicals the are chemicals that are common to everyday household products we we wash our hands with, shampoo, and frac gel, oooohhhhh – its guar gum which is in ice cream, toothpaste and other products that we eat.
Obviously John is another one of those blog trollers as most of us DON’T eat guar gum nor use the chemicals that are in his common shampoos, etc. Maybe John should read this blog more often and learn something. What an idiot. Chemicals are chemicals and no one wants them in their food, their household products or in their ground water!
Many people do eat guar gum, even in very natural circles (in gluten free baking).
Well, not everyone who eats gluten free (including myself who is Celiac’s) can handle guar gum nor even wants to eat it.
Of course not everyone, just like not everyone eats turnips, I was saying many people do eat it.
Stephanie\’s last post: Bountiful Baskets August 25th with tortilla and fajita add-ons
You are exactly right. that is the problem with these bloggers – who just post topics without real depth of knowlegde – the plus is people like you who can speak truth to these issues and we can read and learn from that.
Quincy
I have been enjoying your blog and passing it on to others, but i dissagree with this article! I didn’t see any facts in this article or things to back-up what your saying! I live in Texas and they have drilled in our neighborhood. I have seen no ill effects, nor have my neighbors! Sorry, i agree with the comments by Sarah and Donald above!!
It took me less than a minute on Google to discover that Pennsylvania’s Governor, Tom Corbett, is a REPUBLICAN. I’m guessing he’s the one controlling what goes on in the state. But that does not fit into your narrative of blaming everything on the Obama administration. I wish I had time to look up proposed laws to see if (as I suspect) the administration has proposed laws to control this and been blocked by the Republican majority in the House and the intransigent Republicans in the Senate who are determined to stop any legislation at all that the President backs. They don’t give a damn about what’s good for America, only that they must stop Obama. I wish you’d stick to nutritional advice, that you’re very good at. And stay away from politics, where you appear to be uninformed.
Well, if you were from the State of Pennsylvania then you would know that we only elected Tom Corbett last year and that Ed Rendell, a DEMOCRAT was our governor since 2003 while all this fracking was going on! It’s not a matter of party as much as it’s a matter of all politicians doing what’s right. And Obama hasn’t done a thing in 8 years and by that record, I don’t expect him to do anything else except continue to send most of his “investment in clean energy” to European countries to produce those giant windmills. I love how Obama lovers find everyone and everything else to blame for their lack of accomplishment. Clinton didn’t do that and he was a Democrat, remember?
Beth, Obama has been President for 3.5 years, not 8. While I have not followed this specific issue I have followed many others in which, as I said above, the administration has formulated and pushed legislation that would address many of our concerns, but at every turn that legislation has been blocked by the right. Their actions demonstrate, over and over again, that they are not concerned with what’s good for America, only what’s good for them politically: defeating Obama. Therefore, they will not allow anything that he could claim as a “win” regardless of the benefits that would accrue to you and me. I think this President has accomplished some very important things and am proud of his record. I worked IN the White House with President Clinton and in those years there were at least SOME Republicans who understood that “compromise” is not a dirty word and is often the only path to moving forward. Difficult for me to imagine any of those pragmatic Members of Congress being willing to destroy the credit rating of the country, for the first time in our history, to make a meaningless point. Who knows where the country might be if the President had actual partners in getting us moving again instead of keeping us mired in economic disaster?
Oops… yep, 4 years. It seems like 8. I totally agree with you about the issue of compromise. Clinton was able to bring both parties to a compromise and I respect that. President Obama has failed at that. He is set on getting across his agenda, the Republicans know it and since there is no compromise from either party, then nothing gets done. The President is responsible for leading and to that point, he isn’t much of a leader.
He has been a great leader. You trying implenting things when people are dead set about opposing you. Republicans have even said ” all i care about is getting Obama out” – And this was early on. The vitriol was set from the moment he was elected.
If you don’t like him then of course he can do know right – and all wrong. He has done so much with such great opposition, there shoiuld be an award jsut for that.
Did you vote for bush twice? how did that go? Did you really think Mccain or anyone was going to get us out of the finacial mess inside of 3 years? Really. Cause if it were that easy and simple, we would have never got in the mess in the first place.
And running a single state and managing it’s budget with zero opposition ala Mitt, is a far cry from a whole nation with international considerations.
Quincy, your post is exactly why I want my own teenagers to learn how to speak and write correctly– so that they don’t sound uneducated. And also to learn about our nation’s politics so they don’t fall for someone who has no experience, but only knows how to be an orator. You can tell me Obama is a great leader until you’re blue in the face, but I will never believe it. Years from now my grandchildren will be questioning why we ever elected him and why he claimed false notions as the war on women and tried to take away freedom of religion. Yes, history always tells the truth, so please tell me in another couple decades that you were happy about voting for him. And I’ll tell you that I was so glad that I didn’t!
Beth, – I too will cut and paste your post and show it to my grandchildren so that they may see the hate that still exists in this country for black people. And if my kids grow up to be illiterate I will still judge them for their heart and character, and they too will learn that brains and the ability to read, write and speak, should always take a back seat to the good one has for fellow humans.
I cry for your kids.
OH my! What stupid conclusions. What if I told you I was black? You judge based on skin color… that is sad.
The sad thing is is that you are not black – and obama is – and you and others like you hide your true judgements of him and his “kind”. And what is further sad is that you want to pass that hate and ignorance down to your kids.
You don’t even have the sense of wisdom as a white person (or black) to realise that what obama did by getting elected had long lasting profound implications that transcend issues like health care, pulling troops out, taxes etc.
Just being black and president, took millions of people into the next century with a level of dignity never before seen in this country or anywhere in the world. – and that counts for a whole lot – and just because you can’t count for that in dollars and cents and helath care bills etc, doesn’t mean it didn’t help a nation.
Maybe south africa experienced that as well when mandela became pres.
What you are too______ to realize is that know one will remember econmics or health care bills, or troops etc not vastly to the extent that the world will remember america voting for and electing a black man a hundred years from now. Do you remember what else lincoln did? Not me – I just remember the one great thing he did for humanity – and that is his legacy, greater than presidents before or after lincoln.
It’s about humanity- teach that to your kids. Show them how proud the black girl or boy is knowing they can do more than sing or dance or shoot a basket ball. And even for young white kids, it is helpful for them to be free of the same sterotypes as well – it’s good all over for the younger generation and i can’t wait for us older folks to be dead and buried – along with our hate and vitriol.
Wow, mr quincy , I must admit, I’ve never looked at it like that before.
