Negotiating Technology Contracts in Health Care

Technology spending for hardware, software and consulting services accounts for a significant portion of most health care providers budgets today, especially since the Obama Stimulus Plan and HITECH Act are incentivizing providers to implement electronic health records. In a perfect world, technology works perfectly, improves efficiency and the quality of care and makes life easier for the provider. However, the real world is not perfect and things can, and do, go wrong with technology products and services after you purchase and/or license them from third party vendors. Technology contracts generally are written by the vendors and consultants. Unfortunately, many technology contracts fall short of giving providers adequate protection and often contain hidden pitfalls and costs. Despite this fact, many providers never give these contracts to experienced health lawyers to help them negotiate better terms and protections for their high-tech investments BEFORE signing. This is a potentially costly practice. Every health care provider should be concerned with at least the following FOUR KEY ISSUES, which should be addressed in any technology contract:Warranties and Limitations of Liability: Despite elaborate sales presentations, technology contracts typically disclaim most, if not all, warranties and limit the liability of vendors to only refunding all or part of the purchase or license price paid for the technology. Such refunds are inadequate to protect the average provider when problems arise. A technology vendor should be required to give a written warranty in the contract that its product will perform in accordance with documented standards and for a reasonable period of time. At a minimum, this time period should be long enough for the provider to evaluate the technology in its operations. A better solution is to require a warranty for the useful life of the technology, or as long as there is a support and maintenance service agreement in place. A vendor also should not be allowed contractually to limit its liability on default only to return of the purchase price. If a provider suffers actual damages caused by the technology, the vendor should be required, in writing, to stand behind its product and services and reimburse such damages. A reasonable compromise is to require the vendor at least to tender the limits of its insurance coverage, which creates minimal additional risk to the vendor while better protecting the provider.Payments & Performance: A provider should not agree to pay the full purchase price up front, as is often a contract requirement, leaving the vendor with little incentive to complete its responsibilities. The parties should mutually agree in advance upon a project timetable with milestone targets for delivery and implementation of the technology. Payments should be made in installments conditioned upon reaching the targets. In addition, providers should build in testing rights, in order to evaluate whether the technology is performing as promised. The provider always should have the final say in whether a test provides a successful outcome and whether the final payment should be made to the vendor.Support and Maintenance: A technology hardware purchase or software license is only as good as the support and maintenance that goes along with it. The vendor should be willing to provide support for at least a defined useful life of the technology. Several questions should be answered in a written support agreement. Are updates or upgrades provided without additional charge? Will the vendor perform on-site or off-site support and maintenance? Will the provider pay a monthly fee plus an hourly charge or is there only an hourly charge? Does the hourly charge differ depending on when or what level of support is needed? Do the charges increase over the term of the support agreement? What is the vendor agreeing to support? Will changes made to the technology by the provider automatically terminate the warranty or support obligations? Unless the contract is specific regarding essential issues, a provider may find itself paying for less or different support and/or maintenance services than needed or expected.Confidentiality: Confidentiality of patient health information is a critical issue. Federal HIPAA law has a variety of privacy and security rules providers and their business associates must follow. In addition, some states, including Florida, have enacted legislation that requires entities that conduct business in the state and which maintain computerized data that contains personal information to provide notice to any resident if there is a breach of security. A technology contract should specify if the vendor will have access to any of the confidential patient information. A health care provider must require the vendor and its employees to maintain the confidentiality of such information under federal and many state laws. The technology contract also should expressly protect the confidentiality of provider trade secrets and other proprietary information to which a vendor or consultant may have access.Although technology contracts may appear intimidating, as they frequently are presented by vendors in small print and columned format, leading providers to believe they are non-negotiable forms, this is not the case in most instances. Investing the time and resources to have a health law attorney experienced in technology contracting review and help to negotiate contracts for hardware purchases, software licenses, maintenance and support, as well as technology consulting services, can save providers significant expense, disappointment and damages should the technology products or services not perform as promised.

