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Give Up Your Cell Phone...It's Patriotic
Last
week in the President's speech on fiscal policy, he alluded to a shared
sacrifice. You know, something that we must all give up because we all
understand you don't get something for nothing. The President's
vision: "To
meet our fiscal challenge, we will need to make reforms. We will all
need to make sacrifices. But we do not have to sacrifice the America we
believe in. And as long as I’m President, we won’t."
Unfortunately, only some are sacrificing under the President's plan, and
it sounds more like a transfer of wealth from those who have to those
who don't.
week in the President's speech on fiscal policy, he alluded to a shared
sacrifice. You know, something that we must all give up because we all
understand you don't get something for nothing. The President's
vision: "To
meet our fiscal challenge, we will need to make reforms. We will all
need to make sacrifices. But we do not have to sacrifice the America we
believe in. And as long as I’m President, we won’t."
Unfortunately, only some are sacrificing under the President's plan, and
it sounds more like a transfer of wealth from those who have to those
who don't.
The circumstances the President and the
country find themselves in are unfortunate. But for the President, this
is of his own doing, and I guess you can say that of the citizenry: we
elected the guy. Elected to make change, the President had his
opportunity 2 years ago, but he seem to squander whatever good will the
electorate would afford him in trillion dollar bailouts that got us nothing. Now after
throwing much money down the drain and with things little better and all
likelihood worse because so much ammunition has been spent, the
President speaks of shared sacrifice. And it rings hallow because there
is nothing shared and only some are making a sacrifice.
country find themselves in are unfortunate. But for the President, this
is of his own doing, and I guess you can say that of the citizenry: we
elected the guy. Elected to make change, the President had his
opportunity 2 years ago, but he seem to squander whatever good will the
electorate would afford him in trillion dollar bailouts that got us nothing. Now after
throwing much money down the drain and with things little better and all
likelihood worse because so much ammunition has been spent, the
President speaks of shared sacrifice. And it rings hallow because there
is nothing shared and only some are making a sacrifice.
Ironically, I have long contended that
the change Americans wanted back in 2008 was all about making a "shared
sacrifice". After 8 years of President Bush , I think Americans knew
better. Bush's idea of a shared sacrifice was for Americans to
continue driving their gas guzzling SUV's to the mall to keep shopping
while soldiers were placed in harms way "protecting" our way of life. I
could understand the soldiers' sacrifice, but somehow my life was
little impacted or little inconvenienced. I guess I could have been
asked to cut back on my energy consumption or pay more for my gas at the pump to pay for the war effort, but alas, no sacrifice. Nothing. Just keep buying - the economy needs you.
the change Americans wanted back in 2008 was all about making a "shared
sacrifice". After 8 years of President Bush , I think Americans knew
better. Bush's idea of a shared sacrifice was for Americans to
continue driving their gas guzzling SUV's to the mall to keep shopping
while soldiers were placed in harms way "protecting" our way of life. I
could understand the soldiers' sacrifice, but somehow my life was
little impacted or little inconvenienced. I guess I could have been
asked to cut back on my energy consumption or pay more for my gas at the pump to pay for the war effort, but alas, no sacrifice. Nothing. Just keep buying - the economy needs you.
Not only has this President squandered his opportunity, but his notion of a what a shared sacrifice is very much skewed. The
President's vision is all about taking from some so that others can
have. Yes, we are all sharing in the spoils of America, but only some
are sacrificing. The President says all the right things: "So this is
our vision for America -– this is my vision for America -- a vision
where we live within our means while still investing in our future;
where everyone makes sacrifices but no one bears all the burden; where
we provide a basic measure of security for our citizens and we provide
rising opportunity for our children." Sounds great but there is no
shared sacrifice when you take from one to give to another.
President's vision is all about taking from some so that others can
have. Yes, we are all sharing in the spoils of America, but only some
are sacrificing. The President says all the right things: "So this is
our vision for America -– this is my vision for America -- a vision
where we live within our means while still investing in our future;
where everyone makes sacrifices but no one bears all the burden; where
we provide a basic measure of security for our citizens and we provide
rising opportunity for our children." Sounds great but there is no
shared sacrifice when you take from one to give to another.
Honestly, I would have been more thrilled if the President stood at the podium and said: "If you live in America and have a cell phone
with caller ID, text messaging and a data plan and you don't have
health insurance, you will need to make a choice: if you want health
insurance, then you will need to give up your cell phone." Granted this
would have caused a revolt, but this is a shared sacrifice I can understand.
