Health Care Blog For Reform - Is There Any Hope?

In today's times any health care blog concentrates on the big issue of health care reform. It is being discussed at a bipartisan conference today. President Obama says he knows the urgency of this issue and vows this conference is to be considered a last ditch effort to find lawmakers coming together to secure a compromise bill that will work for Americans. The subject of health care has been negotiated into the ground over the past year and no one seems to be capable of coming to an agreement on what is best for all of us. When politics becomes involved in issues such as the healthcare of our nation, it generally drowns out the voices of the general public and those in power do not seem to even want to listen to the silent majority.

In this health care blog we discuss the fact that Obama knows first hand how complex the healthcare struggles can be for many as he observed his own mother as she struggled for her rights as she battled terminal cancer years back. Many others have written him with their own horror stories of how the health care industry has failed them, time and time again. To quote the president, "What I'm hoping to accomplish today is for everyone to focus not just on where we differ, but focus on where we agree, because there is actually some significant agreement on a whole host of issues." In spite of the urgency of this topic, Republicans and Democrats simply seem to agree to disagree when it comes to certain issues, leaving no evidence of common grounds.

This health care blog notes that President Obama and Senator John McCain from Arizona had a heated discussion regarding the legislation involved in healthcare reform. McCain stated that Congress, under Democratic control is fashioning the health care reform legislation all the while violating Obama's openness pledges. The Senator says the legislation was produced behind the closed doors of a biased Congressional group using unsavory deal making techniques. McCain further asserts Americans actually want to return to the beginning of this struggle and totally scrap the legislation which is presently mired in Congress. As the matter is supposed to involve insurance and it's coverage for millions the discussion seems to be veering further and further away from its intended subject.

This health care blog is concerned with the fact that while all these high powered people battle it out, we seem to be left out. Left out of the decisions and not offered an opportunity to voice our feeling on this most important of subjects. While they continue to argue and debate, we see our medical insurance costs soar and there seems to be no end in sight without a good effective plan. Even the Democratic party cannot seem to come to any sort of agreement when it comes to health care reform.

This healthcare blog is concerned about the study that shows some forty five thousand people die each year because they do not have health insurance. Additionally, some seventy percent of the three quarters of a million people who filed bankruptcy last year did so due to medical bills, even though most had insurance. Perhaps we need a lot more health care blog coverage to prod these folks along.

The author is a full time writer.

Is There an Alternative to Capitalism?

During the 20th Century, Marxism and capitalism were the contending economic theories and the world was almost engulfed by a Third World War due to this struggle.

However, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the other communist bloc governments laid the way for the triumph of capitalism. But today half of the world's population lives on two dollars a day or less, and the developed countries are in an economic recession that is reminiscent of the Great Depression of the 1930s. Once again people are asking, "Is there an alternative to capitalism?"

In 1959 P.R. Sarkar, an Indian philosopher, answered this question when he presented the Progressive Utilization Theory (known by the acronym, PROUT). PROUT is an economic theory that addresses the defects of both capitalism and Marxism and offers the promise of a new economic order in which the world's resources will be distributed in an equitable and rational fashion.

We can understand PROUT by looking at six essential features of this new socio-economic system:

1. Spirituality:

Both capitalism and Marxism are materialist philosophies with a worldview that gives little (in the case of capitalism) or no importance to spirituality. PROUT on the other hand is founded on a spiritual outlook. According to Sarkar, the material world is but an expression of consciousness and humans are stewards rather than ultimate owners of any physical wealth. The goal of society is to provide a base from which humans can expand their full mental, physical and spiritual possibilities. This spiritual basis of PROUT has important implications for the management of physical resources, for the development of human resources and for the establishment of proper government.

When adopt the spiritual world view envisioned by Sarkar then our relationship with the environment will change. Similarly when we regard other human beings as manifestations of that one Consciousness then our relationships with each other will change. Finally, when such a spiritual world view permeates our whole society, we will get the kind of service-minded and self-less government that is currently lacking in the world today.

2. A "Floor and a Ceiling":

Welfare economists have always emphasized that the minimum necessities of life should be provided for everyone in a properly structured society. Efforts to make a minimum wage or to provide various kinds of welfare systems to help impoverished people are all part of this concern.

P.R. Sarkar agreed with some aspects of welfare economics and stated that the minimum necessities of life should be guaranteed to all members of society. However, he recognized that if the society would just give people a check at the end of the month, with their required income, then this would only encourage laziness. According to Sarkar, the best arrangement is that society should provide people with the purchasing power to procure the minimum necessities of life in exchange for their labor in a job. Full employment providing everyone with the proper amount of purchasing power thus provides the "floor" of the economic system. No one should be allowed to "live in the basement."

Where PROUT breaks new ground is in its attention to the "ceiling" of the economic system. The poverty of many is tied to the affluence and over-accumulation of a few, and if we really want to bring about a harmonious society we need to think about putting limits on the amount of physical wealth that a person can accumulate. In the first principle of PROUT it is stated that "no individual should be allowed to accumulate any physical wealth without the clear permission and approval of the collective body of society."

This concept is sure to evoke howls of protest from the super-rich, the very rich and even middle class people who aspire to wealth. The classic argument of the wealthy people is that by their effort wealth is created and this wealth will trickle down to the rest of the society. The apologists of laissez faire capitalism have been very successful in convincing people that this is the truth, but the starving, sick and homeless people of the world have been waiting for a long time for the wealth to trickle down, and it doesn't seem to be happening.

3. Economic Democracy:

In the past century a great deal was said about making the "world safe for democracy." But the "democracy" that was talked about was political democracy. In many of the impoverished countries of the world, the same ones where people struggle with $2.00 per day, the people have the right to vote but they do not have any say in their economic life. Similarly, even in developed countries a person can vote to decide who will be the next president, but he or she usually has no vote in deciding economic matters that are very close to home, like keeping a job.

According to PROUT theory, society should be organized in a manner that will empower as many people as possible. One of the best ways to do this is reorganize the ownership and operation of economic enterprises. Under capitalism the primary business form is the corporation. The owners of the shares of a corporation have all the votes and decide how the enterprise will be run. Those who work in the enterprise have little or no say in the vital economic decisions that will affect their lives.

The PROUT system would establish the cooperative as the most important business form. Most enterprises, except the very large key industries and very small businesses, would be organized as cooperatives. Those who work in the enterprise will be the owners and will elect management and will vote in elections governing the running of the enterprise.