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Outsourcing Your SEO Vs Self-Optimization

Many established companies have feared outsourcing their SEO because they think that having an optimization process would harm their privacy. Additionally, they believe that an outsider company might be a threat to their companies’ secrets. That is why some companies have chosen to conduct self-SEO to avoid their secrets being leaked or being exposed to the public, especially to their competitors.Self-SEO is undeniably cheaper than outsourcing an SEO project to those that specialize in this field. With this step, you don’t have to deal with hiring costly experts because you have IT professionals inside your company (with little SEO skill to handle your optimization) to do the job. However, this cheap process lacks the special procedure a regular optimization has (keyword research, proper link building, article content writing), making it inefficient and inept.Reselling fad, self-SEO, and why US companies fear outsourcing their SEONo doubt about it, in-house optimizers are as good as SEO experts. However, these in-house optimizers do not have the full capability to duplicate the skill of experts from SEO companies. Although they handle their websites’ physical rankings well (DA, PR), they fall short on achieving an exemplary online reputation (we all know that physical rankings like domain authority, Page Rank, and search engine positions are all useless without an established good online reputation). Moreover, online reputation is only achievable through focused and undivided SEO. That is why some companies who choose this thrifty move hire people from SEO industries, or those who have expertise in this field.The SEO Reselling business is not a secret anymore to majority of businesses here in the United States. They are already aware that some SEO agents roaming around the streets and knocking on store doors, messaging on email and convincing owners through telephone, are only SEO Resellers getting their services from higher business entities called providers. The only thing that remains a secret to them is who these Resellers’ providers are. In addition, this Reseller fad has created an additional alarm to business owners; outsourcing an SEO (which means their business online strategies) to unknown optimizers creates skepticism and fear, that doing a self-SEO is safer for them in terms of keeping their company secrets hidden and intact inside their own premises.There is no way of knowing who these companies’ providers are because they are bound by an agreement called White Label SEO that prohibits them from revealing the backend’s name. However, it is your prerogative as a client to know about their skill and capability in launching and handling an efficient SEO campaign. Companies can ask for an established and valid portfolio (live optimized websites and not just a written URL from some unknown galaxy), and a systematic live optimization process explaining the importance and details of each process and terminologies to know their competence over other providers and even self-SEO.Professionally speaking, outsourcing your SEO to seasoned, trustworthy, and capable SEO companies are better than doing the cheap self-SEO process. Achieving full-blown and complete SEO success can only be possible with focused optimization, a process self-SEO method cannot provide.

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Car Insurance – Watch Out Before You Buy!

What to watch out for while choosing car insurance?The most important criteria include the five “C”s. Here’s a brief description of each:• Claim settlement policy – The true test of an insurance company is at the time of an actual insurance claim. This is possible to check by looking at the company’s past records of claim resolution. Now is the time to check if the existing insurance can be transferred to another insurance company without loss of benefits already paid for.• Coverage – What is the right coverage for you? Usually, car insurance policies cover third party liability and own damage. According to the Motor Vehicles Act, it is mandatory to opt for third party liability insurance cover while own damage is optional. Opting for both is the standard procedure since they cover any damage due to accidents and loss from third party mishaps. Most insurance companies offer “add-ons” with the basic policy.• Customer service – Thanks to technology, insurance policies are now issued instantly. Besides this, other issues such as changes in policy or cancellations are processed quickly. In the event of a claim, cashless settlement is also available so that post-repair delivery is quick without incurring bills at the workshop. It is therefore important to check the insurance company’s network for this facility. The bigger the network, the better the claimant’s options.• Communication access – The insurance company’s contact information must be easily accessible. If there is a problem the insured individual must know whom to get in touch with and the procedure to follow.• Cost – Last but not least, is the price or premium. Car insurance premium is based on “insured declared value” or IDV and the rate multiplier and depends on the car model, the age of the car, daily mileage and the terrain of the location. It is important to declare the right IDV and select a policy that offers the maximum IDV even if you have to incur a slightly higher premium.Besides the above, the following are the benefits to look for:• No claim bonus – if no claim has been filed during the insurance period, a no-claim discount is offered on risk cover against own damage at the time of policy renewal. For each consecutive claim-free year, the discount increases progressively. The point to note is that the no claim bonus eligibility holds good even in the event of a new vehicle purchase or existing insurance renewal before the due date from a different insurance provider.• Opting for deductible – Drivers with a good record can opt for “voluntary excess” or deductible to lower their premium payments, in addition to the compulsory excess. In the case of a compulsory excess, the insured is liable to pay a specific amount if a claim is filed.• Premium based on car type – If your car has extra security features such as anti-theft alarms the chances of theft is lower and insurance can come at a lower premium.• Timely insurance renewal – If car insurance is not renewed before the expiry date the renewal premium can result in loss of coverage especially if there is an accident and also mean no discount for the no-claim bonus.• Choice of Add-ons- Besides the basic car insurance coverage, insurance providers offer several optional add-ons. It is important to select the right ones and only pay for those. For example, if there is a medical expense cover or hospital cash cover, check to see if you have a medical insurance policy that already covers these.• To renew or not to renew – with the same insurance provider? When it is time to renew your car insurance, compare insurance providers to see what they are offering before making a decision. The car insurance industry is very competitive and for the same coverage, you can probably get a better price elsewhere.Some final precautions to bear in mind are:• Check that the insurance policy is genuine. Always buy your car insurance directly from the insurance company or from its authorized agent.• Always get a premium payment receipt.• When you receive your policy document, check the IDV, no claim bonus and deductible details to make sure it is what you opted for. Any discrepancies must be notified and rectified immediately.• Make sure only you sign the proposal form and always read before signing• Do not opt for monthly payments as this is more expensive than annual paymentsRemember that car insurance protects you and the occupants of your car on two counts: from accidental damage and from third party claims when you are responsible for the accident. Therefore, choose with care.