Everyone has a cell phone; they aren't a necessity, but most could not
imagine living without one even if it means not having health
insurance. So if you want health insurance, then give up your cell
phone; do it for your country.
with caller ID, text messaging and a data plan and you don't have
health insurance, you will need to make a choice: if you want health
insurance, then you will need to give up your cell phone." Granted this
would have caused a revolt, but this is a shared sacrifice I can understand.
Everyone has a cell phone; they aren't a necessity, but most could not
imagine living without one even if it means not having health
insurance. So if you want health insurance, then give up your cell
phone; do it for your country.
As
preposterous as this may seem, this is real simple stuff. We need
priorities. Healthcare or surfing Facebook on your smart phone? If I
could only afford one, I would go with healthcare, but I know that is
not how the President and most Americans sees it. He wants Americans to
have their cake and to eat it too. No worries let the one size fits
all government take care of it. Was he really serious when he said that
government can wring out cost savings? The President's speech was more
of the same and showed an unwillingness to tackle the tough choices
this country refuses to make.
preposterous as this may seem, this is real simple stuff. We need
priorities. Healthcare or surfing Facebook on your smart phone? If I
could only afford one, I would go with healthcare, but I know that is
not how the President and most Americans sees it. He wants Americans to
have their cake and to eat it too. No worries let the one size fits
all government take care of it. Was he really serious when he said that
government can wring out cost savings? The President's speech was more
of the same and showed an unwillingness to tackle the tough choices
this country refuses to make.
I
have spent over 80% of my professional medical life caring for patients
who do not have the means to pay for their medical care. I have never
treated a patiently differently because of their ability to pay, and I
have never, ever seen any doctor do anything but the best for their
patients. Patient's will get the care they need - this is America after
all. We won't turn our back on those in need. However, the time has
come to make those tough choices.
have spent over 80% of my professional medical life caring for patients
who do not have the means to pay for their medical care. I have never
treated a patiently differently because of their ability to pay, and I
have never, ever seen any doctor do anything but the best for their
patients. Patient's will get the care they need - this is America after
all. We won't turn our back on those in need. However, the time has
come to make those tough choices.
Class
warfare and redistribution of wealth is not a solution. It is not
shared sacrifice. It is perpetuation of the problem. As long as our
leaders continue to avoid the tough choices, our problems will persist.
warfare and redistribution of wealth is not a solution. It is not
shared sacrifice. It is perpetuation of the problem. As long as our
leaders continue to avoid the tough choices, our problems will persist.
And oh let me suggest one more solution. The average family of four probably pays $250 a month for their wireless services. This
is $3000 a year. $3000 a year may not cover healthcare costs and if it
doesn't, so what? Cut out something else. How about cable TV? No
American idol or reality TV. That surely would be a shared sacrifice!
- advertisements -
For the last decade, the lower end has shared the sacrifice every time the CEO got a raise and they didn't even get a cost of living increase. Every time the company paid the pimp "parent company" and investors before giving their employees a salary bump that would've allowed the lower, middle and upper middle class to keep pace with inflation.
Trickle up.
Meanwhile, we're lending to the banks at zero percent while Mom and Pop retiree pay Treasury interest (via taxes) well above that, but can't get a decent interest rate on their own nest egg.
The upper .1% has and continues to ensure that everyone sacrifices plenty already. A solid GPA with a college degree will no longer pay enough to rent a studio apartment in some towns. Keep in mind, that entry level employee is probably working a 60+ hour week while the CEO goes home on time.
Meanwhile, players and owners argue over who should get more a more obscene salary while families can no longer afford to take their kids to the game (the seats are all sold to corporate hacks) and the guy who cleans the bathrooms at the stadium probably can barely afford to feed his family. University presidents clear $500k+ a year, while spitting out 21 year old graduates with $100k debts. Movie stars and studio heads pull hundreds of millions while Joe Average gets hit for $20 for a ticket and a bucket of popcorn. And last but not least, all these fine insanely rich people protect their money buy speculating in commodoties like food and oil, driving up the price for Mom and Pop retiree and other folks who need to, uh, eat and be warm.
Yes, everyone should pull their weight with all their might. Presuming everyone is pulling with all their might (and the vast majority are), it's reasonable for the government to correct the tendency of those at the top to overcompensate themselves at the expense of everyone else who is working.