Quincy while you sit here and judge, I feel very sad for you while you live in your comfortable home enjoying the benefits of a free society where you can determine your future and not the government. Have you been under government oppression? My relatives have. My relatives have been part of a country’s revolution. Your Obama thinks that people have the right to take what is not theirs and give it to others because to him life is not fair. It’s not about fairness… or the color of your skin or your religions… it’s about the freedom to pursue a life that your family wants without dependance on a government for it. THAT my friend is what I want my kids to know!!!!! The alternative is scary!
That’s the thing beth – you don’t know that on november 4th that night Obama won, it was all about the color of one’s skin. Their wasn’t tears in the eyes and souls of so many black folk because of a sense that now the economy would be righted or taxes would be lowered or any number of things a politician can campaign on.
My home and yours is not comfortable or uncomfortable because of any president that has been in office for the last 30 years – how did you miss that part. Which president made you rich? Which one broke your bank and sent you hurling into the streets?
I have homeless shelters that have been in my city for ages. There have been welfare lines in my city for ages – i could go on but I hope you get the points.
A president doesn’t matter to ones real freedoms and pursuits. Teach your kids that it is about an individuals intestinal fortitude and sight of mind that will carry them to great heights, just as it has done for so many in this continued land of opportunity – that has little to do with who is in office.
Teach them that the joke is on us, that dems and repubs still play golf together at the same clubs that don’t allow women, jews or blacks – albeit they let in a few this month. That is the reality that is scary.
I think we have managed to find common ground. And ultimately we both want peace and a good life for all. Nov. 4 th is my birthday so I was celebrating that!
I am just waiting for a woman to fill the office someday… We’re very good at multitasking and managing!
Women are the sole, spirit, and strength of this earth. The sooner we realise that the better. My mom is my hero for life!
They are trying to frack in the town I live in. I just recently signed a petition against it. It’s odd because I grew up in a house and lived most of my life in an area where there was plenty of natural gas. I moved 7 yrs ago to an area that didn’t have it and I missed it, so I was in favor of it until recently when I researched how they’d have to drill for it and use toxic chemicals which would pollute the soil and ground water. Years ago when they put natural gas in like the area I grew up, they used a different method and didn’t pollute the environment as they would now.
And as far as any politician or president either past or present, I agree that NONE of them would do anything but pad their pockets with the money from the lobbyists who want to frack. I was thinking of making a sign to put on my lawn that says: NO FREAKIN’ FRACKING!!! LOL
Did anyone read the About Us on the page the article is linked to? Bias maybe? The party for socialism, might have something against corporations, at least acknowledge the bias.
“The Party for Socialism and Liberation is a working-class party of leaders and activists from many different struggles, founded to promote the movement for revolutionary change.
Capitalism—the system in which all wealth and power is held by a tiny group of billionaires and their state—is the source of the main problems confronting humanity today: imperialist war, poverty, exploitation, layoffs, unemployment, racism, sexism, lesbian/gay/bi/trans oppression, environmental destruction, mass imprisonment, unionbusting and more.
We are fighting for socialism, a system where the wealth of society belongs to those who produce it—the workers—and is used in a planned and sustainable way for the benefit of all. In place of greed, domination and exploitation, we stand for solidarity, friendship and cooperation between all peoples.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation seeks to bring together leaders and organizers from the many struggles taking place across the country. The most crucial requirement for membership is the dedication to undertake this most important and most necessary of all tasks—building a new revolutionary workers’ party in the heart of world imperialism.
At the same time as we aim for revolution in this country, we stand for defense of the existing workers’ states, the national liberation movements, and for workers and oppressed people around the world. The magnitude of our tasks will be matched by our determination to win.”
Stephanie\’s last post: Bountiful Baskets August 25th with tortilla and fajita add-ons
Socialism is a joke and I can’t believe Sarah actually reads their website. That still doesn’t change the facts about fracking, no matter who is talking about it.
I live in France – we don’t have to worry about losing our healthcare when we lose a job.
I would LOVE to retire to the states, but I like a social safety net – especially when we pay our taxes for it! And about your cherished private companies running everything streamlined: in France, 4% of healthcare costs go to administering it: in the states, it’s 25%: people are making money off healthcare and it shows. Somehow ‘socialist’ countries run things with the ideal that ‘more people have more’.
That’s the opposite of what my best friend who is French and lives north of Paris said. She said the economy there is very bad. Her husband’s job was lost and they live a much more frugal life since Europe as a whole has been in this economic crisis. One just needs to look at Greece to see how that all turns out. The US has always been the richest country with the best healthcare. We’ve also been the most ignorant to our food health so the cost of insurance kept going up to cover the cost of all of these people who eat crappy food. French teens have adopted American diets especially McDonalds and you will see the result in the expense of healthcare. The money for government healthcare comes from the people of that nation as our government just pointed out with the new healthcare tax. The US government has never been able to run a large social program with efficiency and low cost. Not one. The US will never be socialist… It’s not what our system is based on and could not be successful.
Hmmm, isn’t France one of the countries on the verge of bankruptcy looking to others to bail them out?
How about my classmates in Indiana that OWN a restaurant and employ people? They clear 35,000 a year. He has 3 stints, and that’s when he could afford health insurance. Now he has none. What is allowing such disparity to exist? Profits are the only end game?
At least in France we don’t have MASH units going through the country where people line up before dawn waiting to get medical treatment or advice. Has that been featured in your corporate controled news in the states?
There’s an economic downturn the the west since we’ve outsourced jobs to slave labor in China. Look up TPP – it’s called NAFTA on steroids. The government now IS the corporations. You don’t have to bail us out: you’re going down first. Read, “Confessions of an Economic Hitman”.
Unfortunately under this new healthcare program, your friend will now be either forced into buying health insurance that is very expensive through the government or he will be fined. I have a friend in the same situation. She has only one employee and now she and her employee face expensive consequences. We need health insurance run like car insurance– affordable and people have a choice which company to go with. The real crime is what hospitals and doctors charge for basic procedures. I’m in alternative medicine anyways– I think much of what is done is unneccessary anyways. So being forced into a socialist medical system sounds like a death wish for me at the worst and at the least a big waste of money.
Works like magic: just put the tag ‘socialist’ to anything, and it’s instantly discredited!
We should have the same magic work with ‘unregulated free markets’.
Maybe you’re not at the age when your friends are holding fundraisers to help cover their out of whack healthcosts…..and some of them even have insurance!
Germany….another socialist healthcare country sanctions homeopathy. They keep healthcare costs down that way.