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Car Finance Options and Solutions

Because most people don’t have cash to buy new cars, it is often a choice between leasing and using an auto loan. We will further analyze the benefits of each type of car finance option. The choice that you make will heavily affect your income over the next years. The first thing you should realize is that the decision of buying with cash or lease doesn’t involve just the money aspect, but the time aspect as well.The car finance option you choose depends on the importance you give to owning a new car. If you value having the latest models on the market, then this will justify spending more money on this privilege. If your view of a car is orientated towards transportation and comfort (you want a car for practical reasons), then owning the newest model should take a few steps back on your priority list. You should think about these facts first and then consider the more tangible issues of car finance options.The car finance deal that you are going to make starts when the salesperson asks you what kind of car finance option you want to use. Your answer can be one of the following: buy the car, lease the car or pay cash for the car.If you want to buy the car, the dealer will ask you to fill in a credit application based on your credit scores. An auto loan will be arranged through the dealership. This car finance option usually is a 36-60 month endeavor. The longer the time the lower the payments will be. The amount of money you pay for this car finance option depends on your interest rate, down payment and total sum of loan. Also be careful, as the dealer will want you to make a large down payment. This car finance deal is based on the fact that, until you pay for the vehicle, the lending institution will own the car. The car’s ownership papers will be sent to you after all payments have been made.There are some important aspects about car leasing that make it attractive to customers, such as: low monthly payments, low down payments and low maintenance costs. The main advantage is that a customer will get a car without giving too much money at once. The monthly payments are kept at a low level, lower than buying car with an auto loan. Another benefit of this car finance option is that the car will have a 3 year warranty and will be covered for mechanical failure during this period. As you can see by now, this looks very attractive and affordable by anyone, but there is a slight disadvantage (the same as in the case of a loan). You will have car payments until the entire sum of the car is paid. Only when you do this, the car will finally be yours.From this point on the car finance deal will be over and if you have to begin leasing again the assumed responsibility of payment rates will last a long period of time again. The conclusion is that this car finance option (using the leasing method) is more expensive on a long term. Car leasing is actually the most expensive way to go, but those who favor it point out that over a 10 year period this car finance method is the best the average income customer can support.If you are interested in leasing, this car finance option has some variations. All auto leases allow you to drive the car for a limited number of miles per year. The more you drive, the higher your payments will be. However, if you come to think of it, you save money in the long run. The contract will contain a residual price for the car, which you will pay at the end of the lease as the car passes into your possession. Be careful because this is the riskiest car finance deal of them all!If you decide to pay cash for the car the transaction everything will be very simple. This is the most favorable car finance deal if your income can support such a large transaction. Negotiating with the dealer will most likely make this car finance option even more attractive. Choose wisely as every car finance offer has its own ups and downs, and every car finance company will try to persuade you into taking their option into account.When buying a car, a lot of money is involved. Depending on the budget you are willing to spend there will be a car finance option to your liking. A compromise has to be made: one can either spend a lot at once, or spend a greater sum during a longer period of time. Your car finance option will affect your pocket anyway; it’s just a matter of how much money will be given in how much time.