There are only so many hours in a day and so many days in a week. Therefore, no one can truly work hard enough to justify a salary more than 50x the salary of the lowest paid employee at the same company. An exception would be someone who puts their life/health on the line who could arguably have an overage put into a trust in the event of their premature job-related death. Oddly, they don't do that for firemen, police, miners or salmon fishermen.
Rant over.
D. you sound like a paid hack. Which union hired you? Life is about choices. You are not entitled to a car, a home, healthcare, a job, a college education, a flat panel tv, a cell phone or any other appliance you can name. Just because your neighbor, boss, friend or whomever has any of that why do you feel you must have the same? Get over it. You don't "deserve" any of that stuff. If you have the talent and make good choices you might, and I say might, have the opportunity to participate in the lifestyle you seem to think you should have. Good luck! I hope you do. However, the Pareto principle still seems to hold true. Not everyone can be number one, or even maybe number nineteen.
I for one am sick of the rants from folks who seem to think things aren't fair or that they deserve or that in America life should provide...(insert your favorite issue).
Sorry if it sounds like I am not compassionate. In fact I have a lot of empathy for those who truly deserve our help and support. However, it is time to buck up buster and get over your disappointment with how your life turned out. Grow up and be somebody. Yes, there is a kleptocracy, yes there is unfairness, yes our political process is broken and if you have money you can buy the best lobbyists in the business. So what? Life is unfair. Get a better education. Start a business. Risk your money. Invent something. Provide a better service. Stop asking for handouts and for other Americans to take care of you. Please.
For the last decade, the lower end has shared the sacrifice every time the CEO got a raise and they didn't even get a cost of living increase. Every time the company paid the pimp "parent company" and investors before giving their employees a salary bump that would've allowed the lower, middle and upper middle class to keep pace with inflation.
Trickle up.
Meanwhile, we're lending to the banks at zero percent while Mom and Pop retiree pay Treasury interest (via taxes) well above that, but can't get a decent interest rate on their own nest egg.
The upper .1% has and continues to ensure that everyone sacrifices plenty already. A solid GPA with a college degree will no longer pay enough to rent a studio apartment in some towns. Keep in mind, that entry level employee is probably working a 60+ hour week while the CEO goes home on time.
Meanwhile, players and owners argue over who should get more a more obscene salary while families can no longer afford to take their kids to the game (the seats are all sold to corporate hacks) and the guy who cleans the bathrooms at the stadium probably can barely afford to feed his family. University presidents clear $500k+ a year, while spitting out 21 year old graduates with $100k debts. Movie stars and studio heads pull hundreds of millions while Joe Average gets hit for $20 for a ticket and a bucket of popcorn. And last but not least, all these fine insanely rich people protect their money buy speculating in commodoties like food and oil, driving up the price for Mom and Pop retiree and other folks who need to, uh, eat and be warm.
Yes, everyone should pull their weight with all their might. Presuming everyone is pulling with all their might (and the vast majority are), it's reasonable for the government to correct the tendency of those at the top to overcompensate themselves at the expense of everyone else who is working.
There are only so many hours in a day and so many days in a week. Therefore, no one can truly work hard enough to justify a salary more than 50x the salary of the lowest paid employee at the same company. An exception would be someone who puts their life/health on the line who could arguably have an overage put into a trust in the event of their premature job-related death. Oddly, they don't do that for firemen, police, miners or salmon fishermen.
Rant over.
When Obama talks about "shared sacrifice" he is talking out both sides of his ass (the one his lips are attached to). Until he is willing to stigmatize living off the State at both the individual and corporate level, instead of rewarding it, and operate government welfare programs on a positive, and thus sustainable cash flow, Obama is panhandling for redistributive pocket change while driving the nation down the road to a painful shared bankruptcy.
There are two only OECD countries with unemployment below 4%- Norway and Switzerland. Both nations run annual trade surpluses and fully finance welfare out of current revenue, but they take very different approaches to the scope and individual costs of their welfare programs. Neither country has a model that is directly replicable in the US.