In a PROUTist economy the very small enterprises with few employees and dealing in non essential goods would be privately owned and operated, and the medium enterprises would be owned and operated as cooperatives. Large scale key industries (energy, communication, transportation, etc.) would be publicly managed either by local governments or by special public bodies (in unitary political systems). This three-tiered system of private, cooperative and publicly run enterprises would provide the base for economic democracy.

4. Economic Reorganization (Decentralized Economy, Balanced Economy and Regional Economic Self Sufficiency)

If we want to bring about the economic well being of all of the people, then we must also make sure that some geographic areas are not depressed while other areas are thriving. The best way to do bring about economic development and prosperity for everyone is to decentralize the economy, develop all sectors of the economy and to strive for regional economic self-sufficiency.

One of the biggest reasons for economic imbalance within any particular country is the modern trend of urbanization. Usually most manufacturing and many other services serving the manufacturing sector are situated in cities. The metropolitan areas thrive, and people in the country side are either unemployed or work in low-wage or subsistence agriculture.

The best way to reverse this situation is to place some industries, and supporting services and industries in rural areas. In this way excessive congestion of urban areas will be avoided and strong regional centers will provide employment and services to previously neglected rural areas.

Economic decentralization should also be coupled with balancing the various sectors of the economy: industry, agriculture and services. In some countries more than 75% of the people work in agriculture and a small minority in industry and services. Underdeveloped countries with poor economies are usually structured in this way. In industrialized countries a huge majority of the population work in industry or in services, and very few people are engaged in agriculture.

P.R. Sarkar said that a more ideal set-up would have 20% of the population in agriculture, 20% in agro industries (producing goods using agricultural produce), 20% in agrico-industries (supplying machinery and tools for agriculture) and the rest of population in industry and services.

A society with this kind of economic balance would be better able to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Currently "globalization" is the buzz-word of the era, and economic self-sufficiency is not in vogue. But is it really healthy for any country to neglect its agricultural sector and rely on imported food? Similarly should some countries remain with little or no industry and rely on far-away countries for all their finished products?

Generally countries which depend solely on agriculture or which export raw materials like wood and minerals remain poor while heavily industrialized countries thrive. This is not good for the non-industrialized areas, but it is also not healthy for the developed countries as well. In times of war or in time of any disruption to transportation, their vital food supplies will be in danger.

On top of this, in a world where climate warming and ecological difficulty have become major problems, does it continue to make sense to rely on centers of supply (for either raw or finished products) that are halfway around the world?

PROUT recommends that countries in a particular geographic region come together and form economic zones that have balanced, decentralized and self-sufficient economies. Such an arrangement would be ecologically advantageous, provide for economic security in times of war or unforeseen disruptions of transportation, and most importantly would insure that no particular country or region will remain in poverty while others thrive.

5. Moral Leadership

The various plans for a better organization of the economy and for economic democracy are good in theory, but the problem of materializing these noble ideas depends on the quality of the human beings in our society. If elected and appointed officials are corrupt then these officials will prevent the implementation of policies designed to bring about social and economic welfare. For example the social equality preached by the Marxists was belied by the reality of corrupt government officials living in luxury while the masses remained in poverty.

The only way out of present economic and political problems is to elevate the moral standard of our society. If people are properly educated, conscious of their social and economic responsibilities and moral, then democracy can thrive and moral leadership will come to the fore. The hope of the future will rest on the shoulders of men and women who will enter public office with the spirit of service and sacrifice rather than for the selfish purpose of lining their own pockets or enhancing their prestige.

A proper spiritual outlook coupled with an educational system that is free from political interference and focused on the all around development of human beings is the best way to bring forth leaders who are moral and work for the good of society.

6. Global Governance

Against the backdrop of the universe, the earth is a small planet and human beings have to learn how to live together in harmony on this small planet. The best way to minimize the possibilities of war and to safeguard the rights of all people is to establish a global government. Previous attempts in the 20th Century in this direction, namely the League of Nations and the United Nations, have not been adequate and it is time to move onto a better level of global coordination.

In his book Problem of the Day, P.R. Sarkar laid out a concept of world government that should be achievable in the near future. He advocated the establishment of a bi-chambered world government. One chamber, the lower house, would have representation based on population and the other chamber, the upper house, would provide equal representation for all nations. The upper house will not be able to pass a law unless it has first been passed by the lower chamber, but the upper house will also have the right to reject bills passed by the lower chamber. Sarkar envisioned a stage-wise movement towards world government.

These are the core economic and political ideas that form the backbone of the Progressive Utilization Theory.

If you would like to read more about the Progressive Utilization Theory visit the site of PROUT Magazine, http://www.proutjournal.com

5 Reasons For the American Physician Shortage-Didn't Know There Was One?

Wake up, America! What is it about the pending demise of the traditional medical profession that you don't understand? You may have been attentive enough to notice in the broader sense that as the percentage of American doctors decreases it becomes camouflaged by the increase in foreign doctors practicing here.

If that's not enough of a concern, then why are the American medical schools having a problem recruiting American doctors, the AMA is promoting re-entry programs for physicians in its February 2009 issue of AMA Voice, a Bulletin September 2008 is asking "Where Have All The Doctors Gone?," and why the U.S. Congress, now trying to revamp the health care system, is having to consider what language to publish the new Health Care Legislation in.

Every physician in this country can see how desperate the situation is, but can't seem to do much about it, at least that's obvious to those of us kept out of the committee room conferences where strategies are born. Physicians also see the problems from the inside of the profession and already know the reasons a medical doctor shortage is moving like an avalanche. So, who's doing anything to prevent it, or at least slow it down? But to do that you need to understand the causes.

Open your eyes to these 5 reasons why we have an American physician shortage: It is vividly clear to every medical doctor in order to survive in the medical profession today, must create a series of defenses against the economic, political, and legal-social barriers which are shredding the medical profession. Who in their right mind would want to become a physician, only to understand that for the rest of their career they will be fighting against the divisive tactics of governmental restrictions?

1. The economic barriers:

If you knew that doctor's incomes have dropped almost 10% over the last 10 years and are continuing to drop by all national surveys, that medical practice business expenses have risen steadily over that same period, and governmental medical fee restrictions are to be increased soon as they are each year, would you consider there was a real problem brewing?