Helen, you are right– there are lots of other countries that recognize homeopathy as a mainstream medical practice. Here in the US they do not. I think that the NCH is trying to gain inclusion into the gov’t healthcare coverage, but right now it’s not covered by any health insurance so that hasn’t happened yet. The US was the place where the antibiotic and the AMA took over our medical system and pushed out homeopathy which used to have hospitals and doctors in competition with allopathic doctors for our healthcare. Most people here don’t know that. Where European countries have been practicing socialized medicine for centuries, in the US it will be corrupted by Pharmaceuticals because no one knows what they are doing and they depend on doctors of commerce to determine our health. And you see how that is going. We can’t seem to get any good data on the safety of our energy plans here (as this post addresses) and I don’t think the medical community does any better. Just look at the data on Gardisil. They aren’t reporting the number of girls who have side-effects and who have died. It’s not a necessary vaccine (and I don’t believe any are really) but the gov’t is willing to risk some girls’ lives just in the hope to solve a small part of a larger problem. So when you trust the government to take over large programs, then you are trusting that they make a decision that is best for you as an individual as well as everyone across the country. My health hits a lot closer to home than my sources of energy right now– and even that seems to hit too close to home as I live in Pennsylvania. We already have Three Mile Island and the possibility of something going wrong.
You certainly have a point, Beth. It’s not the same ‘government by the people’ anymore.
A broken clock is right twice a day.
Which four states have agreements to “muzzle” doctors?
I certainly think the most shocking – well not shocking, but disturbing is government on behalf of business interfering in what a doctor can tell a patient.
What’s interesting in the comments is people trusting in the safety of fracking. I have to admit I’m very new to this information. But after listening to the lecture about the “Oiling of America,” learning about big Pharma and big Agriculture, I am more willing to question business and government.
If you’re not questioning you haven’t been hurt by their lies yet.
My politics used to lead me to question government and be more trusting of business. I’ve awaken to the reality that the left and the right are just blind people describing an elephant.
Maybe the answer is Rainwater Harvesting.
Nope. You can get put in jail for that now too. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/oregon-man-sentenced-30-days-jail-collecting-rainwater-his-property
I just can’t believe that ANYONE would think it’s okay to pump god knows how many litres of toxic chemicals into the earth. Seriously. No matter what the result, it CAN’T be good!
Hysteria and fear… Shame on all of you…. we need to promote healthy minds in healthy bodies. Learn to think for yourself, and in this day and age you can research just about anything in the world. If one brings up an issue, then actual facts are needed to substantiate what you are saying. How many are ill, what are symptoms, where has this been documented ?? God is in charge and we need to respect our beautiful earth…. are the droughts which have affected corn crops etc so bad? Is it natures way of saying “enough GMOs” ?? So much to think about, so little time …..
thanks for sharing this post, I made some scanning about the issue and base on pacificfreepress.com article dated 8/26/12 the real effect of fracking operations according to Research “strongly implicates exposure to gas drilling operations in serious health effects on humans, companion animals, livestock, horses, and wildlife,” according to Dr. Michelle Bamberger, a veterinarian, and Dr. Robert E. Oswald,a biochemist and professor of molecular medicine at Cornell University. Their study, published in New Solutions, an academic journal in environmental health, documents evidence of milk contamination, breeding problems, and cow mortality in areas near fracking operations as higher than in areas where no fracking occurred. Drs. Bamberger and Oswald noted that some of the symptoms present in humans from what may be polluted water from fracking operations include rashes, headaches, dizziness, vomiting, and severe irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. For animals, the symptoms often led to reproductive problems and death.
I work in the Fayetteville Shale with a very large company. You should really try collect facts before writing a blog post. There are actually 4 or 5 chemicals used in the fracing process, along with 99.998 percent of everything else being made up of water and clay. I work along side the guys who put the chemicals in and they use tiny viles of chemicals to put into the mix but you wouldnt know this because you actually dont know what you are talking about. Also the chemicals are pumped down a hole that is lined with solid steel pipe and dont reach actual rock until around 8-10 thousand feet. Since your drinking water is never pulled from anything deeper than 500 feet it is impossible to get sick from this whole process You and the rest of your liberal friends can try to shut down fracing and there wont be an economy left in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and several other states. But hey thanks for your highly researched article is was very informative!!
David, if you read this blog regularly you will realize that Sarah is no liberal. When she does venture away from nutrition and related issues and injects politics, it is always from the right. Which is pretty funny in this case because it actually IS liberals who are concerned about the safety of our earth, air and water, while the right prefers unfettered capitalism in which we’re supposed to believe that the corporations will do what’s “right”. I think we can all see how that’s working out for us, but that evidence does not stop the right from denying climate change and other demonstrable scientific facts. We on the left believe in a fact based world, while the right is wedded to the “faith based” world. Good luck to us with that.
To be fair, the left sometimes DOES over reach with efforts to control our health and nutrition, and it’s just as bad for us when that happens. But for me, if there is going to be extremism, I prefer it’s on the side of protecting health and our environment, rather than the laissez faire attitude towards commerce from the right. Pick your poison, I guess.
To be clearer on things like climate change– the issue isn’t whether or not there is climate change, it’s about what has caused it and it is debatable how much influence mankind has had versus nature itself. You seem to forget that a number of our best universities and colleges do have Republicans in them also. There are Republicans that do care about the environment just like there are Democrats who don’t. There are some wealthier folks that do give a lot of money to helping what you consider “left wing concerns” and they are Republicans. You can’t group people anymore. And you definitely can’t say all Republicans are practicing a faith, especially in this day and age. That means that Democrats aren’t and I know just as many who are very faithful. Obviously on this site alone there are people of differing political views who are all concerned about the safety of fracking. I don’t like Michelle Obama’s nutrition pyramid but I do appreciate that she’s made people more aware of eating well and planting a garden. It’s a start. Whenever you assume a whole list of things because of party affiliation you know 99% of the time you’re going to be wrong about something. Like Fred Rogers always said, “look for the helpers” because that is where you’ll see the good in people.
i think you need to check your facts. this is absolutely filled with lies. first of all, hydraulic fracturing cannot even reach the water zone used for drinking water. first we drill what is called a ‘surface hole’ we line it with steel casing and cement it to the surface. wells that go on to be hydraulically fractured are so much deeper than the base of the surface steel casing that it is actually impossible to penetrate that much rock. we are talking about thousands of feet here…..groups such as the EPA and other environmental groups who claim they want a clean environment (but who actually just want to hault production of any natural resource in this country) have been main reason why energy prices are so high. we should be proud that in America we have the stringent rules that allow for a clean environment. You shut down production here and that means more drilling in places that have NO environmental protection. I highly recommend you do some more research.