Until Obama is willing to drill an oil well over every square mile of ANWAR, the Gulf Mexico, the California and Florida coasts, and perhaps Martha's Vineyard for good measure, and as a result- to meet well over 100% of the US's oil needs domestically, and to export vast quantities of oil to meet the rising demand in the Chinese and Indian markets- thus generating a huge trade surplus in excess of China's recent trade surpluses, and to tax domestic oil consumption to $10 per gallon despite achieving energy independence, then he can't afford the Norwegian model. The Norwegian model is not an option, although in his diminutive mind Obama probably fantasizes about the "there is a tax and a law for everything here" aspect of their model.
The Swiss option would be equally unappealing to the Democrat constituents on whom he relies for reelection. Not only do the Swiss tend to take away the cell phone, but also the flat-screen TV, the computer & internet, the car, any excess wealth. If you have kids and want money to cover their food and clothing the State does ask, “Who’s the baby’s other parent?” and means test his or her support capabilities before cutting any checks. However, the Swiss self-subsidize their welfare programs at half the tax rate that the US does, and they have the most comprehensive national public transit system in the world.
"Shared sacrifice" is supposed to lead to a better and more sustainable path. Any path which results in financial deficits and increased indebtedness is by definition- unsustainable over an indefinite timeline. Neither political party in the United States has a plan which even comes close to achieving a budget structure that actually matches dedicated revenue sources to specific anticipated program costs, but they all swear their plan will balance in the end, after they are elected and reelected. However, establishing a self-financing structure is actually the first step to developing a sustainable budget, unless you believe that the CBO is capable of accurately predicting diverse program revenues and expenses out over a decade or more, in which case I would recommend seeking professional help immediately.
I read this and it makes me want to order my new bumper sticker.
"F...Your Gov't; F...Your President; F...You!
Ah yes, we must further sacrifice our standard of living and put yet more money into our extremely efficient, compassionate, and honest health care system.
Trust me, I'm a doctor!
Maybe next time we just elect someone with a little more life experience than a former community organizer has to offer. This guy had an opportunity make the big changes needed, but he did not squander the chance. He - while talking a good game as always - NEVER had the capacity to do so. He is in way over his head - has been, and always will be I suppose. Perhaps one day in his later years while penning his White House years memoirs he'll get it, but I doubt it.
healthcare is just a big swindle.
cut out the middleman and heal yourself.
http://www.earthclinic.com/
docs are just tools of big pharma poison under the current system.
http://www.bamboo-delight.com/Anti-Jew%20Medicine.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/031870_flu_shots_brain_damage.html
I have health insurance and no cell phone.
I have a cell phone but no landline and no health insurance. "Health insurance" is actually a misnomer; it's not your health that's being insured, it's the hospital/doctor group's accts receivables that are being insured.
Health insurance is simply a firehose of money directed at medical providers and big pharma. It guarantees that prices will keep going up, just as "student loan" programs guarantee that college costs will keep soaring.
Just ask Bruce Krasting; United Healthcare upped his monthly bill to more than $5000.
Beautifully expressed. Bravo.
Personal productivity is wealth. Personal reliance and productivity is the ultimate wealth in my opinion. I don't own a cell phone, never did, never will. I don't have cable and very rarely watch tv. My house is like a library though, I figure a book tax or ban will be coming next, its just the way things seem to go for me.
See y'all at the collapse! woohoo!
I agree. No book tax though, more like Fahrenheit 451 for any of you not reading the approved literature delivered on your i-whatever.
I got 2 Obama phones.
So taking "wealth" from from a rich fucker that makes his "living" by passing bad paper around and extracting real wealth and excessive interest from the productive members of society (you know those that actually produce things of real value) is bad?
Fuck you, I have some silver I'd like to shove up your ass, if it wasn't increasing my buying power on a daily basis.
Crash the system, crash it now. The sooner we do, the sooner compensation will return to those that are actually worth a shit. This fucknut clearly has a god complex. Medical care is overpriced, period. Moreover, why should a healthy person pay more so that we can cover the lazy fuckers. God forbid, people actually take care of themselves and visit assholes like this less.
I would prefer national leaders such as the POTUS promote the value of productive things, such as work. Personal productivity is a value that leads to other positive effects.
Donating work should be applauded as noble simply because of the inherent value of productive human activity.
I think we lost it at some point.
He's promoting it all over our neighborhood today.
Can't hardly get across Palo Alto this morning.
"Patient's will get the care they need - this is America after all. We won't turn our back on those in need."
Seems like alot of the foreign-born doctors show a distinct lack of compassion/interest. Like In-N-Out, shoveling the Big Pharma Soups with barely any eye contact. (Actually, that burger joint might turn out healthier in the long run...)