And, even worse, there's no halt to the process over the foreseeable future.

When a physician recognizes that high school dropouts are making more income on the Internet and as managers of a fast food restaurant than he is earning after 20 plus years of education, why not get out quick? And, that's not even figuring in their incurring an educational debt of over $200,000 to pay back as soon as they finish medical school.

Might a doctor seriously consider changing to another career? Or, while in college decide that becoming a medical doctor isn't worth the risks, education, and money spent. Why then, do any of them do it anyway? Who knows?

You, may believe that this information is biased, inaccurate, and deliberately misleading. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you find out from any legitimate sources.

2. The political barriers:

Other than having to deal with fee regulations, which no other profession suffers from, the malpractice issue rises up like a monster in the sea. Why would any college student choose to become a medical doctor, expose themselves to devastating medical malpractice litigation over and over throughout their medical career in practice, and possibly wind up losing their medical practice and medical license (often blackballed in their profession)?

The fact that attorneys compose the majority of the legislative bodies in this country should be a clue as to the cause. They vote in or out medical malpractice laws within each state. Only a small minority of states have been able to establish legislation capping the outrageously high jury verdicts handed down for plaintiffs (patients).

California became the first state to suffer from the results of these run-away verdicts in the 1970s. It was the first to establish a cap on the verdicts. You and I know that lawyers will do all they can do to keep their cash cow producing income.

Understand, the cap on jury awards has to do only with that part of the verdicts called "for pain and suffering"----not for the primary segment of the award to cover the injured patient's future medical bills and care.

There is no national consensus as to how to resolve the issue of legitimacy of a malpractice suit. Some states (like Nevada) have a review panel of several individuals who offer an opinion as to whether the case should go to trial or be dropped. The attorneys are not obligated to take the panel's advice.

With the stagnation of protective medical malpractice legislation progress, doctors will continue to live with the high risk if they choose to become a doctor.

3. Medical Malpractice barrier:

For 2 years in the 1970s in California there were no insurance companies who would write medical malpractice policies for doctors at any premium price. Doctors either left to practice in another state (like has happened in Pennsylvania recently), or went "bare" (no insurance).

With no insurance, doctors took on the high risk of loss or their medical practice, bankruptcy, or worse. The doctors responded by forming their own malpractice insurance organizations which have served them well.

Nevada physicians, especially high risk specialties such a Obstetrics, has recently faced the same problem of unaffordable medical malpractice insurance premiums---and the state still hasn't learned the lesson. Large numbers of Obstetricians left the state leaving patients without care and forcing them to drive out of state to get care.

It's a repeated scenario. No cap on the jury verdicts (the cause)-malpractice insurance companies skyrocket their premiums-doctors can't afford to pay premiums-doctors leave the state to practice elsewhere-patients lose their doctors and doctors become scarce.

Any physician, no matter what kind of specialty they practice, has to learn to live with the risk of a medical malpractice suit.

Also know, doctors live daily with the possibility that any patient can file a medical malpractice suit against them anytime, even years after the event. Even then, the physician becomes "labeled" whether they are guilty of malpractice or not. Further, the mental anguish of court investigation and trial takes a permanent and huge toll on the doctor-win or lose.

Would you be willing to work every day under that threat? Retiring early, changing professions, moving to medical administrative jobs, and trimming medical practices to low risk patients is what is going on now in the medical profession. The prediction is that it will get much worse in the near future.

4. Legal barriers:

Medical licensure has become a political toy. Medical Boards are normally composed of physicians along with a few non-physicians appointed by the state governor. Members often have conflicts of interest which reflect on their management of physicians who are brought before the board.

So it's an arcane topic in most circles. When a physician is reprimanded or punished by the medical board, the action is spread throughout the country to all other medical boards.

If punishment of renegade physicians is not harsh enough, pressure is put on the board to be tougher-or else. Any black mark placed against a physician follows him or her wherever they go to practice. Simply another reason to quit the profession when the board is unduly unfair.

An example of unfairness by a medical board: An experienced and respected physician, board certified, 15 years in practice with a clean record was brought before the board for a legal issue completely outside the medical profession. He was brought before a trial judge, who had just completed her own vicious divorce from a physician husband in the same specialty as the doctor involved.

She proceeded to disregard any defense issues and wrote a 3 page order to the medical board insisting on putting this doctor back through a residency training program for his specialty among several other practice destroying requirements. The medical board ruled exactly the way she wanted.

The real story of the bad treatment was magnified by the fact that no direct contact was made with the doctor by the board other than a letter. He was never interviewed by any member of the board, as is the standard procedure, nor was he ever permitted a hearing in front of the board to present his own rebuttal, evidence, and defense.

Be aware, this was what was done to a physician of quality for a problem that had nothing to do with his medical practice. And, yes, there is more to the story than this which revolved around poor judgment by the board.

Physicians are often unaware of how other physicians view their actions and judgments. They have to live with that.

5. Social barriers:

Physicians have their own clicks they work with, socialize with, and refer to. It's normal and friendly interaction. However, within that physician community are many areas of quicksand which directly affect their medical practice and income. Offending one doctor can lead to 20 others stopping all referrals to that doctor. Peer review of practice mistakes or blunders which are unintended and accidental can turn a doctor's future practice associations into dead ends.

Normally one would expect a professional to act in a mature professional manner-sometimes they do. Often it is more devious and crude when the battles occur. Physicians are very unforgiving of those others who don't meet their own expertise and ability standards. That's what all doctors have to live with to survive.

These five factors have a profound and direct effect on why the physician population is dwindling. The other factors are less extreme. Face it! Doctors are sick and tired of being stomped on and dragged around by those who seem to believe that doctors aren't practicing up to expected standards. There lies the problem.

Expectations for a profession which yet doesn't understand everything in medicine are beyond reality. Medical practice functions on basic medical principles that constantly must be modified depending on the circumstances, and judgment calls which unintentionally lead them astray.

The bottom line is.........what's going to be done about it.......if anything?

The author, Curt Graham, is a medical doctor, marketer, copywriter, author, speaker who has written extensively over his 35 plus years in active medical practice. He is a published author in Modern Physician, and is credited as an expert author by web article directories and self help websites including selfgrowth.com.