I’m glad you wrote this post to tell us about this issue. It’s important and something that should be researched further by those interested in it. Thank you! Honestly, the comments on the blog make my head hurt! Like half the people are supporting fracking and there is some lunatic ranting about an ad and criticizing Sarah (for hours, actually). What the hell, crazy lady? Seriously. Thank you, Sarah, for the dedication to providing us all with information, regardless of how short a post is, how much “research” is involved, etc- it’s just a heads up to let us know something you’ve discovered and then it’s up to the individual to read it, not read it, research it, agree with it, disagree with it, click on the ads or ignore the ads. I wish people would just get a grip.
Trust that sarah is glad we are all going on for hours about this – including you – it doesn’t matter what is being said or how many times it is said, so long as we are on her blog saying it- Quite brilliant – traffic is the only thing that matters – toss out a subject every few days ( or whenever) and lets us have at it. Easy peasy!
There is zero “research” involved and there apparantly doesn’t need to be – anything will stick. Do you really think sarah cares about fracking, or julia roberts teeth, or what kind of popcorn we use. Trust that you will never see sarah with a rowboat blocking people from killing whales – trust you will never see her throwing blood on fur coats – She doesn’t really care about what you think either – Operative word being ‘really’.
If you people want to beleive she is the second coming of mother theresa that you’re more naive then i originally thought. Even sarah, unwittingly in one post, admitted it herself; it’s all about the money… U go grrlll !!!
Misty, since you are all hot and bothered about how much traffic the discussion is generating, why don’t you do yourself (and for sure all of us) a favor, take a deep breath, lift up your hands and step awaaaaay from the computer? We won’t miss you or your rude and singularly unhelpful comments, and you can re-direct your energy to some site that will welcome you. You can’t possibly believe you are persuading anyone here, so just write us off as uninformed and UNWILLING to be “informed” by you. You’ve made your points (over and over and ooooover) and we’re not buying. Take that as a hint, and SCRAM. Please.
If you are so hot and bothered by me why don’t you heed your own advice and just ignore me (as you want me to do with the ads). That is not a rhetorical question. Seriously, stop feeding this tigress – let her starve in unanswered post pergatory.
I don’t need to convince anyone of anything. There are plenty of people here who are annoyed for their own reasons and their frustrations are met with generic pat answers from sarah.
The reason i keep repeating my self is because of people like you who don’t get it the first time. DUH It is YOU who keeps making points over and over that others have made – each time to no avail – yet everyone wants to take a shot at trying – and $arah couldn’t be happier at all of this back and forth banter about nothing – much ado about nothing – You are giving me more attention then the fracking topic – Stop responding to me and I might go away.
hmmm…. was about to share the link, but when I went to copy a line to post a quote over the top of the share… I’m sorry you’ve had trouble with being plagiarized, but the measures to prevent it or make it harder also just get in the way of getting the word out. I won’t be putting the link on my facebook page now. I am greatly saddened by all this yuck and by your reaction to it….. oh wow, you also can’t even move your cursor back to a different spot in your own comment to help you reword it. I guess I might still see your videos on youtube, but the days of recommending the blog are certainly over.
Hopefully I will find some other resource that helps condense good info.
@Amy exactly. If I wrote every post like a term paper or thesis on the subject, I would have about 3 blogs a year. My articles are never intended to be the end all and be all on a topic. Most people have never even heard of fracking and yet it is going on in their communities so they really do need to get on the ball and learn about the dangers and how these companies are raping the land before it’s in their own backyard.
@Jennifer “do more research” that’s what folks in support of vaccines, drugs and GMOs say too when they have no moral defense. I don’t need research to see that people are getting very sick from these toxic chemicals being poured into the groun and the land being destroyed from what the gold rush to profits of these companies.
@Jennifer keeping energy prices reasonable is NEVER an excuse for raping the land and poisoning it for future generations.
I’m starting to think that we cannot rely on government for ANYTHING – especially to keep us safe. Do people really think these lying scumbag politicians truly care about us and our families? If anyone thinks so, they are definitely kidding themselves. These people don’t think twice about sending our men and women to die in wars that aren’t fought for defense but for our “national interests”. If they don’t even think twice about war, they certainly don’t care about fracing (there isn’t a K in the word – just learned this) or flouride in our water or GMOs. Up until about a week ago, I was all for government forcing companies to say they use GMOs. But now, I can say that the regulation will do nothing. People who do not want to eat GMOs already stay away from them. Labeling is pretty much aimed at shaming the company (which I’m all for) and people who don’t educate themselves on what they buy. This is where my fundamental beliefs come in. The answer to our problems is education, NOT legislation. We, as individuals, need to be moral and educated and caring and lift up our neighbors. We need to share information and band together when injustices happen. It’s high time we quit relying on government to save us from ourselves. If we can band together to petition the government to help us, we can band together to go around the government and petition the companies themselves to quit their nefarious practices whether that is fracing, GMOs, or slave labor. Once we start to move our dollars and our support away from companies that do these things, the quicker we will realize we have the power. I mean look at the commercials lately. Scotch-brite has botanical wipes now because they know people are shifting away from using toxic chemicals on their kitchen counters. Tide has a new detergent that takes out their harmful chemicals that cause allergies. That is just a couple examples. Big companies see the trends. They know people are suspicious now and this is just what we want. We need to constantly be suspicious, especially of entities that want our money like government and big companies. All I am is saying is that WE HAVE THE POWER – not government.
Precisely. You can’t trust government for much of anything, which is precisely why government wasn’t given the power to mandate things like GMO labeling and fracking chemical disclosure in the first place. The people who designed the government didn’t trust it any more than you do, and made sure the Constitution reflected that mistrust. But in the ensuing years, enough people have said that government needs to take care of them (like by clamoring for executive decrees on this or that issue based only on hype from some unsupported fear-mongering newspaper) that it has begun to claim that power. Which is why it can make decrees like “your drinking water shall be flouridated”, “your children need vaccinations for everything we can come up with”, or “you can’t be trusted with raw milk”.
Great post, Brooke…well said!
There is (not surprisingly) very little good solid information on fracking. If it has been done with the chemicals since the 70′s, then why is there not more information? They are putting in wells and fracking sites in our area: 15 within a 15 mile radius of our home. I started researching. Nothing of any solid, trustable use to make any judgement.
So that leads me to believe, as with the pharmaceutical industry, all is not well with the greedy corporation’s leading us to believe fracking is “okay”. How can it be without true scientific testing? There is none. Nothing, Nada. Trust us, we know what we are doing. Right.
