"Federally Supported" or "Tax Payer Supported"

When was the last time you felt all warm & fuzzy about the IRS, or Medicare, or the INS...or any number of government agencies? When was the last time you complained about taxes or government waste/fraud? Now tell me what the difference is between the two phrases in my title. Hint: there is none. They both describe the same pile of cash, and they both describe programs/projects supported by tax paying citizens.

Remember this the next time you watch the evening news. When the media (or government officials) want you to feel warm & fuzzy, they describe government projects/programs as "federally supported". When they want you to bristle, projects/programs are described as "tax-payer supported". Why? Because there is a basic disconnect between what the government provides and how those provisions are funded. Every single, solitary cent spent by the government comes from the American tax payers.

So let's look at "universal" healthcare and what it really is...healthcare provided by you & I. Where I come from, taking care of the needs of the impovrished used to be called charity. Now it's considered a government function. If you think the government should supply your healthcare consider how badly they muck everything else up and consider how well it's working in other countries like Canada, Britian, etc. Hint: It's not. Imagine less qualified doctors and nurses, more government waste/fraud, and less money in your pocket 'cuz that's exactly what will happen. The current healthcare system is in shambles, but "universal" healthcare is not the answer.

The money required to establish and maintain this little brain child doesn't come from Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, folks.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

My husband's cousin made this for us over the weekend. Quite good and definitely a break from the traditional Stove Top recipes that call for cream of mushroom soup. We enjoyed this so much that I'll be making it again this week!

1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 t dried basil
1 c shredded mozarella
Place tomatoes with their liquid in medium bowl. Add stuffing mix, 1/2 c water and the garlic; stir until stuffing is moistened. Set aside. Place chicken in 13x9 baking dish; sprinkle w/basil and cheese. Top with the prepared stuffing mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Makes 4 servings.

Crockpot BBQ Beef for Sandwiches

I bought a roast the other day, used half for a regular pot roast dinner and used the rest with this recipe...adjusting the quantities, of course. It's a great addition to my collection!

3lb chuck roast
1 cup water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 T onion, minced
15 oz tomato sauce
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c mustard
Dash of Worcestershire
Roast meat, along with water and bouillon until very tender or cook on low in crock pot for 8-10 hours. Shred meat w/fork after cooking and retain 1 cup of the juice from cooking. Add remaining ingredients to shredded meat. Put in crock pot and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours (or on high for 1.5-2 hours). Serve over dinner rolls.

My Notes: Before I started this dish, I didn't realize they suggested a total of about 12 hours cooking time, which I didn't have. I cooked the roast in the crockpot on high for about 4.5 hours, drained nearly all the liquid and set it aside in case I needed to mix it back in, and cooked for another two hours. Turns out I didn't need the reserve liquid. I broke the meat up before adding the remaining ingredients, and then finished shredding it at the very end. YUMMY!