my reply from a Facebook post

Someone on FB was talking about Whitney Huston. It was some crude joke about her tragic death and her cocaine abuse. One person mistakenly thought that that was part of her death and another person posted that she drowned in the tub, but did not mention why. She drowned because she overdosed on sleeping pills and possibly benzodiazapines like xanax. Prescription abuse is the fasting growing cause of overdoses and death. Because of that states that have major problems like KY are making stricter and stricter regulations on doctors and patients in a misguided effort to stop it. Because of these laws patients that have illegitimate, chronic pain have to jump through flaming hoops to get treatment for real pain. The doctors are all terrified because they can lose their licenses and even be arrested if a patient is caught buying or selling their prescription. This doesn't get the people that are actually abusing the drugs because they just go to quack docs in other states of through sources that originate with cartels and gangs, no doctors involved. Also as these addicts find it harder to get pills they will just switch to far more dangerous heroin. Meanwhile real patients and good doctors are struggling to give and receive the medically appropriate treatments that places that do not have abuse problems and over-reaching legislatures. There are currently 2 bills in the KY congress that will make this problem worse. If you know someone that is suffering because of these ill created laws (like me and my doctors and God forbid, maybe you someday) then contact your rep in Frankfort and let them know to oppose HB 4 and SB 2. Thanks

JOBS!!! You idiot politicians.

Someone posted something on Facebook siting surveys that show significant growth among voters of every kind that believe that politicians, especially the GOP are too focused on the moral and social issues of the day rather than the economy. I shared it and then blogged this because it tells about politics and how the GOP (the other party does it too, just not as much) uses religious language and espouse religious views and positions to cater so a small population. The majority of voters of all kinds, Democrats, Independents, as well as, Republicans are more concerned with the jobs and trying to get by in this economy. The politicians need to do themselves and the rest of us a favor and stop focusing on divisive religious issues and talk about jobs. Why do you think Congress's approval rate is in single digits. Of course voters have opinions on social issues, but they need jobs worse. Politicians need to stop talking religion and their positions on birth control of all things and get America working again. Neither party has done anything to help the country because because they constantly thwart any legislation bu the opposite party. How do we expect Congress to do anything, when the GOP has said it is there primary goal to defeat Obama in 2012 even if it has negative consequences for everyone. They think they can point to the problems this creates and blame Obama and tell everyone that his policies have failed and that the Republicans are the only ones that can fix it. How do they know Democratic policies have been harmful when they vote against and filibuster everything the Dems propose, just to make Obama look bad and get their guy elected, the rest of the country be damned. Americans are not stupid. We know when politicians are trying to distract us with wedge issues like abortion, gay marriage, immigration, and many other religiously based moral positions. We want the government out of our religions, but there is a very vocal minority that believe their religion is the right one and that their ideals should be the ones that govern everyone in America. Most Americans know that it is unconstitutional for religion to be used to make laws that affect all Americans. Sometimes even people that claim the same religious affiliations disagree completely about different issues. The drafters of the Constitution made separation of church and state part of the First Amendment for a reason. Government needs to stay away from religion and religion needs to stay away from government.

I don't seem to be good with computers

Hey there! I thought I had redesigned the layout and look of this page, but I guess I screwed it up. Sorry. I know I haven't posted anything ground breaking lately but, I will do some blogging on some upcoming shows here in town. I am looking forward to going to see my good friends play at buster's with the talented Mr. Shooter Jennings on April 4th I believe. Then unless I am mistaken the CD release party for Those Crosstown Rivals new album, "Kentucky Gentlemen" is at Buster's on the 6th. They will be selling there CD, as well as, giving out limited edition, multi-color LPs at the show. I will be sure to do a right up on both. Also, I will defiantly be writing about my trip to Riverbend to see the incomparable greatness of Radiohead on June 5th. In the meantime I'm sure there will be something on the news or someones Facebook post that gets me riled up and I will have to voice my opinion. For what its worth. I promised my Facebook friend I would stop writing long-winded post on there and direct them here instead. I know there is a way to just post the link from Facebook straight here without typing it in every time, but like I have said, I don't quite have the ins and outs learned for this blog stuff. Until then, hope y'all are doing well and thanks for checking out the Poagulation Nation. Later

appearances

I just tried to edit the design, layout, colors and all that but apparently don't know what I'm doing so as soon as I figure it out this site will look a lot better. Wish me luck.

Let's try this again

I haven't post anything in about a year because at first I went through some writers block, but while I wasn't blogging I forgot how to get back into the stupid thing. Turns out it was actually easy. So, I will try this blog thing again. At first it was just a little auto biographical. Then I thought I would focus it on local music, but I can't afford to go to every show, or buy every new album. I figure I will do what my dad suggested I do in the first place. Instead of riffing on people's Facebook posts that end up long and no one will bother to read them plus only the people that are friends with that person will see what I say. I will copy the original post that sets me off in the first place and post it here. I will also post my point of view on other media I want to talk about. That way I will stop going off on long lectures to my friends and family after I read or watch something that gets me going. That way I spare them, get it out of my system, and if by chance anyone give a damn about what I have to say they can read it here. I will probably still write about anything music related in my life, but like I said I can only do that so much, but long-winded essays, well that I can do. Then there is the added therapeutic bonus of letting me say whatever I want, whenever I feel like it. So, even if no one reads it at least I get to say what I think without posting a super long reply to Facebook post. I will just forward people here. So if you are reading this, thank you and I hope to deliver some content worth checking out. Later.
Keith

The greatest generation is dying off, so what is our generation left with?