We were told, regardless of our feelings on the matter, they were taking our gas. Our neighbors, desperate for money in a depressed area, greedily took their money and allow them to pump chemicals, that we have no idea what they are, into our land, and someday, those chemicals will leave this land a toxic wasteland. Maybe, may not. I side with someday, because they are bullying the neighborhood to sign mineral rights leases. Yes, I said bullying. They bullied us.
And I would bet that when these chemicals start seeping up and destroying the land and water, they will deny it’s their chemicals. Kind of like vaccines don’t trigger autism, but the rates rise with the rise of the amount of vaccines given children. Yeah, I am far from a believer of the “trust us” corporation.
They promise jobs for the area. However, our motels/hotels are overcrowded with oil people from other states. By the time the colleges get their students educated, these people will have raped our minerals, destroyed our properties (sometime in the future), and will be off to rape the next gas pocket somewhere in the country, taking the promised jobs with them, while desperate people spent money trying to get jobs in an industry that had no intention of hiring them in the first place. When good paying jobs are scarce in an area and people want to work, they have to try.
They have been fracking north of us. A co-workers sister works for the range service in regards to water. The water supply is being drained by these operations. The creeks and rivers are lower, some drying up, causing ecosystems to be destroyed. Anyone who has taken earth science knows about the water cycle and how it cycles to keep us with water. How can it continue, when they are stealing our water to toxify it, never to be safe to use again?
Sarah is telling about it, causing people to be aware there is something going on, something to be highly suspect about. This affects more than health of the people, which is very serious, but our water supply and our environment. Gas companies only think of their money, not what they are doing to the land, people and water around them. Afterall, they don’t have to live here. They get their money, who cares about the rest? Someday it will effect the corporation bigwig’s families, but if we don’t attempt to inform the public, it will be too late.
Meanwhile we are supposed to shut up and not say anything negative about the industry. We live in U.S. and we are not supposed to voice our opinion that something might be wrong with a big corporation? Imagine that.
I wrote yesterday. I never saw it submitted. I’ll try again.
I live in the heart of the once was beautiful Penna. hills. Deep in dairy country. I,also, suffer from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, heart ailments & so forth. Okay…..enter the fracking gas companies blasting, digging, & basically rapeing the beautiful landscape with their huige machines……causing all kinds of problems from mud slides to cattle drinking the water & becoming ill. Not to mmention drunken truck drivers getting into accidents while not even having licenses to drive in the 1st place.
I believe this chemical fracking in the name of the all-mighty dollar is not helping anyone who is already sick to begin with. Actually, I KNOW it isn’t. ………….Now, I,also see, in this forum, there’s no place to correct one’s spelling,etc. So…..we look like idiots to boot!
A man representing his gas co., knocked on my door a few yrs. back & wanted to buy rights to come onto my property & do whatever. I told him he was lucky I didn’t have my rifle. He got mad. I got madder. ( I’m a 63 yr. old granny.) He left & haven’t seen hide nor hair of the man since! I hope he fell into one of those mud-slides. Besides making this beautiful state look like a bomb hit it…………….it’s, also poisoning the water, the air we have to breathe. Or, do you know someone who will bottle THAT & bring it in for us to use???? Yea. I didn’t think so. Hysteria & fear???? YOU BETCHA!!!! Come visit us in beautiful Penna. sometime & see the facts for yourself.
Dear Cynthia,
I loved your piece on fracking. Don’t let themthem run all over you. (See. Can’t correct anything,here.)………………Anyway, do NOT allow ANYONE to intimidate you where your own land & civil rights are concerned. JUst ram a 357 mg. up their nose……smile & say, “Have a nice day!” They’ll leave you alone.
But, smile & remain lady-like when doing so. Hey! It’s your land! You’re paying the taxes …..not the gas companies.
My husband & I can tell where our neighbors have forked over their rights for the al-mighty dollar bill because they have new steel roofs on their barns & homes. Some have new tractors & other sorts of farm machinery. Heck. Some of these farmers out here were ready to lose their homes & lively hood til the gas people decided to “help them out”.
Believe me when I say this is not helping. Not in the long run. ~~~~~ Yes. Someday this whole area will be a wasteland & we have greed to blame. That & the desperation our farmers are in. They need money. The gas companies HAVE IT! WOW!!!! Talk about doing the devil’s work. Need I say more??? Didn’t think so.
I’m trying this to see if i can stop getting these childish replies in my emails. When I first wrote I clicked on the keep me posted …..but oh boy …….I never heard such immature people in my whole entire life as is posting on Sarah’s site today! I hope this is the end. I don’t even read anymore just delete right away.
Ooooh, Beth! Boogeyman alert! Socialized medicine! Ooooohhhh!!!
Do you know anyone on Medicare? Anyone? Ask him/her what they think of America’s “socialized medicine.” Chances are excellent they’ll tell you how happy they are with “government provided and run” health care. I am on Medicare as are many of my friends and we LOOOOOVE it. I CHOSE Kaiser Permanente as my plan and could not be happier with everyone there that I see on both coasts. From the people who answer the phones to the receptionists to the nurses who draw blood with a smile and the doctors who really listen to you, and respect your choices, I’m thrilled with this plan. In fact, I think it’s a shame that President Obama rolled over for the rightwingnuts and took the single payer plan off the table when he was “negotiating” for the Affordable Care Act. We’d ALL be better off if we took the profit motive out of providing health care – and we are, I think, the ONLY developed nation that permits this. So please, take your mindless talking points that have no basis in fact and share them with someone else as uninformed as you are.
ha! Melinda, thanks for the smile… My grandfather from Germany used to preach the wonders of socialized medicine yet he left his country to move here. Go figure. My parents are on Medicare but they don’t have good things to say about it at all. Their doctors do the minimum if that. My stepfather had cancer twice and lives daily with pain, with no help from his Medicare doctor. Honestly I rarely see a doctor and I have a health savings account which we can manage. That has worked better for my family. U take my health and nutrition very seriously and we avoid needing medical care hardly ever. I guess that is not the case for you but I’m glad you found good doctors. You wouldn’t lose Medicare under the Republicans. I just don’t want to be forced into a system I don’t need nor want to invest in. It is my money and my health so it should be my freedom to decide.
One more thing… I totally agree that the cost of healthcare has gotten way out of control. So has the flippant attitudes of most people about taking care of themselves. As for me being mindless and not having facts, I’m not sure where you are getting that from. That was pretty rude. I’m actually starting a second career studying medicine right now and my husband is a political science major so in actuality I’m doing something myself to help people be healthy with my main focus of making it affordable. I couldn’t help you though because bitterness would stand in the way of a healthy mind and therefore a healthy body.