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What Home Buyers Should Know About FHA Financing

FHA financing has become a preferred route for many home buyers for several good reasons. It has unique challenges as well, though, and home buyers need to be aware of both the advantages and disadvantages when choosing to use this route for their home financing. Let’s review the pros and cons of FHA financing here so you can better understand your options when selecting this route for your home purchase.Advantages of FHA Financing
Less Money Needed Upfront – FHA financing currently requires a 3.5% down payment while conventional financing typically requires a minimum of 5% down. FHA financing also does not currently require that a buyer have any additional savings left after purchase while conventional financing typically requires the buyer to have two months of mortgage payments minimum set aside in the bank after closing as a safety precaution. Because of these lighter requirements, the FHA buyer can typically buy a home with less money needed upfront.
More Flexibility on Credit History – FHA financing normally has more flexibility with a credit history that is newer or slightly bruised. Conventional financing will typically require that a person’s credit history be well established with little allowance for credit bruises like late payments or collections. FHA has more liberal guidelines on this which can help the buyer whose credit is newer or has experienced some challenges.
Ability to Purchase A More Expensive Home – assuming you stay under FHAs maximum loan amount, FHA financing will normally allow a higher ratio of bills to income than conventional financing will for the buyer with average to strong credit. This can help a FHA buyer be approved for a larger loan amount than the conventional homebuyer in many situations.
Disadvantages of FHA Financing
More Paperwork – Due to the addition of the Federal Housing Administrations guarantee of FHA loans, there is additional paperwork needed both to approve and close the FHA mortgage. This is typically just a minor inconvenience, but it’s still something that the home buyer should be aware of upfront.
Higher Property Standards – the Federal Housing Administration places a high importance on the safety and soundness of the properties it finances. Because of this, they hold these properties to a higher standard than conventional financing typically requires. Prior to making an offer on a home with FHA financing, the home buyer should talk with their lender about the property to determine if there are any features of the home that might make it ineligible for FHA financing it its current condition.
Higher Mortgage Costs – FHA currently charges a 1.75% upfront mortgage insurance premium to the home buyer. This cost can be financed into the loan or paid at the closing, offering some flexibility to the buyer, but either way it is a cost that will need to be paid at some point. Additionally, FHA financing currently has higher monthly mortgage insurance costs than conventional financing in most situations. Both the upfront and monthly cost change periodically so the homebuyer should check with their lender to see what these charges are when they find their home and how they compared to the mortgage insurance cost for a conventional loan.
While there are other minor nuances of both FHA and conventional financing that differentiate the two, these pieces are the primary ones that the homebuyer should considering when determining what type of financing is best for them. For the buyer with strong credit, savings for the down payment and decent room between their bills and income, conventional financing is typically easier and less expensive. For the buyer with newer or bruised credit, limited savings or tighter bills compared to income, though, FHA is a strong option to consider.

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Why Your Hotel Needs Google My Business

Search engines plays a pivotal role in the success hotels have in marketing and growing their business. Google is especially influential, making hotels more visible than ever to potential guests.Google My Business is a free business listing you can create and is the best first step to ranking higher in search results and providing travellers with all the necessary information they need about your hotel.Here’s why Google My Business is essential for your hotel (… and how you can improve your SEO)Search engine optimisation is a complicated issue because Google is constantly updating its algorithms. Trying to update your website at the same pace is nearly impossible unless you’re using a smart website creator that evolves with new standards.On the other hand, there are a few simple tasks you can complete to increase your chances of ranking high in search results.Google My Business gets your hotel off on the right foot by taking your information and organising it into optimised fields on a template that ensures you, and your guests, don’t miss anything.Using the tool you can:

List your hotel’s name, address, and phone number

Have a geo-marker on Google maps to highlight your location

Display unique photos

Display guest reviews

Provide any additional details relevant to travellers looking for information

Google My Business makes your hotel immediately more accessible. Potential guests can easily click ‘visit website’ or ‘call’ from the search result on Google.