If you want to know how physician shortages affects your own healthcare....Go Here Now! http://www.healthcaresecretsrevealed-finally.com

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The author, Curt Graham, is a retired medical doctor who has written extensively on many topics over his 35 plus years in active medical practice as a specialist in OB-GYN. He has been published in Modern Physician, and is credited as an Expert Author by EzineArticles.com directory. Go to his website for more detailed and expanded articles concerning obtaining better health care, among others:

http://www.HealthCare-Toolbox.com

Please feel free to copy, send, or distribute this article as long as the article is not changed, and the author bio resource box is included with the article as written.

Copyright 2005, L & C Internet Enterprises, Inc., Curt Graham, All Rights Reserved.

Is There a Fiduciary Responsibility to Discuss Long-Term Care Planning

The report of planners sued by heirs or family members for failure to discuss long-term care planning and protection options may currently be more hearsay than reality but leading national experts report they are inevitable. "I haven't seen many claims of this nature. That said, it's conceivable you will see claims against planners and given the aging population that you will see them more frequently" says Richard Rogers, JD, partner with Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry LLP, a firm that monitors claims against insurance agents and financial professionals." All you need is one or two and the floodgates could open.

For that reason, it's important that planners understand ways to minimize the exposure of facing a $640,000 liability claim (a potential cost of a single 3.5 year claim occurring 15 years from now). The more dangerous lawsuit will most likely come directly from the client or spouse whose financial plan has been impacted by the cost of long-term care. It may also come from heirs.

How Courts View Fiduciary Responsibility

"It's not a financial planner or advisors responsibility to sell or recommend insurance to every client, but it's becoming critical to have the long-term care planning conversation with every client," states Steve Cain, LTC Practice Leader, Marsh Private Client Services. "There is a fiduciary responsibility to talk about risk, whether that be investment risk to a portfolio or the risk of needing extended health care."

Courts will likely look at the relationship between the client and the professional. "A fiduciary duty typically arises when a person or organization is placed in a position of trust for the benefit of another," explains attorney J. C. Mazzola, JD, partner with the New York firm of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Eldeman & Dicker.

"The fiduciary relationship between financial planners and their clients has not been considered much by the courts," Mazzola says. "However emerging case law points to the existence of such a relationship." In 2007, the Texas Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's position that "a relationship of trust and confidence exists between a financial planner or investment advisor and his client" [Western Reserve Life and Timothy Hutton v. David Gruban and Frank Strickler, 2007 Texas App. LEXIS 5121].

The definition of fiduciary varies from state to state. New York State courts have ruled that "a fiduciary relationship may exist where one party reposes confidence in another and reasonably relied on the other's superior expertise or knowledge" (WIT Holding Corp v Klein, 282 A.D. 2d Dept 2001]. "The test to establish a fiduciary duty is more stringent in Texas and even stricter in Maine," Mazzola explains citing court rulings.

"For a claim to result in a settlement, you first need a duty that is violated or breached with a resulting damages," Rogers explains. "If you are talking about a broad financial planner who holds himself or herself out as providing advice for retirement or estate planning the liability exists." The claim would be based on the fact that the planner left out the discussion about long-term care and failure to prove otherwise would be difficult to overcome in court.

The Effective Use Of Waivers and Documentation

Many experts recommend planners take steps to avoid or mitigate exposure to future claims that may arise even from clients who chose not to pursue available options. Indeed, a growing number of firms are recommending their planners and their financial or investment professionals utilize and retain waivers or liability releases.

"I certainly agree with those attorneys who say that if you do hold yourself out as a financial planner then long-term care is part of your responsibility," says Howard Kite, National Sales Manager for Genworth Financial Advisors. "When the long-term care related lawsuit comes people typically don't have the ability to recall," says Dave Wickersham, CEO of The Leaders Group. "Even if a planner is not licensed to sell long-term care insurance there's an issue. And, because nothing was sold there isn't any E&O insurance to protect the professional."

"The perfect documentation is anything with the client's signature on it," says Kathryn D. Jacobson, CPCU, CIC, Senior Vice President with Seabury & Smith, errors and omissions liability insurance experts. "Ideally you'd have a signed disclosure form that acknowledged that coverage was offered and declined." Second best would be a documentation of the phone call or printout of an E-mail recapping the offer and decision. Suggested wording would acknowledge the client's decision not to purchase and "their understanding that if they decide to purchase in the future the cost may be higher and health underwriting requirements must be satisfied at the time an application is submitted."

"A waiver won't automatically cause a judge to throw out a case but it's a very good piece of evidence to have particularly if it is supported by other documentary evidence," explains Richard Rogers.

With the number of aging Americans who will need long-term care growing, it is impossible to eliminate all risk of finding yourself facing a lawsuit or liability claim for failure to have the long-term care discussion. "If clients see you as the expert, then you have the fiduciary obligation to them and you should be offering every product that you feel is applicable," states Jacobson. "If nothing else you might even make yourself some money."

Insurance and financial professions seeking the most current information on long-term care planning can visit the Producer's Resource Center of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.

Jesse Slome is Executive Director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance. The industry trade organization does not sell insurance products but maintains an excellent website for consumers seeking additional information on the subject. If you would like to receive a no-obligation free quote from a member of the Association, visit our Consumer Information Center.

Mexican Truck Drivers - Why Stop There?

The debate on Mexican Truckers has temporarily cooled, although at some point it will likely heat up again. For the moment Congress has de-funded the experimental program that would have allowed a select group of Mexican truckers to haul freight into the U.S. Nonetheless, supporters of the experiment vow to fight on. In the meantime, opponents including OOIDA and the Teamsters have framed their opposition around safety. Specifically, these groups argue that Mexican trucks pose a safety risk on U.S. highways. They paint a bleak picture of Speedy Gonzales driving his rusty old GMC cabover down the interstate at 80 mph with faulty brakes and fuel tanks held in place with duct tape. Oh excuse me; I just mistakenly described an every day scene around the Port of Newark. Well suffice it to say the picture they paint of Mexican truckers ain't pretty either.

That said opposing Mexican truckers on the basis of safety is completely disingenuous. Mexicans know how to drive safely and maintain their trucks. The real issue is money, or in this case the potential lack thereof facing U.S. truckers.

As our country continues to engage in an immigration debate, we often hear that we need workers from other countries to do jobs that Americans simply won't do. Is that actually the case? Or are workers from other countries under bidding American workers for home grown jobs in this country? I say it's the latter, and that brings us back to Trucking. Driving a truck is an extremely tough job, but plenty of Americans and legal immigrants still choose this profession. No doubt driving a truck in the United States would probably be a dream job to millions if not billions of people around the world. And that's the problem. With rising fuel costs and all the other economic pressures at play the last thing U.S. Truckers need is an influx of foreign competitors.

