I will say with some "Truth in Advertising", that I did not watch the Dick Van Dyke or Mary Tyler Moore shows because of her. It was always the so called "second bananas" that I enjoyed more. Like Morey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, Ed Asner, Gavin MacLeod and Ted Knight. They in their own inimitable style allowed her to shine while bringing a great depth of humor to the shows. In the end, all I can say for her is "Vaya Con Dios".
Am a bit suspicious of Mr. Kelly and his now mission of going after West Virginia's drug problems. His intents may well be most admirable, but a couple of times he said things that I felt were not really forthright based on what was reality? More like what one could call opportunistic?
I am also a bit afraid he is trying to do something he can not get done? The real cure for the cure for our Drug Problem is "don't start". Once the brain gets that rush or whatever it is, the problem may well be a life long problem. Sure, some short term or even years longs halt, but than the craving will overcome some and all bets are off. If we can stop any person from ever starting, the problem will eventually play itself out. This actually applies to Alcohol and Cigarettes as well.
And his desire to put the expense on Medicaid and other money set asides becomes iffy with the all the time potentials for funding to dry up due to Politics, Budgets and donations. We for sure need to try and get any and all into a facility/ counseling to try and help them. It is a tough path he alludes to trying to walk? I cannot see success in his lifetime. Maybe a battle or two, but the War will continue for many decades at best. The legalization of Pot in so many States now is a true setback for the Country as a whole. It is addictive and a doorway to harder drug use no matter what the Liberals say.
And was very surprised to see the BOE is out looking at more properties for the new Williamstown school? Could be trying to save some bucks by buying a smaller piece of ground? After all, the new school could easily be multi-storied to incorporate Waverly IF and I repeat IF it does not close in the current bond scenario. Am a bit curious of the legality of the bond at all now with Waverly sliding away from being closed? That was at the time a big part of the dog and pony show to get it passed.
Gabapentin is now under attack as needing to be very closely tracked. It is a mild to me pain reliever for some with Neuropathy, Arthritis and some other illnesses that gives relief albeit mildly at least for me. I was so "WOW" to see it is mixed with other drugs to create a euphoric high. I am a bit skeptical of it being such on its own merits? And it is not an opioid as I post this in its own right.
Seems we need to instead restrict the use for those with legitimate need to maybe putting some of the Pharmacist/ Drug Manufactures/ Distributors in jail for a few years. Very clear message there.
And for the "Our Opinion" clowns to declare it as a "poison" is absolutely unprofessional and irresponsible. I have no doubt many of the Drugs being hustled into this State would be better off shut down to a mere trickle. The State A.G. has made some great strides in this area. I don't care if the State wants to track it, but to try and restrict it which is what will happen under the QL (quantity limited), category from the Insurance Companies will cause as many if not more problems than it will solve.
Until the State at whatever Agency/ Branch moves to enact SEVERE penalties to incarcerate those who are profiting so handsomely from the abuse of many drugs, stop the train. Obama and Tomblin are gone now, so it is possible to get more realistic on cause and affect.
The more the ACA (Obamacare), is cut back, rescinded, replaced, the more it will affect this State. When Mr. Tomblin bought into expanded Medicaid a few years back, he put the State on a collision course with eventually higher Medicaid costs as the Feds reduced their share and as more people were able to acquire coverage. Sure hundreds of millions of dollars flow into the State from the expansion of Medicaid coverage. But it is not "free" money. There is no "free" money; somewhere, someone is paying the Tax Dollars. The sad fact that West Virginia is so poor with so many alleged disabled and needy only highlights the problem. And as has been aptly noted, there are many who did not have previous coverage who have benefited from this program. Sadly some fraud is alive and well.
I have not yet read or may not at all read the proposed Patient Freedom Act, but am very interested if it opens up the States' boundaries to any and all to sell Health Insurance here. If it is little more than an attempt to protect Highmarks almost total monopoly than it is severely flawed? With only two sources of Insurance Exchange Coverage in this State and one of them very new, the opening too other like Companies is crucial to bringing down costs and choices of plans. 'nuff said'.