It's a stretch, but perhaps the UN Army's medical staff is already in place.
What you're sensing is probably a difference in social norms and interaction between cultures. In some cultures, you don't smile and act warmly toward people you don't know well - even if they're a patient or client. I've long argued that doctors should be required to take patient interaction classes in medical school. It would go a long way toward improving patient outcomes (this has been statistically documented).
This guy has it backwards. Obama has been a continuation of Bush so far. It's been trickle-UP economics so far. He bailed out the rich on Wall street, put the same Wall Street guys on his team, then allowed the market to get run up in a false economy only benefitting those with a stake in the game - the rich for the most part. The savers got screwed (the poorer class). Then when it looks like the upper 15% are asked to give some back, whoa, hold up there, now this guy has to say something! Obama is for the rich, don't get it wrong! Billions to them, thousands for the poor......but let's argue over the thousands part. Vote for an independant.
If you can keep your cell phone and get healthcare why give up your cell phone? Government insulates more and more people from their choices. We have a population completely unprepared to make even simple choices. We've come to expect the same thing from our politicians and consequently the only political debates are about how to do it: keep things exactly the way they are.
We have social programs designed not for anyone's benefit really, I would argue, but to keep markets from changing. The purpose of unemployment, food stamps, social security, medicaid, WIC etc.... is to keep consumers from changing their behavior regardless of the overall situation. It's very comforting for the industries and government. The same people in the same places vote for the same things and the money keeps flowing the same way. The same thing for finanical markets... What does the Fed do? Keeps the rip going. Same thing with the education system.
Yourself, you state you give every patient the same treatement out of fairness... But should you? Why shouldn't I make decisions about what sort of care I need. By giving everyone the same care you help some people and completely ruin others. If the patient is so unfortunate as to have assets adquate to disqualify them from governemnt provided care but not to pay for the care... they will be punished for that by our system.
So, the problem is much, much more profound than just who sacrafices what. People can't sacrafice anything because we have a society that completely saps rational choice. It would be fun if it was sustainable.
It may not seem fair, but life just isn't fair, but if you know you have to make responsible decisions our behaviour would change radically. Time would become an infintely more precious commodity. You would appreciate how vital your resources are and husband all of them more carefully. And more of your patients would have insurance... if they required it... or be prepared to accept the level of care they get. Consqeuently more people would be able to affort it.
But as it is... Cell phone service providers would argue that there's no reason that they should be able to provide the same level of service to all their users... at someone else's cost. Mandatory Cell phone insurance now!!
Not a very popular idea, I guess.
No cell phone here, or cable either,
but the world would be untethered if all went the same route.
I had a doctor once give me this speech in the emergency room when I didn't have health insurance. I had pneumonia and no primary doctor. The son of a bitch actually spent more time lecturing me about health insurance than examining my x-rays and writing a prescription for antibiotics. I was making minimum wage and the place I worked for (a national non-profit organisation that prides itself on providing jobs for low-income people) would not allow enrollment in the health insurance policy unless you worked 40 hours a week. The manager always kept my hours at 35. Not that the plan was worth enrolling in anyway. They offered the bare minimum with sky-high deductibles. I was shocked that this M.D. asshat who makes at least 5 times+ more money than myself and gets free healthcare for himself and his family from the same hospital decided to lecture me about not buying into a fucking scheme that actually increases the cost of healthcare while lowering the quality given in return.
Self serving, insn't it... You should buy life insurance and make the hospital your beneficiary too, you selfish bastard! ; )
I shouldn't suggest that... that could be the next big reform. : (
The purpose of insurance, ALL INSURANCE, is to protect an individual's wealth! It was never meant to enrich hospitals and doctors.
"The President's vision is all about taking from some so that others can have." - that's only because the "some" (or rather relatively few) have already taken everything not only from the "others" (or more precisely 270+million), but from the future generatiosn of the "others." yes, most residents of this country have no savings, no equity in the house, their defined pension benefits were stolen and Social Security surpluss that they've built up over the dacades has been wasted. So, in the post 2008/09 bailot, by borrowing and inflating the "some" are "strip-mining" the income/wealth of the future generations of the "others."
The "some" have started the class warfare 35 years ago, and they're winning (23+% total wealth now vs 8% in the 1970s) while the "others" have not even started fighting back.