This also encourages them to book directly with you instead of through commission-based online travel agents. It’s also very easy to edit all of your information once you have verified your business through your Google account, meaning even if you’re away you can still be managing your listing and influencing your search ranking.To ensure your business listing is effective you need to make sure your details are always up-to-date and accurate.You should consider adding videos in addition to your images and have at least five genuine guest reviews for your hotel.More tips for mastering your hotel’s SEOFirst impressions are always the most important. If you create an effective SEO strategy along with your Google listing and a beautiful website, you’re more likely to capture bookings in the first instance.Here are some important guidelines to follow:

Research keywords and define your own list. Then use the most relevant and searchable on your website and in your content.

Quality content always ranks highly so make sure what you provide your site visitors is interesting and engaging. Keep it fresh too, that means updating regularly, so maintaining a blog on your website will make this easy.

Create cornerstone SEO pages by merging multiple pages that relate to similar keywords – otherwise Google won’t know how to rank them and you won’t feature high on search results.

Optimising your website for mobiles will increase the opportunity you have to be seen by travellers and enable you to accept mobile bookings for guests who plan their travel on the run.

Partner with other local sites to increase your inbound links. The more the better, both for traffic and search engine ranking.
Visual content should always be a priority. No one will book your hotel site unseen.

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How is Parkinson’s Disease Treated?

Parkinsons disease is a comparatively common condition of the nervous system which is as a result of problems with the nerve cells in the part of the brain which generates dopamine. This is a chemical substance that is needed for the smooth management of muscles and motion, so the symptoms of the disorder is a result of a reduction of that chemical. Parkinson’s disease mostly impacts individuals aged over 65, but it can and does come on at younger ages with 5-10% developing before the age of forty.

The chief clinical features of Parkinson’s disease are a tremor or shaking, that will commences in one arm or hand; there is often a muscle rigidity or stiffness along with a slowness of motion; the stance gets more stooped; additionally, there are equilibrium concerns. Parkinson’s can also cause greater pain and result in depression symptoms and create problems with memory and sleep. There isn’t any specific test for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s. The identification is usually made primarily based on the history of the symptoms, a physical along with neural evaluation. Other reasons for the signs and symptoms also need to be eliminated. There are imaging assessments, such as a CAT scan or MRI, that can be used to eliminate other issues. From time to time a dopamine transporter diagnostic might also be utilized.

The actual cause of Parkinson’s isn’t known. It does appear to have both genetic and environmental elements with it plus some specialists think that a virus may induce Parkinson’s as well. Decreased amounts of dopamine and also norepinephrine, a substance which in turn is responsible for the dopamine, have already been found in those with Parkinson’s, but it is not yet determined what is causing this. Unusual proteins which are named Lewy bodies have been located in the brains of those who have Parkinson’s; nevertheless, experts don’t know what role they may play in the development of Parkinson’s. While the specific cause just isn’t known, studies have identified risk factors that establish groups of people who are more prone to develop the condition. Men are more than one and a half times more prone to get Parkinson’s as compared to women. Caucasians are much more prone to get the condition as compared to African Americans or Asians. Those who have close members of the family who have Parkinson’s disease are more likely to develop it, implying the inherited contribution. A number of toxins could raise the potential for the problem, implying a role of the environment. People who experience difficulties with brain injuries can be more likely to go on and have Parkinson’s disease.

There is no identified remedy for Parkinson’s disease. That will not imply that the signs and symptoms can’t be handled. The main method is to use medicines to raise or replacement for the dopamine. Balanced and healthy diet together with frequent exercise is crucial. There may be changes made to the surroundings at home and work to keep the individual involved as well as active. There are also some options sometimes for brain surgical treatment which can be used to relieve some of the motor symptoms. A diverse team of different health professionals are often involved.