Regardless what your opinion of Rachel Maddow is, (mine is that she is way too liberal even for me), but one of her promos presents a very good question. She is standing in front of the Hoover Dam and she states that Americans and the "big ol' evil government" built this piece of vital infrastructure not for themselves, but for the benefit of generations to come. She then asks, "What is our generation leaving behind for future generations?" Debt and landfills? Can you name one national project of that magnitude today or plans for such an endeavor as our infrastructure collapses (see Minneapolis bridge disaster) around us? Just a thought. You political type know I don't claim to have any answers, just questions. Questions most either have not thought about or just don't want to answer, because to address them would be admitting that we are not perfect as a country. (Don't get me wrong we are a great country and I am proud to be an American).

Thoughts from the Poagulation-Nation.

Poage

All bow before the great and all knowing Free Market!

I know that I am compleatly ignorant about economics, but my rational, logical brain still can't seem to understand why the conservative, tea party types worship Smith and Rand like prophets, yet They support subsidies for all sorts of successful businesses. Oil, I'm looking at you), bail out for businesses that ran themselves into the ground while dragging the rest of us with them. I am all for cutting waste and fraud, but the way some of these neo-cons want to do it doesn't seem logical.
Since Medicare started in the 60's the average income of physicians has gone from less than $20,000 a year to close to $200,000 a year. Specialist make almost $400,000 a year now. Well above what inflation can account for. The Paul Ryan proposal would replace Medicare with a voucher from the government of about $7000 to spend on private health care. One of my hospital stays can cost over $20,000 a pop. $7000 won't help anyone with anything more than allergies. To me it seems the doctors are better off keeping Medicare/ Medicaid. Programs that have kept me alive and make U.S. doctors the highest payed in the world. Even if the neo-con have there way and decimated so-called discretionary spending, Medicare, Social Security, Planned parenthood ( who BY LAW CANNOT USE ANY FEDERAL MONEY FOR ABORTIONS no matter what some would like you to believe), and even cuts in defence (which has some bipartisan support, including poor slave Raun Paul) the dept you only be a drop in the bucket in government spending as long as 400 people continue to get tax cuts.
I wish everyone had less taxes, but this tax cut is so big and one sided that all the social cuts in the world will not increase revenue if more is going out in tax cuts than is coming in. Of, course my right wing friends say that those cuts stimulate job growth. Well, where are the jobs? Mexico, China, and the third world, not the U.S. If taxes breaks were given to businesses to stay in the U.S. and tax penalties for exporting jobs that might help, But, what do I know? Also, all the money these corporations receive is not put back into the U.S. When does it "trickle down"? These fat cats only invest it in there own stock portfolios and save the rest. If middle-class families got those cuts they would spend it on American businesses, because they have to to get gas, food, health care, college, etc.
The jobs are outsourced and pay for bonuses for executives. This is especially repulsive when Wall Street assholes that almost sent us into the second depression get bonuses and bailout even though they did a shitty job. I thought in a free market you rewarded people that are successful and make profits and punish those that fail? Why then are peolpe that so royally fucked up get rewarded? I understand the "too big to fail" idea, but you can't have a socialist government bail out and preach that the free market is the answer to all of the worlds ills. Face it. We need a strong free market and limited social programs when people fall thought the cracks.
If the middle class received just a fraction of those cuts they would spend it on U.S. businesses and services, because they have to. They can't afford to stock pile or make long term investment like The top 2%. They are the ones that actually start and run small businesses. The businesses the Bush taxes cut are suppose to stimulate. When does this whole trickle down thing start? It has been 30 years since Reaganomics and things got worse not better. Clinton actually presided with a bi-partisan congress over a surplus that Bush (the biggest spender ever) flushed down the toilet on tax cuts that increase deficits and an unnecessary war with Iraq, that not only cost billions, but countless lives for what?
Then there is the issue of "small government". Bush created many Federal programs, (some, like HLS i support), but others that have not served any real benefit. Conservatives want to pass laws to prohibit gay-marriage nation wide, They want to warrantless, wire taps, they want, to cripple planned parenthood, even though NO FEDERAL MONEY GOES TO ABORTIONS! It is a law. Look it up!. In Michigan the Governor has devised a plan to appoint "financial emergency administrator" for town in dire financial situations that has the power to dissolve the duly elected officials of those towns and flat out get rid of them and rule by caveat. That is a dictatorship, not democracy.
I like to consider myself a rational, logical moderate, who agrees with some (old) republican ideals as well as, some Democratic ideals, but because the once strong, proud GOP have allowed the nut job flood gates to open in order to appeal to the highly vocal, fringes of their base they have totally lost me. My father was a long time, contributing member of the GOP, but now he is so sick at how far right the party has become he can no longer be a member and have registered Independent. If the GOP does not get back in touch with moderates and independents they don't stand a chance in 2012. Those are just my thoughts. I could be wrong and I am sure some of you will point out that I am an idiot, but all I can do is call it as I see it. And, brother I see a bleak future. Thanks for reading my blog.
Take care and God bless.
Keith "the Poagulator" Poage