Wow, Beth, talk about RUDE. I disagree with your ideas and out of that you feel free to call me “bitter” and say I must not really care about health and nutrition? I must need doctors a lot? Huh? I care quite a lot about nutrition. I eat a VERY healthy diet and I only see the docs once a year for my (free!) check up. I have more energy than people much younger than I am and I LOOK much younger than I am. You have a lot of nerve making those assertions about someone you don’t know. If YOUR parents are not satisfied with the care they get from Medicare, well sorry, but they have only themselves to blame. There’s an enrollment period every year. It’s easy to switch to a different plan. No one is FORCED to see certain docs – or don’t they know that? Why would anyone stay with care givers they don’t find responsive or effective? Maybe you should take a little time to help them figure this out, especially since you’re “studying medicine right now.” I would never have let my parents stay in a bad program. But that’s just me. Hobbling away from the computer now, with my bitter heart and dim brain. Sigh.
Oh, and, the Paul Ryan budget absolutely WOULD end Medicare. You need to get out more.
Yes you are rude. My parents are in a different state so no, I don’t get involved with their doctors…. they are adults. My stepfather has gone to multiple doctors. You are obviously someone who tells other people what to do so good for you. I don’t have that relationship with my family– they take offense at being treated like children, which they would think you were doing. My stepfather is in Mensa… he’s not stupid. He also spent a good deal of his career representing medical malpractice suits for good reason. If you want to believe that our system works great, then you’re only basing it on your personal experience. And obviously Paul Ryan is running for VP and there is little chance that his agenda is the one Mitt Romney will follow. Even the pundits are all saying that. Romney is moderate and he did what the people in Mass. wanted and he’ll bring that discretion to the nation. I guess we’ll see in the fall what America wants. As it is, Obamacare will hurt people I know. And what is it that you do for a living? I don’t think you’re dim witted, but you said I was mindless. I do think when you call names that you must have some bitterness in you to hate other people so much that you don’t know.
It’s easy to make a bargain that one side is happy with. The patients may love Medicare, but try asking the doctors, and the folks who handle the billing. They regularly refuse Medicare patients to avoid having to deal with the bureaucracy and inevitable back-and-forth. Those of us that pay for Medicare aren’t often all that happy about it either. The numbers just don’t work out in a way that convinces me it will be there if I ever need it, despite the theory that I’ve paid into the system so I can benefit from it later on.
Guido, you’re right! Of my friends who are doctors and nurses, I don’t know any of them that like dealing with gov’t insurance and they definitely are dreading Obamacare changes. Some have considered leaving the practice. That’s just the people I know. When I go to my own doctor or dentist or eye doctor, they love it when I pay with my health savings account visa…. Immediate compensation, less paperwork for them and I choose the best doctors for my family. We pay into it after taxes so we’re careful about how we spend it. I don’t let them run unnecessary tests and when we do, I call labs to make sure we’re getting the best price. I found hospitals are not good at quoting prices because there is no accountability for their lab work. Even associated doctors don’t know the prices of tests they run. That’s because it’s usually charged to the insurance companies who I’ve found are not as frugal as me when it comes to what is “reasonable and customary”. So to put everyone on a system with little accountability and more work for doctors seems like another Social Security System and you and I are not banking on that being there for us in the future.
I’m no expert on Medicare in general. I can only speak from my own experience, but it has been excellent. When I qualified for Medicare I got materials from several plans to join (my choice.) I selected Kaiser Permanente because I had several friends who were very happy with their plan. Now my entire Medicare monthly payment goes to Kaiser automatically. I did not have to find Doctors or labs or any other entity to “accept a medicare patient.” I am enrolled in a program with EXCELLENT doctors and facilities. Other than medicines (which I happily don’t need) every visit and treatment has been FREE after that monthly cost. One friend had skin cancers excised and treated and it was all covered. Their system is so well managed that other hospitals and plans send people to them to learn how they do it. Apparently THEY have figured out how to track every cost and keep them “reasonable and customary.” Maybe they can do this because they don’t have to pay a CEO hundreds of millions of dollars, as other insurance companies do? Those indefensible salaries are just ONE reason why health care delivery is vastly more important in the US than it is anywhere else, and why we have worse outcomes than many developed countries (despite propaganda from the right that insists we have “the best health care in the world!” Well, yeah, if you’re RICH! Everyone else? Good luck to you.)
Anyway, if you’re worried about Medicare and SS being available to you down the road after all your payments, you should for SURE vote for Obama, because Romney/Ryan are determined to finally succeed at a mission the right has had for 80 years now – to take these important programs away from us. Don’t let anyone tell you Romney’s plan is any different from Ryan’s. He FULLY embraced it when it came out earlier this year. Under that plan you’d get a voucher for $6,000 a year for health care. Anything over that and you’re on your own. Think that covers much? Ha.
Do you know that in each state or city if there is a choice of plans with Medicare? I don’t remember Kaiser Permanente being around here but I don’t really know since I don’t qualify for Medicare. For a family of four we don’t spend more than $6,000.00 a year in medical expenses. We are also pretty healthy and don’t run to the doctor for every bout of flu or colds we might get, as some people do. You do know that all that money will come out of my pocket to pay for it. I think this is why people get upset about programs because you are stating it like it’s “free” and it’s not. No program is self-funding. It all comes from taxes that we pay. Now we pay for our insurance anyways so we’ll pay with either plan but let’s not pretend that it doesn’t cost us something because it costs a lot to people who are working. That’s why they can get rid of Social Security. I hope they do. It’s just a tax.
Oh, sorry Melissa, you are a professional Democrat. We can’t even have an intelligent conversation because I don’t vote along one party line but you do, so nothing Obama does will be the wrong decision in your eyes. I’m very sorry I even tried to talk to you. I should have known better.
It’s Melinda, not Melissa.
I did not call you “mindless.” I said your comments were mindless, and your subsequent posts confirm this. For example, When Ryan came out with his budget, it was whole heartedly embraced by Mr. Romney. Try as he might, they can’t walk that back. Likewise, “Obamacare” was based strongly on “Romneycare” in MA, that he now completely disavows. Too bad about those pesky quotes and video to remind us where he really stands. You’re welcome to your own opinions, but not your own “facts.”
I am sorry your relationship with your parents is not better. It must be difficult to listen to them talk about bad outcomes and know they could do better. My parents would not listen to me about vitamins, white bread and taking a walk. Very frustrating. But when there were serious health issues at stake, we ALL got involved and had a voice.
