What’s the difference between politics and a caterpillar? A caterpillar can change. Unfortunately the politics in New Jersey don’t. To prove it, Governor Corzine chose Senator Weinberg to serve as his running mate for Lieutenant Governor. Picking a seasoned individual in her mid 70’s, with liberal ideology, experienced in political pandering. The choice should assist in reinforcing past legislative failures, presumably with greater honesty.
No doubt she is a lovely senior who’s singular flaw, in one opinion, is her placing special interests ahead of her responsibilities to all potential voters. Just take her August 26, 2008 letter (Click HERE to read.) with Assemblyman Johnson to Corzine, opposing a reopened hospital in Westwood. One of their noted concerns was that the management of a reopened Pascack Valley Hospital might discourage union members from applying for employment.
Clearly there must be a belief that the union voter’s needs precede the healthcare needs of children and seniors. A decision similar to the Governor earlier this year when he furloughed State employees to save tax dollars and then decided to give the days back in 18 months as paid time off. The only thing furloughed were taxpayer savings.
Maybe they could spend less time worrying about unions (or rather the associated votes) and invest a little more concern into the cost burdens of illegal aliens. Who knows, maybe job opportunities would open up and hospital finance concerns would diminish. Hospitals could actually stumble upon less financial stress with the reduced impact of EMTALA – the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act.
The Act prevents hospitals from rejecting, refusing, or transferring a patient just because they are unable to pay. Uninsured illegal immigrants aren’t covered under traditional Medicare or Medicaid programs. Tax paid charity care and higher insurance premiums for working Americans help to offset, not alleviate, those costs. (It’s a service and expense that would be required in any reopened hospital within Westwood too.)
Perhaps when discussing the needs for a hospital, Governor Corzine, Senator Weinberg, and Assemblyman Johnson, could shelve their rhetoric over union jobs and racism. They only distract from one of the real concerns, physical healthcare access that’s equal for all residents in NJ. Possibly they could work together on legislation that allows for property tax free zones in certain urban areas to entice for-profit hospital investments to offset higher uninsured populations, incentivizing opportunity rather then encouraging antitrust issues.
One final regression on a prior blog over the Hon. Johnson’s recent efforts to associate racism with the reopening of a hospital. His remarks apparently made assumptions based upon stereotyped presumptions. A recent article in Newsweek by Raina Kelley, ‘The Roots of Racism,’ (Click HERE to read.) suggests we are all perhaps guilty of some racism. An idea further illuminated by the recent arrest of Mr. Gates, a Harvard professor, whereby the President weighed in and highlighted the problem of stereotyping issues with too few facts. (Click HERE to see a YouTube CNN commentary) Maybe a reassessment by Mr. Johnson of his remarks is in order?
The hospital’s return is currently encountering significant politically stimulated opposition rhetoric; naturally in a vacuum of any substantive reasoning. The recent blogs here have been no better, merely editorials, suggesting clearer perspectives are required. Since my business has some priorities necessitating focus, I’ll be taking a leave of absence from blogging until September.
In the meantime, I’ll be compiling some demographic data and reviewing some CMS Hospital Cost Reports to discuss in future blogs. Hopefully, in the same timeline the new Lt. Governor nominee will revisit her view for placing the Valley area lives on a roulette wheel. Each ambulance run with a heart failure emergency will be a gamble. Do you place your chips on travel time or life? Travel minutes will pass resulting in lost heart muscle so that Valley and Englewood Hospital can win — more money for expansion.
Corzine took a step back by choosing Senator. If she was in office when he had his accident she’d have been in charge. What would she have done different? She’s more of the same.
Comment by bluedoger — July 28, 2009 @ 11:14 PM
His choice won’t help in the polls. It’s just another reflection of his judgment. I don’t even think he can buy the election now.
Comment by jacki81 — July 29, 2009 @ 6:10 PM
It doesn’t look good for a returning hospital. The economy, Hacks financial situation, the politics, and the opposition players, no wonder no one wants to make a decision.
The DoH said yes to the CN extension. Why say no now unless its just easier to stick your head in the sand.
Comment by John Rush — July 29, 2009 @ 10:54 PM
Weinberg is a rationalist. She must believe if I don’t have it you can’t and if you want it then I’m entitled to it.
This idea of rationalizing hospitals like healthcare is socialism at its worst. Lets jeopardize everybody. Lets bring others down a couple of levels instead of finding ways to bring others up. That’s what were doing. Don’t kid yourself.
Just because big business doesn’t see profits in high uninsured areas doesn’t mean we ignore other areas. Old ideas are too set on taking from someone else instead of finding new ideas. That’s why Weinberg is wrong for Corzine, she represents the old ideas.
Comment by Hospitalist — July 29, 2009 @ 8:17 AM
If someone wasn’t kissing somebody’s butt it wouldn’t be new jersey politics.
Comment by boonsfarm — July 29, 2009 @ 5:59 PM
Mrs. Weinberg lost my vote when she opened her mouth against the hospital. I live in Teaneck but have grandchildren in Northvale. If something happens I want my daughter to have a choice.
Comment by Jordan546 — July 29, 2009 @ 9:50 AM
She never had my vote but Johnson did, that’s past tense. Killing another hospital to support another one is stupid. That’s communism.
Comment by LeeLea — July 29, 2009 @ 8:00 PM
I don’t understand the thinking. Why would anyone think that union members would be unable to apply for a job. Applications doesn’t ask if you’re a union member. Any reopened hospital will be seeking staff, offering jobs, in a time when we need jobs. It will probably make more jobs then ever reduce at the surrounding hospitals. There is no reason to believe otherwise.
We need the jobs.
Comment by Dan — July 29, 2009 @ 12:12 PM
Politics, politics, politics, isn’t always politics that foul everything?
Comment by Dirk — July 29, 2009 @ 4:25 PM
Don’t you think this is only a political standoff, while awaiting an election to pass? It looks like the Republicans support it and the Democrats are against it. Your mayor’s a Demo isn’t he? Where does he really stand? Some of his actions certainly raise an eyebrow or two. Were they slyly meant to draw attention to the opposition’s concerns on proximity? I don’t live near Westwood but after recently spending six hours in the Valley ER, I’d hate to be there on a busy day. Good luck.
Comment by Tommytom — July 31, 2009 @ 4:01 PM
Th arguments against the hospital sound like the health care rationing arguments coming out of Washington. They are saying that “even if you can afford it… you cant’t have it… because that might mean denying it to someone else…who we think deserves it more”.
Did you know that universal health care in Canada makes it illegal for a patient to pay out of pocket for expedited treatments…even for a life threatening illness. They have to wait on the long public lines like everyone else.
The liberal Democrats are on record in support of a single payer (government run) health care system. And they think nothing of dumping 47 million people into a system that is already spread too thin. I wonder if Ted Kennedy would like to wait on line or get counseling about how maybe he should forego treatments given his age and the nature of his illness?
If there is a shortage of doctors and nurses – we need to make more doctors and nurses. You don’t incentivize the field by making their compensation less lucrative. If we need more hospitals so that folks can access them …but public dollars are scarce…you don’t stop private investment from fulfilling that need.
Just picture the 6 hour waits in Valley and imagine yourself or loved one sitting there for 6 months.
Bring back the hospital… or vote out the ones who won’t.
Comment by Had Enuff? — August 2, 2009 @ 1:40 PM