Wake up, you delusional Ayn Rand desciples, the "others" ain't got nothing left, and you want more! Very soon you're gonna kill the "goldedn goose" and will come face-to-face with an AR-15 int he hands of some peed-off bubba!
"The President's vision is all about taking from some so that others can have."
Is that really the assertion or is it that participants in this society should feel a natural duty (empathy) to take care of the disadvantaged?
Acronym for 'Television' (TV is lie one),...
I guess I could have been asked to cut back on my energy consumption or pay more for my gas at the pump to pay for the war effort, but alas, no sacrifice. Nothing. Just keep buying - the economy needs you.
I am a tad confused.
These are sacrifices, your PAYING for them with you LABORS.
And trust me, you are paying for all the wars efforts..........
We have a nasty habit of getting into wars, and when they are finished (for all intents and purposes), we come home, and never get a dime from the country we Liberated.
Iraq, who's the winner there?, Oil, and guess who won the contracts.
Russia.
My question is when is another nation going to start a PAY back, coming our way.
I am sick as hell of paying for everything, only to be hated universally.
+10
Stop the wars, close all bases abroad, cut defense spending in half, invest the money saved in american jobs, and let's kick ass again!!
+1776
+1946
stupid - cell phones are better deals than land lines... give up the bar tab first america
Sure, and all those mobile phone owners have a pre-paid card and use it very little, so the overall cost is lower than a land line. Not.
better deal != cheaper
No joke. I killed my landline years ago.
A cell phone is better for emergency contact, personal and business use.
And the author is an idiot.
My extremely reasonable monthly fee wouldn't pay my premium on a subsidized plan let alone a plan for someone self-employed in the so-called "open market."
And the author is an even bigger idiot for this comment--
Patients are dying in Arizona because the state won't release Medicaid funds for transplants. The last I checked AZ was in the USA.
And before any idiots here start blaming the sick for their problems and bad habits, among those waiting is a father of small children in his mid-30s who contracted Scarlett Fever as a child and is now disabled. So, stick it up your butt. This kind of unfortunate thing can happen to anyone. Most of the posters here are just one job loss and or insurance loss and or car accident and or disabled child and or divorce and or prostate cancer away from Medicaid.You must have one of those cell phones that actually permits you to have a phone conversation. Please, do tell! Where did you find such a miraculous device?
Different take .... and no it's not about any President:
we've had very few people that, under current rules, have made a killing, while all the others (90% of the nation) has seen everything decline (wages, purhasing power, net worth, quality of life, benefits...).
The Country was sold the 'trickle down' bullsh!t ... well, wealth trickled up, jobs, trickled away, and the Nation is screwed!!
Now, that calls for re-writing the rules and a rebalancing act ... we have tried Reaganomics and it has not worked ...
Now, don't give me the 'free market' talk, because unless we do away with all rules, there is no 'free' market. The market is regulated, and current rules favor the oligarchy .... we can and need to change the rules..
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VsIB2Nr2f1c/TP29xMRtiBI/AAAAAAAAAqY/LToEfwc0Gf4/s1600/Reaganomics.jpg
No cell phones - come on, people would have to keep two hands on the wheel!
Everyone except this lady: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/bizarre/jail-woman-busted-auto-er...
$3000 will pay for 1 1/2 root canel and cap at the dentist....FOR ONE PERSON. shared sacrifice my ass when the doctors are the elite and get some of the highest fees of any business.....
Considering most dental care in excess of very basic services is not covered by your typical US employer-sponsored insurance, this is somewhat irrelevant to the discussion. To the point, $3000 goes a long way to covering the cost of insurance for most healthy people in a given year, so the suggestion here is a good start.
Besides, how can you begrudge a doc or dentist their fees when they have to pay for years of med school, hundreds of thousands for malpractice insurance to protect themselves from the likes of you, and then have to actually dig around in the smelly wounds or mouths of people like you to make the green. And then there are Continuing Professional Education requirements, etc. You really need to walk in their shoes for a few days before taking a cheap shot about the fees your doc or dentist charges you.
Now, cut out that decaf moca latte and you've got it covered (and you probably won't need that crown if you cut out the extra sugar and brush your teeth more than once a day).
You need to find a different dentist.
about 30 minutes worth of work, last time I had it done. IIRC, he was doing about 8 a day. Nice work if you can get it.