I support free trade, but not the uninhibited flow of labor across international borders. It's one thing for an American manufacturer to save money by producing goods in Taiwan. It's another thing for an American manufacturer to save money by importing Taiwanese to produce goods here. We've ceded a handful of industries to this phenomenon already. If the U.S. opens its highways to Mexican Nationals we risk losing the trucking industry as a good source of employment for Americans. I know I sound like a labor agitator, but in this instance OOIDA and the Teamster are right.

Proponents for allowing Mexican Truckers into the U.S. focus on the potential for reducing shipping costs and the greater good that would supposedly nourish for all. If that's the case then why stop there? No doubt we could save money on health care if we encouraged more Mexican doctors and nurses to practice here. We'd lower our legal bills if we rolled out the red carpet for Mexican lawyers. Hey here's an idea. Let's open up the cockpit at good ole American Airlines to Mexican trained pilots so Grandma can save a few bucks on her visit this Thanksgiving. And while we're at it we can obviously cut insurance costs by recruiting more Mexicans into the executive ranks of the insurance industry. Hang on a minute. That latter suggestion might actually make sense. Maybe we would land some talent in the top tier of this business for a change.

Fortunately labor is but one component of the global competition equation. Countless other pieces like political stability, security, morality (read lack of corruption) infrastructure of all sorts, banking systems, the regulatory environment, natural resources and freedom in general all factor into the viability and dynamics of an economy. Places that offer only cheap labor with none of these other ingredients - pity the poor people in Africa - really have nothing to offer at all. In the U.S., arguments against globalization tend to focus only on our labor cost disadvantages. How can we compete against third world workers willing to work for almost nothing? Amazingly, we tend to overlook that the U.S. leads the world in all other areas. Hence, competing against third world countries actually comes quite easily thank you. Is anyone shaking in their boots over competition from Albania? So long as we reserve our world class economic infrastructure for Americans, we'll continue to enjoy a higher standard of living than the rest of the world even in the face of global competition.

I completely understand why Mexican truckers want to run in the U.S. Who wouldn't want to enjoy the economic opportunity this country offers its citizens? But I also understand the implications such a policy will have on American truckers. So if Washington policy makers still insist on taking us down this road, I say start with the lawyers, and see how that works out first.

Thanks for checking in...

Ed Campbell, III

http://www.1stguard.com
http://www.thetruckinsuranceextremist.blogspot.com

Ed Campbell, III is the chairman of First Guard Insurance Company a specialty insurer of long haul truckers. The Truck Insurance Extremist is a blog dedicated to Ed's observations on the insurance and trucking industries. The commentary and opinions expressed here are Ed's alone and do not represent the views of any companies or organizations.

Long-Term Care Insurance - Are There Any Other Options?

The aging of America is bringing the topic of Long-Term care to the forefront. There is more in the news about the aging baby boomers and who will be available to provide 78 million seniors with home health care. We are not even talking about room in assisted living or nursing facilities.

The reality of the situation is who is going to pay for long-term care when it is needed? What are your choices and do they fit in with your own long-term care planning?

Medicare

Sometimes Medicare will pay for 20 days at a nursing home for recuperation and rehabilitation after a hospital stay and it picks up part of the cost for an additional 80 days. It does not cover custodial care that you need when you can't bathe, eat, dress or get around with help-or when you need supervision because of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

Medicaid or Medi-Cal (in California)

This is a welfare program which is run jointly by the Federal government and the states and is for people with few assets and low income. This program kicks in when a person's assets are $2000 or less. Under a new Federal law, residents that purchase Long-Term Care Partnership plans from private insurers can qualify for Medicaid even if they have assets totaling more that $2000.00.

Savings and Assets (Private Pay)

You can self-insure which means you are responsible to pay for your long-term care if you have the financial means to do so primarily from your existing assets.

The national average daily rate for a private room in a nursing home is $213 or $77,745 annually. The national average, private pay monthly base rate for an individual residing in an assisted living community is $2969. or $35,628 annually.

Long-Term care planning must be put into place to make sure there are funds to cover these costs and still maintain the lifestyle of the spouse not in need of these services.

Long-Term Care Insurance

Long-Term Care insurance increases the family's leverage to choose the care it wants and provides peace of mind about getting the care. Not all facilities accept Medicaid patients and those that do may limit the number of spaces available because Medicaid pays at a discounted rate.

Long-Term care insurance pays for home care, assisted living and nursing home care. A policy with options for home health care and assisted living are useful as more people favor staying in their own homes as long as they can. A

Long-Term care Specialist can help design a plan that is specific for your own needs. For some, long-term care insurance may serve as a supplement to other savings and retirement planning.

It is important to add the inflation protection feature especially for younger buyers who may not claim benefits for many years.

Before purchasing a policy, make sure that the premium is affordable even when you retire. It is a bad strategy to purchase a plan and then let it lapse because you cannot afford the premium. It doesn't make sense to purchase long-term care insurance if it is not affordable.

Use the expertise of a Long-Term Care Specialist to simplify the process and help you compare different carriers and the different options available from the carriers as well as design a plan that will be affordable now and through your non-income producing years.

Before you purchase a long-term care policy, consult with Dane Petchul, LTCP, CLTC, a Long-Term Care Specialist at http://www.LongTermCareInsurancePros.com - You will receive a free, no obligation quote with the costs and benefits appropriate for you and your family.

We the People: Toward a Fair and Just Society and How to Get There

In 1991, after over 30 years of research and original thoughts, I published my theory of the future democratic society in "Technological Democracy: A Humanistic Philosophy of the Future Society", and presented its more refined structure in my later publications cited below. Because of the global economic crises forcing people to look for a new societal system to replace the old corporate dominated one, I decided to publish a simplified and short version of my theory, in a manifesto form of only 64 pages for general public as a guide for taking action toward changing the system. I firmly believe this is the system of the future world which will materialize within this century. It will save many lives and opportunities if we understand it now and take action to materialize it before it gets too late to stop wide-spread violence and bloodshed.

