バラク・オバマからの返事

忘れた頃に来たのだが
な、長え～
そして、こっちが質問したこととあんまり関係ねえ～　笑

しかし記録のため、以下に貼り付けておくことにする

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March 4, 2011

Dear Friend:

Thank you for writing. After a century of striving, after a year of debate, and after a historic vote, health care reform is no longer an unmet promise to the American people. It is the law of the land.

This legislation builds on our current system of private insurance and gives American families greater control over their own health care. It cuts costs for families, gives Americans greater consumer protections and choice, keeps our promises to seniors on Medicare, strengthens small businesses, and cuts the deficit to help secure a brighter future for our children and grandchildren.

Here is what health reform means for you:

KEEPING YOUR COVERAGE: If you like your current insurance, you can keep it. If you like your doctor, there is nothing in this law that interferes with that relationship. In fact, you will have greater control over your own health care, not government or insurance companies.

ENDING ABUSIVE INSURANCE PRACTICES: Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies are prohibited from denying children coverage because of pre-existing conditions, and in 2014, the same will be true for adults. Until 2014, uninsured individuals with pre-existing conditions will have access to affordable insurance through a temporary subsidized high-risk insurance pool. Insurance companies can also no longer place lifetime or restrictive annual limits on the amount of care patients receive, and they can no longer drop people from coverage when they get sick. New offices of health insurance consumer assistance will help individuals in the process of filing complaints or appeals against insurance companies.

STRENGTHENING MEDICARE: Guaranteed Medicare benefits are preserved and expanded. In fact, in 2010, seniors in the "donut hole gap" received $250 rebates to help pay for prescription drugs. In 2011, seniors in this coverage gap will receive a 50 percent discount for brand name drugs, and by 2020, the donut hole will be completely closed. In addition, beginning in 2011, Medicare beneficiaries will receive free preventive-care services.

HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES: On the day I signed the new law, small businesses became immediately eligible for tax credits of up to 35 percent of their premium contributions for employee coverage. This makes coverage more affordable so small business owners do not have to choose between hiring and health care. By 2014, small businesses with up to 100 employees will have access to state-based Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Exchanges, where they can purchase affordable, quality insurance and may qualify for tax credits up to 50 percent of employer premium contributions.

HOLDING INSURANCE COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE: Beginning in 2011, insurance companies will be required to submit justifications for requested premium increases. Any company with excessive or unjustified premium increases may not be able to participate in the new exchanges. Insurers will also be required to meet new standards that limit overhead costs and provide premium rebates if they fail to satisfy these new standards. To learn more about how the Affordable Care Act helps hold insurance companies accountable, helps make the insurance marketplace more transparent, and helps increase value for consumers, please visit: www.HealthCare.gov/news/factsheets/medical_loss_ratio.html.

EXPANDING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE COVERAGE THROUGH TAX CREDITS: Middle class and working families now have greater access to quality, affordable health care. The new law provides tax credits to middle-class families who cannot afford insurance on their own, providing the largest middle class tax cuts for health care in history. New plans will have a cap on what insurance companies can require beneficiaries to pay in out-of-pocket expenses, such as co-pays and deductibles. Additionally, because of the Affordable Care Act, young people up to age 26 can stay on their parents' insurance policy. Reform will expand health insurance coverage to 32 million Americans, guaranteeing 94 percent of Americans will be covered.

PROVIDING MORE OPTIONS THROUGH THE NEW HEALTH INSURANCE EXCHANGES: Starting in 2014, small businesses and individuals who are uninsured, self-employed, or have lost or changed jobs will be able to choose insurance coverage in new competitive insurance marketplaces. These state-based exchanges will pool buying power, providing Americans with the same private insurance choices that Members of Congress will have, and fostering choice and competition. In addition, the new law allows States to enter into interstate health care choice compacts, where qualified health plans can be offered in all participating States--allowing families to purchase insurance across state lines and find the plan that works best for them.

ADDRESSING MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: The new law establishes a grant program for States to explore alternative means of resolving disputes over medical treatment, and to find ways to reduce medical errors. The grants give States the flexibility to propose tort reforms that work best for them. My Administration is also funding medical liability demonstration projects through the Department of Health and Human Services.

REDUCING THE DEFICIT: The Congressional Budget Office confirmed that health reform will reduce the deficit by over $100 billion in the next decade, and over $1 trillion in the following decade.

CUTTING WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE: Health reform implements unprecedented measures to fight waste, fraud, and abuse and to improve the quality and outcomes of care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. The law ends unwarranted subsidies to private insurance companies and takes important steps to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, improve patient safety, coordinate care, modernize payment systems, and streamline record-keeping. It also realigns incentives to reward medical providers for the value, not the volume, of their care. The law includes virtually all of the main ideas recommended by health policy experts to slow the growth of health care costs over time. For resources and information on how to prevent, report, and stop Medicare fraud, visit: www.StopMedicareFraud.gov.

While some of these reforms will be put in place later, a host of desperately needed reforms have already gone into effect. American workers and families can feel more secure knowing that neither illness nor accident should endanger their pursuit of the American dream.

To learn more about the content of this legislation and how it affects you, visit www.HealthCare.gov or www.WhiteHouse.gov/HealthReform.