I guess you missed the part where I said how disappointed I was with the President for not sticking with single-payer health care for all. That’s a, you know, CRITICISM of the President. (that unfortunately does not fit with the meme you’ve decided on for me.) But even though I think he could and should have done more, I’m immensely proud of him for getting the bill passed. Is it perfect? Nope. Is it too complicated? Maybe. But legislators tweak laws all the time. It can be made better over time. But it’s a brilliant start!
One thing you can say about us Democrats that’s very different from Republicans – we will talk and keep talking to anyone, no matter how much we think we disagree. We realize we might learn something, and to liberals that’s a value. Unlike those like yourself who believe it’s a waste of time to talk to someone with different views. I find that both sad and bad for America. Oh, and, one thing I WON’T do (unlike Republicans) is call you un-American for having different views from mine.
I guess because I’m surrounded by Republicans here, I hear more about their views and when I talk to Democrats like my mom, she never knows enough about the issues to actually discuss it and refuses to. So I’m sorry for assuming you are the same. I also have a friend who workedbin Washington during the Repub. Administration and she’s just as bad. I’m also sorry for typing your name wrong …between autocorrect on my iPad and the blog refusing to allow corrections it was too much to go back. Thanks for not slamming me on that!(I’m finger pecking right now) you think I am not thinking about these issues but I am and I care very deeply. I just have a different philosophy about how things could work. We both are studying the facts right now.nI understand your apprehension to Ryan but I think they are using him to bring in the vote, not for his agenda. I didn’t think it was the smartest choice but I don’t know why most decisions are made there. My ideal candidate? Someone with a flat tax plan to eliminate loopholes, a health safety net for everyone, reducing the national debt so my kids aren’t working to fund the gov’t at the expense of their children’s futures, and no lobbyists who promise jobs to politicians like Monsanto does. I am also concerned about protecting life. This is a big issue for me but not a popular one. The whole reason political party came up was that it was blamed on Republicans for fracking but in PA that wasn’t the case over the past several years. Yes, my family situation is not one I wish I had. I try to help from here but it’s nearly impossible. I’m sure my mom has a gluten intolerance — she had graves disease and other clear signs but her Medicare doctor refused to run a stool test because he didn’t think the cost was justified. So she won’t listen to me about just giving up breads, etc. She worked for the welfare dept. When I was a teenager and always complained of too much paperwork and one time a woman came in at gunpoint demanding “her money”! It was not a good system. She tutors adults in reading now through her church. I was brought up to go out and make a difference myself. I did mission work all through my teens in the US. I was given nothing to start adulthood with but worked hard at teaching and later advertising to make it here. My husband came from farming with nothing either and we did this ourselves with sacrifice of things some people think they need. So I am very sad when I hear of taxes rising, of people who work very hard, put themselves through school like we both did, and having so much go to the gov’t instead of paying for a better education for my own kids. I know you don’t care about me but my heart goes out to people who are in the same position who are now dealing with their homes being affected by gov’t franking or being told they have to pay into a system that pays for abortions of babies. That’s about the gist of it. From my own experience. Sorry about the typos.
Beth, thank you for your thoughtful and interesting post. It’s nice to “meet” you here. You sound like a lovely person. We actually agree on a lot of things and I just wish we could meet in person for a lively discussion about all these issues. For sure I agree about the fracking! We Dems are fanatics about protecting the earth, water and air from corruption and pollution. I hope this hideous practice can be stopped somehow.
Melinda, I was just thinking of writing the same thing– I don’t appreciate the tone of the posts here because I think we assume people are taking an argumentative tone and really, we’d all get a lot more done if we found ways to get along with each other. You could probably teach me volumes of your experiences and maybe I could too from my past positions. This is why sometimes I think having a woman in power might be a good thing. We tend to realize this a little quicker. It’s too bad we don’t have a better forum for discussing these issues. We really should learn more from the people who are actually doing this so we know exactly what is going on. I don’t fit into a Republican label because I’m so passionate about taking care of our environment too. I really don’t fit any label. Just “Beth”… ha! Take care!
Beth, I thought you might find this interesting, since we were talking about Medicare. Dr. Krugman is a Nobel Prize winning economist. Here’s HIS take on Medicare and the Romney/Ryan plans: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/31/opinion/Krugman.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Thanks Melinda! Although I can’t stand Paul Krugman at all, I did read it, ignoring his flaming liberalism. At this point, if he is right, then Medicare will drastically change (and many won’t be able to afford their drug prescriptions– which in my mind isn’t a bad thing after all because many are unnecessary and dangerous like statins). But if the Republicans are right, we’re just bankrupting our country if we continue on the path of Obamacare. I guess you’d have to ask a middle class American who’s been out of work: “Which is more important to you– not losing your house because you can’t pay for a mortgage because you’re out of work and groceries are too expensive (and Obama wants to raise your taxes starting this next year) or getting medical coverage above $6,000.00 a year but maybe your kids won’t be able to pursue their dreams because of the amount of taxes they’ll be required to pay and the scarcity of jobs, if they can even afford to go to college or get necessary training for more than minimum wage work? I’m guessing the top priority is turning around this economy. I love how Europeans chime in on these posts yet they are in a pretty bad economic state and envy our life in the U.S.
beth – you have been going on and beating this dead horse for days now – you beleive what you believe and others will do same – you have not convinced anyone yet you continue – to the point where insults are levied.
You Just don’t like Mr Obama. You eliminate any intellectual basis of argument when you speak about certains thing that were not done by his admin – or certain things that were undone.
You speak of the the economy: you had 8 years to shure up the economy, yet the 8 years were spent seeing that it crashed and burned. What, did all of a sudden, some new economics majors graduate and now they have new bright and better ideas, and it is a coincidence that are all on romneys team? So too with health care issues , and pulling out troops etc.
You act, and argue that Mr Obama came in and messed up this perfect world, where every thing was honky dory, where you beth were rich and now your poor with out health benefits or schooling for your kids.
It just shows either your ignorance of how things really and truly work, or the 8oo lb gorrila in the room, you just are not happy with a black pres……..
Quincy– I was just politely responding to Melinda’s comment to me. I appreciate your opinions Melinda because I like to hear what you think about this. Quincy, you’ve already stated earlier that you voted based on Pres. Obama’s skin color and not on his ideologies. I vote on political ideologies not on the color or ethnicity or gender of the person running for office. It’s wrong that you address me as doing any of your long list of complaints as I’m not in politics, but was a teacher and small business owner at the time I think you’re talking about all of that.
Mr. Quincy, YOU are the reason that racism still exists in this country. It exists whenever you blame someone else of being a racist because in your mind all white people are evil and hate you. That’s never been in my mind, but you continually point that out so it must be your norm. I feel very sorry for you. Very sorry.