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Understanding the Impacts of Gout

Gout is among those historical problems because there are numerous mentions of it in historical literature, at least since ancient times. The traditional typecast of it is that it is related to the upper classes that binge in alcohol and certain foods. This image was pictured in early art work illustrating people who had gout. Gout has stopped being viewed as a problem of over consumption, because of the current research demonstrating an important genetic component to it.

Gout is a distressing inflammation related disorder which mostly impacts the joints, most commonly the great toe joint with the feet. It is because of uric acid crystals getting placed in joints in the event the bloodstream uric acid quantities are increased. The uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines which come from the consuming of foods like venison, salmon, tuna, haddock, sardines, anchovies, mussels, herring along with alcohol consumption. It is possible to understand how that old misconception was produced according to the overindulgence of the higher classes in those types of food and alcoholic beverages. The actual problem is not really the quantity of those foods which can be consumed, but the actual genetics of the biochemical pathway which usually breaks the purines in these food items down into the uric acid and how your body deals with it.

While diet is still important in the treating of gout and lowering the quantity of food which have the purines with them continues to be considered essential, however it is becoming apparent recently that this is just not sufficient by itself and just about all those who have gout probably will need pharmaceutical management. It goes without saying that drugs are likely to be needed for relief of pain throughout an acute flare up. The acute phase of gout is extremely painful. Over the long term there are two forms of drugs which you can use for gout. One kind of medicine block chemicals in the pathway which splits the purines into uric acid, which simply implies there will be much less uric acid in the blood stream that could find its way in to the joints to trigger an acute episode of gout or lead to the long-term gout. The other main kind of drug is one that can help the renal system remove much more uric acid. This would also reduce the urates in the bloodstream. Generally, only one of those drugs is all that’s needed, however occasionally both are needed to be utilized at the same time. Since these prescription medication is ordinarily pretty successful, that will not indicate that the life-style and eating habits changes may be pushed aside. Local measures, including wearing good fitting shoes if the big toe joint gets too painful is important. Also ice packs during an acute flare up will also help with the relief of pain.

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How To Approach Removing Asbestos Removal in Sydney

Planning to renovate your home built decades ago? Well, you got to be careful! There is a good chance it may have asbestos. This is a popular building material used throughout Australia before it was completely banned in 2003.

Asbestos is not generally considered hazardous. In fact, homeowners are only allowed to remove up to ten square meters of non-friable asbestos. More than that, people are advised to seek professional help, especially handling friable ones. Because of the health risks involved, DIY removal is considered illegal.

This is particularly prohibited in Sydney. Hence, the expertise of your trusted asbestos removalists is required to handle the dangerous job.

Why Removing Asbestos Can Be Dangerous?

There are many DIY ideas. Some are equally fun. Whilst, others can be hazardous, like removing asbestos by yourself.

Here are some reasons why removing asbestos without proper knowledge can be dangerous:

Exposure to diseases

Small quantities of asbestos are present in the air most of the time and are being breathed in by everyone without ill effects. But, exposure to high levels of asbestos for a long time is pretty serious. It can cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma.

Accidents and Injuries

Asbestos is used in cement sheeting, drainage and pipes, guttering, and even roofing. But, asbestos roofing can become fragile over time. Hence, you might risk breaking it apart, releasing harmful fibres into the air. Also, a single sheet of asbestos can weigh 30-50 kilograms. Such weight can cause injuries.

Wrong removal and ill-fitting equipment

You may not know the proper ways to remove asbestos, exposing you to very harmful fibres. And the recommended removal equipment is quite expensive. You don’t have to deal with it on your own.

How Much Does It Cost To Remove Asbestos?

Asbestos removal can be pretty costly. It is determined by the type and size of the area, as well as the amount of debris to be removed. The safety risks of asbestos also increase the cost, especially when friable asbestos is involved. But health is wealth. It is always worth the price.

Most junk removalists in Sydney are priced from $99.99 per cubic metre, however, given the highly dangerous nature of asbestos, prices may be higher. It’s important to receive a few quotes before proceeding with an asbestos removal service.