Thank you, again, for writing.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Visit WhiteHouse.gov

カムジャタンとか角煮とか

海外生活に役立ちそうな実用的なことを書くの嫌いなのだが、人に何回聞いても忘れるので、覚書がてら：

いわゆる角煮に適したような、たとえばラフテーの三枚肉みたいのは、肉のカットの仕方が違うのでこちらには売ってないのだが、shoulder butt roast（もしくはBoston shoulder buttとか）という名前で売ってるのが一番それに近い、、、というのをもう何回となく聞きつつ、実際には間違ってポットロースト用の肉を買ってしまったりしていて、今回やっと正しいのが買えた

２ポンドほど塊で買ってみたので、まず半分をスロークッカーでカムジャタン（えーと、じゃがいもと豚肉をコチュジャンベースの煮汁で煮たもの）を作ってみたら、大成功だった　脂肪の層も一応あるので、触感的にもいいと思う
 今度は、ただの角煮も作ってみよう　煮玉子も入れて

最近料理をサボりぎみだったので、今週はがんばっている(スロークッカーの時点で手抜きという噂もある)

My Fanny Valentine

わたしは心の冷たい人間なのか、夫の誕生日とか何かイベントの時に、ちゃんと準備をしてあげなかったりプレゼントが間に合わなかったりとかしがちなのだが、今年のバレンタインはちゃんと早めにプレゼントを買った

The Big Lebowski Kit

これはThe Big Lebowski（コーエン兄弟の映画）でジェフ・ブリッジズ演じる主人公デュードになりきれる、という触れ込みのキットで、The Dudeというワッペンと、マグネットと、カーペット型マウスパッドと、マグカップと、切断された親指（笑）がついている　映画を見た人なら、なるほどと思える内容だ
事前に、「何かになれるキットあげるよ」と言ったら、「何？スーパーヒーローとか？」と聞くので、「ああ～、まあ、そのようなものだよ」と適当にお茶を濁していたが、結果的にはウケたのでよしとする

今夜は外でバレンタインディナーでも、と言っていたが、行こうと思っていたシーフードレストランが予約はいっぱいだったし、他の店もたぶん混んでいるので、予定変更してステーキでも焼くことにしようかな

ミシシッピは雪

写真もなんもないけど
ひさしぶりに帰ったら激寒だった
土曜に着いて月曜にとんぼ返りしたのであまり時間もなかったけど、発つ直前なんて、昼間なのに気温は３０Fぐらい（摂氏でいう零下）で粉雪が舞っており、はて、ここは本当にミシシッピか？と
まあ州の北の方でテネシーよりだし、今年は何せフロリダ以外のどの州でも雪が降ってるわけだけれど、自分が住んでいたときには降ることはなかったから

ともあれプロスペクタスディフェンスを終えて、やっとABD(All But Dissertation)になった
めでたしめでたし
ってこれからが本番だけれども

それにつけても今住んでいる町にはろくなBBQ屋がないことを再確認した由
（近隣の町まで車を飛ばせば、いいところがあるにはあるのだが）
ミシシッピでは、そのへんのガスステーションでもおいしいのが食べられるのに

映画のクラス

今学期は、何の因果か日本映画のクラスを教えている
学生の人数は６０人と、わたしにしてはかなりの大所帯、しかも映画を見やすいようにと、キャパ１００人のauditoriumでやってるので、毎回声張っています

先学期はほとんど日本語メジャー対象に文学の授業を教えたけど、今学期はメジャーじゃない学生もたくさん混じっているからか、映画オタクはただの日本オタクよりちょっとだけ賢いのか、学生のレベルは上がった気がする　やっていて返ってくるものが違うという実感がある　フィルムスクールの子もいるから、技術的な話をしてもついてきてくれるし
あとはまあ週一回は映画見て、一回はディスカッションで基本学生に喋らせる授業なので、 はっきりいって先学期より楽　ていうか、正直本当の専門でないだけに、文学教えるよりプレッシャーが少ない　昔の貯金（元映研）でやってける面も、あるからかね

しかしまあ、４週目に入ってちょっとダレてきたのか、先週のスクリーニング（溝口健二の「山椒大夫」だった）の時は、どうも一部の学生がざわついてて、笑うところじゃないのに笑ったり（古い映画だから、もちろん今の視点で見たら突っ込みたくなる気持ちはわからないでもないが）、ほかの真面目な子たちからも苦情が出るくらいだった

だから昨日のディスカッションの時、どんな映画にもそれぞれの歴史的瞬間てのがあって、そこでは（たとえわたしたちにとって意味をなさなくても）当時の観客にとってはすべてが意味をなしていたんだから、そういう瞬間に対して敬意を払ってほしい、ということをちらっといったら、その日はなんだかみんな神妙にしていた

６０人もいれば全員が真面目に議論に参加して、というわけにはとてもいかないけど、数人でも何か掴んで帰ってくれる子がいれば、基本的にはそれでいいと思っている　喋らなくても宿題のワークシートはみっちり書いてくる子もいるし、それでいい

いろいろ考えた末にここでの仕事は今学期一杯にしようと思っているのだが、最後だから、こっちも楽しまないとね

さて、明日からの二週は日活ヌーベルバーグ、まず中平康の「狂った果実」、次は清順の「殺しの烙印」
学生の反応が、楽しみだ