Melinda, I’ve actually enjoyed hearing your opinions and it’s helped me to see where someone in your place in life is viewing this whole thing. It’s all difficult– the economy, the healthcare system, the environment, the education system– hopefully the next president can point us in the right direction. Mitt Romney’s proven record of success in management of business is what I’m looking for, as well as being a genuinely nice person and a good man. He’s respectable and I’ll be voting for him this November. I made up my mind last evening listening to him.
Whatever comments are left in response to this, I’m sorry but I won’t get because I have too many other things going on right now so you can hold your tongue or talk to someone else who cares to listen… I’m unchecking “follow”. Thanks Melinda!
Nice try beth. Alas however, your reputation preceeds you… You go back and forth from to polite to rude with the greatest of ease – and for some reason you think no one notices.
And you are wrong about me voting based on race. I do not vote at all! I have never voted in my life and I have had 30 voting years to do so. There is no way i want to be really involved with such idiocy – the likes of which you and your opponents, politically, exhibit here in this forum.
One is completly clueless and naive to think that people are poor because or democrats and that people are rich because of republicans (or vice versa). It is stupid to think that not raising taxes is something only republicans care about – did you forget that there are just as many rich democrats. Rich people care about there money and do not desire to give it away to taxes – poor people consist of both dems and reps, and they don’t want to part with their small dollars either – However, the smartest republicans along with the wisest democrats realise taxes in this country will always be a nesscsary evil ( and benefit). It is directly linked to taxes that we are the greatest country in the world – by great i mean the biggest war machines, the grandest infrastructure (Cities, highways, bridges, etc), the largest companies that reach the furthest globally, the biggest education system (although not the best), health care, medicade, and a host of so many other things created by people – not republicans and democrats – those two idiot entities that can’t ever get out of their own way.
The reason racism still exists – well the answer to that is in your own heart and soul. I don’t hate black people – I don’t loathe white people. I hate and loathe people who hate and loathe people because of the color of their skin, their religion, their country of origin, the gender, their sexual preferences etc etc etc .
Stop hiding behind some crappy political campaign stance and get with the program. You really think the republicans like Mitt? They are “settling” on him cause that’s all they got, not because he’s some economic wizard – many city and state governments have righted their respective ships (budgets) – that will always be a different ball game on the big stage.
If it weren’t we would all be fine and dandy by now – or, we wouldn’t have gotten into this mess in the first place during 8 years of republican rule.
@Quincy … if you do not vote at all, then why are complaining about anything? Please get involved and get out and vote. Get informed on the issues, find out what the candidates REALLY stand for by checking how they voted on issues that are important to you. I don’t personally care WHO you vote for (Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Constitution, etc.), but it is a crying shame to see someone complain about the way things are going when they have done nothing about it. Never forget that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. People in other countries overthrow their dictators and stand in line for days for the privilege of voting, yet here in America, the turnout is pathetic.
Put up or shut up. Get involved or quit complaining.
Joy, I have every right to complain. Voting, or choosing not to vote, something we fought for as well, does not allow or disallow one from “complaining”. What gives me the freedom and right to complain, appropriately enough, is the fact that I pay taxes.
You spoke of voting for politicians and a small group of concerned citizens can change the world – I don’t know about the politicians, but throughout our history it has never been politicians or politics, that has made any real changes – it has ALWAYS been the people. It was the People, who fought against the British to give us our independence – subsequently, and unfortunately, it was the people who raped and pillaged and took over the lands owned by Indians. It was the PEOPLE who sailed to Africa and kidnapped peoples to work in their fields.
Centuries later it was the people who fought and died to end slavery (or to keep it). It was the people, women, who demanded a right for fair wages and to vote and so many things that politics was unable to do. It was Martin and Malcom, and PEOPLES who marched endlessly to have a right to breathe freely in a free country. Don’t tell me about what politics can do – it’s what people have done, in this nation and around the world, to impart change and do away with injustices.
It’s people like henry ford and Rockefeller, and doctors and scientists, and architects, and educators, and other captains of industry (albeit some corrupt), that make a country what it is. It’s the hard working laborers that make a country as great as it is. And it is the taxes paid by the PEOPLE , that allow for so many of the freedoms that we have – starting right in your communities, with police protection and firemen also risking their lives – that’s what taxes help to do. Taxes paid for by people.
You joy will never know what is in a candidates heart. What they voted on last week is not what they feel this week, and if you agreed with what they voted on last week then you will be angry when they change their minds – which they do.
Stop waiting around for politicians to change the world – is has always been and it will continue to be changed by the masses. If you wish to stay “involved” with the world of politicians and politics (of which I was a major at university), that is your right. I choose not to.
Fracing occurs at 10,000-15,000 feet underground. the water which occurs there naturally can be very toxic, it is loaded with things like H2S, which will kill you at a concentration of 100 PPM (parts per million) with an exposure time of only a few seconds. I have worked around the oil and gas industry, for many years, not because it is my job of choice, but because I had a family to feed. When I first broke out as a rough neck, 30 years ago, there were many, many things which were wrong with the oil field, from watering roads for dust control, with produced water, to throwing the new guy (called the worm) into the reserve pit as a kind of hazing. When I had to take a job back in the oil field after an absence of many years. I found an entirely different atmosphere, where H.E.S. (health, environment, and safety) is the number one concern. I am not saying that everything is always done to perfection as there is always the human component, and people do make mistakes. I am saying that “fracing” is the new boogie man in the closet, and that unless you research the actual mechanism of well drilling, you are only parroting the (possibly politically motivated) scare tactics of someone with an axe to grind, or wanting your tax deductible donation. We have already produced the low hanging fruit of the hydrocarbon tree. There is no place where Jed Clampet can miss a squirrel and have a producing well. At the depths where the oil and gas are being produced from, fracing is not an alternative but a necessity to produce oil and gas. Believe me, if the major oil companies could produce a well without fracing, they would not spend the additional money to do so. The last I heard in my area of Western Colorado, a well costs somewhere between $1,500,000 and $2,000,000. from the day it is surveyed until it starts producing. In this my part of the country the oil companies have been (gasp) losing money since the summer of 2008. You might try losing your preconceived notions of big oil, and instead concentrate on what you know best, and what I appreciate you for tremendously, which is help us all with our natural lifestyle, through better nutrition.
Very well said Don
There seems to be a new reason every day why the world is coming to an end… And it’s always a conspiracy.
Thank you Rene, Two things which I live by, trust your neighbors, but brand your calves, and believe half of what you see, and 2% of what the media tells you. Cynical but true
Absolutely!
{ 1 trackback }