How To Find The Right Asbestos Removal Provider?

There are a few key things you can do right now to ensure that your search for a provider is a successful one. They include:

Check Online Reviews

Does the asbestos removal service provider have an abundance of positive Google reviews? Check the history of their reviews to make sure that they are in-fact, legitimate. Businesses with legitimate reviews tend to have a stream of reviews that span across years of their lifetime; not just all within a few months.

Service Locality

Hiring a local asbestos removal business is always best. This ensures that you receive the best pricing as the business is local and nearby to your location. Typically, local businesses tend to take more pride in their workmanship as a positive reputation is key to their ongoing success.

Number of Years in Business

Given the highly dangerous nature of asbestos, it’s important to check how long the business has been in operation. A business who has over 10 years servicing the local community may provide cheaper pricing, given that they likely will have more refined practices.

Conclusion

Take your time while in search of a suitable asbestos removal provider. Due-dilligence is important and always shop around for the best quotes.

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A Pall Settles Over America

I see it in their eyes, downcast and wary. I see it in their steps, shuffling and tentative. When they talk, they use a word I rarely hear, depressed.

These are the producers, those who make the country work. Hourly and salaried employees and managers, who go to their jobs every day, work hard and provide for themselves and their families.

They’re the kind of people who have been with us since the country began. Back then, we called them Pilgrims, sod-busters, and settlers. Today they go by many names, Physician, Technician, Engineer, and Laborer. But for all of them, life has a rhythm, just as it did two centuries ago, that comes from our agricultural heritage.

Spring has always been the time for planting, and looking forward to the year ahead. Summertime is when they cultivate the crops. Fall is harvest time when we enjoy the fruits of our labor and thank God for blessing us. Winter is the time of austerity, the time to prune, the time to cut back.

But not this year. This year, we are still in harvest time. Yet the pruning has already begun. Major companies across this land are already cutting back, eliminating staff to reduce.

For thousands of laid-off workers, it comes at the worst possible time. Just before the holidays. A time when many who have children will have to cut back this Christmas. There will be little joy for those who lost their jobs these holidays.

If you’ve lived through a corporate “downsizing,” you know that anxiety runs high. No matter how often the boss has assured you that you will be kept on, you’re never sure about your future. Should you start looking for a new job now, or wait? Does the boss know what lies ahead, or might he be on the corporate chopping block? There is no job security once layoffs begin.

But there is much more to our collective angst this year than at any time in our memory. These corporate cutbacks are merely reflecting a more significant issue, an issue that is nationwide.

Our country is headed in the wrong direction. That is a sentiment shared by three-quarters of us. And we’ve felt that way for a couple of years. Producers know that the country should be operating better. Yes, there were all difficulties associated with the Pandemic. But those are now behind us.

Today recovery should be well underway. But it’s not. Despite all the trillions of dollars pumped into the system, our standard of living is falling. Each day inflation marches on; real income is declining. Gasoline, food, and shelter costs accelerate in real-time, but a salary rise comes annually. Corporate raises will arrive at the end of the year and likely come nowhere near the level of inflation we’ve already experienced.

Producers see all of this.

Producers also know that many, perhaps most, of our problems come from Washington. We see that a feeble old man has his bony fingers on the nation’s tiller, steering us straight for the shoals. He, and those who surround him, have a policy of austerity. In their eyes, less is better, and fewer is preferred. We should use less heat this winter, drive smaller, preferably electric vehicles, and eat vegan. And the less we consume, the better. From this perspective, we are the problem. Our destiny is to have shortages and wants. And they’ve pushed us in that direction.

However, these leaders told us last week that we could change everything. By walking into our voting booth, we could make our voices heard. We, the people, could take this country in a new direction that our leaders were indeed subject to the will of the people.

That didn’t happen. Counting votes has become a haze of computational complexity and slow-walking results. So that the incumbents in Washington get the results they want, it’s the complete inversion of the principal and values that the country’s founders intended. But there it is—today’s reality.

It’s the reason the word I hear most often from Producers today is: depression. And I’m afraid that’s where we’re headed.

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