The economic concept presented here is a part from a new scientific theory of technological democratic society which is thought, sooner or later but ultimately, to replace the present two centuries old chaotic and outdated system of, so called, representative democracy. People in nearly all developed and some developing countries are earnestly looking for a modern but just and fair system to replace it. The total and detail structure of this new societal system, which is presented in three books (over 1000 pages), obviously cannot be properly presented here. The reader needs to have this in mind when some questions arise. However, understanding it with a little use of logic and reasoning is quite simple, since the scientific base of the theory rests on the application of a single principle of equality of opportunity.

Our Constitution literally covers the principle of equality of opportunity but suppose, to clarify it, we pass an amendment to our constitution recognizing equality of opportunity as an individual right in every aspect of daily life. This immediately expands democracy to cover the whole system of the societal life: economic, political, as well as social. Let's see what happens to the economy of the country and along with it to individual liberties, political process, social order, employment rights, and equality regardless of race, gender, culture, and religion. Here is a very brief account of it..

The New Economic Theory

The manner by which property is produced, owned, and used, determines the economic structure of a society and, to a substantial degree, its social and political characteristics. A necessary condition for economic democracy is the equitable distribution of capital among the people and dispersed control over its use.

The Principle of Unjust Enrichment

The principle of equality of opportunity prescribes that every person has full authority of control and management of whatever he or she owns during his lifetime, but no one in a technological democratic society is allowed to gain opportunity over others through accumulation of wealth by profits achieved by exploitation and subjugation of others, or free transfer of assets. This principle is known as "prohibition of unjust enrichment." Such accumulation is allowed only through individual's own labor. Thus, no one can be enriched through inheritance or receiving property or assets without a comparable compensation. The reason is that such enrichment will disturb equality of opportunity by increasing one's opportunity, without his personal efforts, over those of others. Inheritance is allowed only to the extent that it does not affect equality of opportunity. Profit is another form of unjust enrichment since the capitalist receives it through exploitation of workers as well as consumers. It unjustly enhances the opportunity of the capitalist against workers and others. However, a nationally specified amount of return from the use of capital is justified.

Capital and Capital Accumulation

While capital is still one of the main forces of production, its characteristics is quite different with that under capitalism or socialism. Besides the capital accumulated through savings from a worker's own earnings, in order to attain equality of opportunity, each worker has also another source of capital accumulation. It is a determined number of shares of his employer's firm he receives every month along with and as a part from his salary. This process gradually and peacefully transfers capital from the capitalist to the worker allowing him or her increasing voice in the operation of the firm. A unique and fantastic result is attained by this process of transition; the distinction between the capitalist and working class disappears and both join together into one. It is important to note that the working class under this theory embodies anyone working in any production process from its top managers to its least qualified one.

The accumulated capital by the workers under this program stock-holding is non-transferable, but it remains under the ownership and control of the worker. It replaces the present Social Security system, providing him or her with income sufficient for a modest but comfortable living standards after retirement. Like Social Security, after the death of the owner, this non-transferable capital reverts to a public organization known as the Public Consumption Fund responsible for providing free health care and free education for all. However, in order to diversify his or her non-transferable holdings, the worker may exchange part of his or her firm's non-transferable stocks with non-transferable stocks of other companies in the stock market. In reality, these stocks are a part from the social capital in circulation providing a variety of beneficial functions, all under individual and private control. In addition, of course, the worker has capital accumulation by savings from the salary, income from capital investments in production firms, income from nontransferable stocks, and inheritance. The worker has full control over all these assets during his or her lifetime.

The Working Class, Shared Opportunity and Employment Right

The application of equality of opportunity creates a new mode of production eliminating exploitation and gradually making the worker a full participant in production and distribution process. At the workplace, it creates different opportunity levels based on each individual's education and experience.

Under equality of opportunity, employment is an individual right because there is no such equality present between those employed with those unemployed within the same level of competence. Each institution must provide employment for any applicant corresponding to his or her level of competency through the use of the principle of "shared opportunity" derived from the equality of opportunity principle. It requires that each employed person within the firm at the same level of competency as those unemployed applicants, to give up a small portion of his employment opportunity (e.g. 1-4 hours out of 40 hours per week) to provide the same employment opportunity for the applicants. The concept of supply and demand at each level of opportunity stabilizes the employment market for this and any other level of work nationwide. Shared opportunity causes full employment and lifetime job security for anyone desiring to work.

Work, Education, and Pay System

The general level of compensation is determined by a general position classification at the national level calculated and established by the National Economic and Production Council (NEPC) by the assistance of the Technodem, which is a national independent, self controlled electronic system and indispensable instrument in proper application of equality of opportunity, also known as the people's best and trusted friend. The Technodem by having access to prices of all goods and services and the cost of living, calculates and reports to NEPC the amount of minimum wage required for a minimum living standard. The NEPC designs a model position classification and pay system accordingly. This is fed to the Technodem equipped to supervise its application in every institution hiring workers. Each production firm then, following the national model, establishes its own position classification and pay system and feeds it into the Technodem which instantly compares it with the national model, and reports back discrepancies, if any, to be corrected. The position classification within each firm does not have to be exactly the same as the national model but it has to fit into the range specified by that model.

Education

In technological democracy, after twelve years of general education, the work system and education merge together. Everyone is required to complete the general education program. It consists of four years of preschool education starting at age three up to seven; four years of elementary and four years of secondary education. It contains a condensed curricula from grade one through twelve. After completing this educational program, the person who is about fifteen years old, begins to work part-time while starting his higher education full-time. His study program is equally divided between general-humanistic and professional-technical parts. The first part, develops him as a democratic person, deeply devoted and committed to the principle of equality of opportunity. However, the core part of his humanistic education is achieved through his or her 12-year of general education. By the age of 22, he or she achieves the knowledge level of an MA degree under our present system, and starts to work full-time and continues his studies part time for the rest of his working years. Every worker at the time of retirement, which arrives at his early 50s after 30 years of work, accumulates knowledge, far beyond the Ph.D. level, the highest degree in higher education offered today. This higher level of knowledge is required and necessary in a highly scientific and technological and ever-changing life environment at work as well as at home. This part-time education is a part from the worker's required working hours; for a 40 hour-per-week work program, he works 32 hours and studies 8 hours. Everyone starts the life from scratch and gradually moves to a high position and high income by the time of official retirement. There remains still two or more decades of active life left for each individual after retirement to enjoy life without worry spending it in leisure, art, music, travel or other creative and desired ventures.

The Government

The technological democratic society is based on the concept of the least government being the best. Accordingly, the national government has no domestic line functions. All national departments except for defense and State, all regulatory agencies and welfare programs are discarded. The state governments are down-sized by about 40 percent; while the size and responsibilities of local governments are increased by about 20 percent. The Technodem, production firms and local social organizations carry out most of the needed public functions. Under this system there is an incredible expansion of individual rights and freedoms, free education, fee health care, employment rights, and old age benefits all under full individual and private control.

The Transition Process

The transition has to be through a peaceful process, thus, it needs to be gradual stretching from two to four decades. The following is the process proposed here subject to replacement or modification if better ways are found.

The first and immediate step is to legalize the principle of equality of opportunity through a constitutional amendment, if it fails, then through a national constitutional convention. Immediately after its passage, establish a temporary National Economic and Production Council(NEPC) ( See We the People, cited below, Fig. 5, p.49). Its first task is to create a temporary national position classification and pay system based on a minimum wage calculated by the Technodem. For example, at $8.00 per hour minimum wage and 5 percent annual increase, the minimum annual pay will start from $16640 at the age 15 rising to about $100,000 at the age of retirement at 53. This is the highest executive pay any worker may receive at the time of retirement. It must be noted that under the new system there is no individual income tax, or other taxes such as Social Security and Medicare. Thus, these incomes are equivalent to the real income at the present after all deductions for taxes.

All employers are required to classify their employment and pay system according to the national model established, and feed it into the National Economic and Production Council's computer. This is the initial creation of the Technodem which plays essential role in supervising and sustaining the democratic system. As the production firms prepare their own position classification and pay system, following the national model and feed them into the NEOC computer, the Technodem progresses in its information storage and capability in taking over the supervision of the application of the principle of equality of opportunity at the workplace and ultimately its application in political and social aspects of daily life.

The period of transition will not be an easy one. There will be a need for good and sharp thinkers to smooth out the process. If Congress refuses to propose the equal opportunity amendment to the Constitution or obstacles are created by the national and state governments in calling for a National Constitutional Convention, the people will have no choice but resort to a general strike, as defined by the French philosopher George Sorel, until it succeeds. The nation may need a temporary commission composed of highly qualified individuals to put into effect the new system, supervise its progress, make necessary adjustments for its proper operation, and eliminate the old departments and agencies when they become irrelevant, including the Congress and presidency when it becomes appropriate to install the new National Legislative and Coordination Assembly and the National Executive Council. This must be the people's commission and its members chosen by the people or their chosen representatives.

In a technological democracy, the social goal and common purpose, for which society is to be organized, concern itself in providing equality of opportunity for everyone. In such an accomplished society:

1. Everyone starts life from the scratch. There are neither rich nor poor under the present meaning of the terms.

2. Everyone receives 12 years of free general education up to the age 15. Not only it is totally free but no obstacle can be created to hinder it.

3. Everyone starts to work part-time at age 15, starts full-time at the age 22, and works until retirement, never facing unemployment.

4. Everyone continues his/her education full-time after the age of 15, while working part-time, and continues part-time after the age of 22, as a part from his/her work program, until retirement. Such education consists of a balanced combination of technical-professional, liberal arts, and humanities subjects. It is reduced to two courses on each subject per year after the age 22, when the worker assumes full-time position.

5. Everyone receives free health and preventive care for life.

6. Everyone, starting from zero, gradually becomes a part owner of production of goods and services. These ownership shares, which replaces the present Social Security system but fully privatized, are destined for the support of the owner after his/her retirement, and thus are not transferable.

7. Everyone works full-time for at least 30 years or equivalent of it.

8. Equivalent to one-fifth of the working hours are allocated to

education. Accordingly, for a 40 hours per week work, the person works for 32 hours and studies for 8 hours.

9. Promotion is based on the level of education and years of experience, liberal art education having the same importance as the technical or professional.

10. The age of retirement depends on the supply of the young labor force for the purpose of allowing them equal opportunity for employment. However, to guarantee a comfortable retirement life, no capable person works for less than 25 years full-time before retirement. The general retirement occurs after 30 years of full-time work.

11. After retirement, which more likely occurs when an individual is in his early 50s, he or she has enough non-transferable assets accumulated to bring him or her returns sufficient for a simple but comfortable living standards. In addition, through his or her personal savings, he or she has other transferable assets under his or her full control.

12. All elective public positions:

a. Require very high qualifications relating to education and experience.

b. Are temporary and no one is elected for the same office for more than one term. Besides other benefits, this also allows opportunities to a greater number of well qualified retired citizens to hold public office and serve the people.

c. These two requirements would allow a better chance of being elected to retired individuals since they are better educated and well experienced and are not looking for a permanent position. They are still young, but matured and capable of fruitful participation in the public policy-making process and public service.

13. As a result of democratic norms and technological developments, family life is transformed from its traditional form into a democratic unit; parents being responsible, though in a different manner, for upbringing of the children up to the age of 15, after which the child, who is considered an adult, enters the labor market and is considered independent.

14 By the time of retirement, the family, more likely because of voluntary birth and population control, has no children to take care of; and free from this responsibility, the couple, if they desire to remain together, has many years of economically secure, very fruitful, still productive, dynamic, and enjoyable life.

15. After death, a substantial part of an individual's wealth, according to the principle of equality of opportunity, is returned to society, through the Public Consumption Fund, to sustain free services such as health care and

education for the new generation which is also to start from the scratch.

16. Though some individuals accumulate more wealth than others, the difference is not so great to cause class distinction. Furthermore, such

difference is only for the life of the person and disappears upon his death. In reality, this is a classless society with minor variations in material ownership.

17. An individual's obligatory relationship is within his family and his workplace. Outside these areas, he remains free to enjoy life with a great many things and means accessible to him in an infinite variety of combinations.

18. In its narrow application, equality of opportunity does not allow individual competition where the intention is to take opportunity from someone against whom the individual is competing. However, equality of opportunity not only allows but encourages each individual to compete against himself or herself to become better than what he or she already is. This is quite different from competing against a designated person even it may give the same result. Open competition is the backbone of the democratic market operation, but, it is free of fraudulence, propaganda, and false commercials. Self competition should be the motto of production here as well. It causes the production of better goods or services resulting in marketing success The exact specifications of the products are stated and left to the consumer to make the choice. Unlike the present situation where commercials are forced on the people by being inserted into television or radio programs, no one is forced, through any means, to watch or listen to commercials.

19. The wealth of a society is the sum total of individual wealth plus all natural and other resources which belong to the society as a whole. However, the important part of the wealth of a society is not economic and material, but technological in the form of knowledge, experience, and means which is the way of doing things.

20. More important than the production of wealth is its equitable distribution among the working class, subject only to the level of knowledge, and experience. Every worker receives nearly the same amount of income in the full period of his or her work as the others. There will be some differentiation but it will not be so remarkable to upset equality of opportunity. Each worker starts with the minimum wage and gets more as he or she climbs the ladder to higher positions or become better educated and more experienced. By the time of retirement, each worker is a high ranking official in his or her firm regardless of type of work he or she is assigned to perform.

21. In a democratic system, there is no class structure or class distinction. Differentiation is only at the work place, based on the level of knowledge, experience, and expertise. Working class refers to all working individuals including members of the board of directors, chief executives down to the least experienced.

22. The proper function of government is to establish, maintain and periodically revise the standards required by the principle of equality of opportunity, particularly relating to division of labor and compensation. The national government has no domestic line functions except some supervisory authority in the areas relating to the national consumption fund such as education, healthcare, and corresponding standards. Government is reduced to its minimum functional size.

23. Private wealth totally belongs to the individual for life. It is a wealth initiated, created, and accumulated through his/her own labor, use of his/her assets and not through profits by exploiting others.

24. Public wealth mainly constitutes of the society's natural resources. They belong to the society as a whole, and therefore, net proceeds created belong to the people. Equality of opportunity does not allow any private ownership of natural resources such as oil, gas, minerals, and forests. Such resources may be leased to specific firms to operate. Whatever is left after paying for all expenses including depreciation of tool, machineries and other properties used for production purpose, goes to Public Consumption Fund and used for public benefit.

25. The electoral system is managed by the Technodem, The only thing a candidate needs to do is to enter his or her name for the office he or she seeks to be elected, into the Technodem's list for that office. No additional information is needed, because the Technodem knows all about each individual in the society. It will present each individual's qualifications in three categories: personal, educational, and experience, and rank each candidate in each category. However, each candidate may have his or her own electoral website and may place in it additional information he may think beneficial for his campaign. No voter is obliged to vote for Technodem's first choice, Each voter selects his or her candidate from this list and votes for him or her, through the Technodem's electoral website, on the election day.

26. Political parties as we know of them today are eliminated since there is no need or justification for their existence or other organizations for electoral purposes. The electoral process is electronic, simple, and abuse free; during the election day, each qualified individual inserts his or her electronic ID card into the computer, it is checked against his or her background. If qualified he or she votes from anyplace in the world for the candidate of his or her choice for the national, state or local office.

27. There is a total private ownership of the means of production of

goods and services. This ownership is highly dispersed with no concentration in the hands of a few.

28. Giant corporations are automatically disintegrated into several smaller institutions once the workers take over the management. Huge overhead expenditures are saved.

29. A new free market economy is established with fair and open competition based on equality of opportunity.

30. No individual taxes, no property taxes, and no social security taxes.

31. There is protection of environment, preservation of natural resources, and meaningful use of them for public benefit and keeping them in proper shape for the future generations as the equality of opportunity requires.

32. A marvelous outcome of this system is the disappearance of all economic, political and social interest groups. There won't be any need or requirement for their existence. People, for the first time become free of all pressures, demands, and restriction of thousands of such organizations that exist today including all charitable organizations. What a wonderful freedom this would bring.

Morality Under Technological Democracy

The moral boundaries of technological democracy are very broad based on the principle of equality of opportunity. No conceivable common ethical code can be comprehensive enough to cover nearly boundless domain of these moral possibilities relating to such values as honesty, integrity, humility and freedom. It is impossible for any mind to comprehend the infinite variety of individual freedoms and good deeds ensuing from this foundation of morality. Whether one's interests center around his or her own well-being, or the welfare of others, regardless how broad and expanded these interests may be, the end that the individual may be concerned with, is always only an infinitesimal fraction of what could be possible under this democratic system. It is within these nearly limitless confines that the individual strives for his life liberty and pursuit of happiness.

________________________________________________________________________

References:

The following books and articles explain in detail a quite complex theory of a humanistic future society. Some 30 years of the author's time has been spent in its development. The readers are requested to be patient and deeply conscious in its comprehension and interpretation. After Karl Marx's theory of communism which ended up to be utopian and not actually applicable, this is the second scientific societal theory based on reason and logic; it is also pragmatic and practical. For the author's brief biography and books cited below and some relevant articles see his website and http://www.ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dr._Reza_Rezazadeh

Technological Democracy: A Humanistic Philosophy of the Future Society, 1990, pp.365.

Technodemocratic Economic Theory: From Capitalism and Socialism to Democracy, 1991. pp.359.

Passage to a Just Society: Secrets of Democratic Life, Leisure and Happiness. 2003. pp. 374.

We the People: Democracy as a System, a Humanistic Philosophy of the Future Society, 2010. Frederick, Maryland.: Publish America, pp. 64.

This book is a very brief and simple presentation of the theory to the general public and a guide for a national movement and action including the general strike. For those interested in forming a successful movement or action, reading the author's article about the General Strike and some writings from the French philosopher George Sorel concerning his theory of general strike are recommended.

It must be noted that when the first two books were published in early 1990s, Vice President Al Gore had not yet invented the Internet.

Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin System,and a Fulbright scholar, a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural, and multi-lingual scholar with background in Mechanical Engineering (B.S.M.E.), Continental and Islamic Law (Licenciate), J.D. in American Jurisprudenxce, LL.M. in International Law and International Economics, Ph.D. in Political Science, Economics and Administration, and Doctor of the Science of Law (S.J.D.) the highest law degree offered in U.S. Fluent in five languages: English, French, Spanish, Persian, Azeri-Turkish. Elementary knowledge of Arabic, Urdu, Russian and Italian. Patented inventions; an artist, a poet (oil and pastel), a musician (violin), with over 35 years of academic background in teaching, reseasrch and administration, research and cultural studies in many countries in Europe including USSR, Middle East, Central Asia, Northe africa, Central and South America. He is the author of 8 books and many scholarly articles listed in his website http://www.democracywhere.com