A Further Perspective
Why Healthcare Reform Can’t Work
Unless bankrupting the country has been the goal all along.
Two weeks ago we smashed the side view mirror on our car and had to take it to the shop. We paid $250 for a replacement.
This week I went to my dermatologist to see if I had developed any more skin cancers (red hair and all that). The doctor took a biopsy on one spot and sent if off to the lab. If it’s malignant, I’ll have to go back and have a bigger chunk of my cheek removed. The cost of all this? Zero.
This simple comparison illustrates why healthcare “reform,” as Congress has just adopted it, will probably bankrupt the country.
As far as auto insurance is concerned, we have it like almost everyone else. It covers major damage. A year ago I was in a fender-bender. The insurance paid a small portion of the repairs. Several years ago, we bought my son a car and — typically — he nearly totaled it within a week. The insurance company paid an astounding $8,000 in repairs but our premiums tripled and we spent several years paying the penalty. That’s what “underwriting” is about. After one accident you get moved into a higher risk category. It’s what you might call a “pre-existing condition.”
At the auto shop, the mechanics have high school backgrounds with two or three years of on-the-job training and use basic hydraulic lifts and wrenches. I pay them $250 for parts and an hour of labor. At the doctor’s office, the person who serves me has done four years of medical school plus another three or four years of hospital residency and uses sophisticated equipment. The lab that does the biopsy will have the latest technology. Yet because I have a part-time job with a major employer, I receive union “health benefits” that pay for everything. I would be happy to pay $80-100 for my visits to the dermatologist. After all, I pay a plumber $50 just to come to my house and look at my leaking sink. But because politicians like Nancy Pelosi have convinced people that even a $20 co-payment is an “insurance company rip-off,” I get my medical services for free.
Not that I am unaware of the dangers of falling out of this system and going uninsured. A few years ago I didn’t have coverage and was paying $500 apiece for these minor office procedures.
As John Goodman and Robert Musgrave wrote in their brilliant analysis, Patient Power (written in 1994 and still the best critique around), what we are calling “health insurance” is not insurance at all. It is prepaid medical benefits. Insurance is a way of pooling the risk for major expenses — the kind you incur when you have an auto accident or suffer a serious illness. Prepaid benefit plans try to cover all medical expenses, no matter how small.
No insurance company could possibly provide auto insurance that paid the bills every time you changed a tire. The premiums would be impossibly expensive and people would abuse the system, running to the auto shop every time they felt they needed new windshield wipers or suffered a dent in their bumper. Likewise, no insurance company offers policies with 100 percent coverage of all medical bills. The premiums would be impossibly expensive and people would run to the doctor every time they had a sniffle or suffered a cut finger.
Instead, prepaid benefits plans were pioneered by the major corporations and their labor unions, plus federal, state and local governments and their labor unions, which are now the majority of union members and one of the principle players in this melodrama. Taking advantage of an IRS ruling that health and retirement benefits could not be taxed as income, major corporations and governments began funneling tax-free dollars to their employees as “greater take-home pay.” Instead of income, employees got first-dollar coverage of all medical bills with no co-payments and no deductibles. In other words, medical care was “free.” And of course people began to treat it that way. Writing in 1994, Goodman and Musgrave argued that it was all these people flooding into the system with cost-free health benefits that was driving up medical prices.
What corporations, governments and their unions had created was a mini-welfare state. We all know what happens to welfare states. When General Motors went under this year, it was lamenting that every car that came off the line had $1,500 in employee and retiree health benefits on board. When President Clinton tried to “reform” healthcare in the 1990s, one of the central initiatives was that the bloated healthcare commitments made by major corporations would be off-loaded onto the government.
Practically every state and local government in the country has the same unfunded employee pension and health benefits threatening them with bankruptcy. Medicaid is working the same way and now consumes 25 percent of state budgets. And of course the granddaddy of all is Medicare, which now has unfunded liabilities of $90 trillion over the next seventy years and will only be payable if the dollar loses about 80 percent of its value.
So what has Congress decided to do in order to “reform” this system? Instead of getting a grip benefits and substituting a policy of health insurance, the Democrats have decided to extend the same unrealistic benefits to everybody.
Last week in the Wall Street Journal — where the run-of-the-paper is just as much a cheerleader for the Democrats as the New York Times — a story ran under the headline, “Consumers Would See Benefits Soon After Enactment.” (This was a sidebar to the story, “Pelosi Bids for a Place in House History.”) The Journal informed us that once Obamacare passed, three big changes would materialize within six months:
• Insurers
wouldn’t be allowed to cancel policies just because a person
became sick or to place lifetime caps on care.
• New insurance plans would have to pay full cost of certain
preventive care and exempt such care from deductibles.
• Children could stay on their parents’ insurance policies until
their 26th birthday.
The last may help the insurance companies since young people are generally healthier — except that people probably won’t sign up until their children get sick. The first two items, however, are a recipe for insurance company disaster. The first will encourage people to wait until they’re sick before buying insurance. The second will encourage extraordinary overuse. No longer do you have to be sick to visit the doctor. You can just go for “preventive” reasons. Preventive care increases overall costs in the system. Once in awhile an individual may catch a disease in an early stage, but hundred others will be checked with no impact. Preventative services are not that costly and would be best paid for by individuals. Universal preventive care will send insurance company costs soaring.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (167) | Leave a comment
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ggoblue| 3.22.10 @ 6:40AM
225 days til mid terms.
Ret. Marine| 3.22.10 @ 6:54AM
If you haven't figured it out by now, it is their plan to bankrupt this Nation, you are either a dead democrat voting or mentaly challanged, either way, I have pitty for you and your situation. I'm seething with hatred for what they just did to me, my country and my fellow country men/ladies. 2010 election cannot come soon enough for me, my family and Country.
98horn| 3.22.10 @ 12:35PM
I don't understand why everyone says "a plan TO bankrupt the country." This country is already bankrupt. That's why we have to sell bonds every year to cover our unsustainable budget. A trillion here; a trillion there. This new unfunded entitlement doesn't matter. We are going to have to reform ALL entitlement programs or it will be game over for this country.
cdc| 3.22.10 @ 1:32PM
A trillion to invade Iraw, a trillion for health care, a trillion to invade Iran, a trillion to give free food to everyone.
The party in power changes, the mission to spend more than the last guy stays the same.
Achilles Toejam| 3.24.10 @ 12:45PM
CDC, I'll give that one a big Roger That! It's hard to assert that this government power grab legislation is unconstitutional (Constitution grants no authority) when both sides pass unconstitutional legislation all the time i.e. Bush's drug bill and don't even get me started on education, it's like the pot calling the kettle black! I swear we have truck drivers and pig farmers out here that have a better grasp of the Constitution than most Washington bureaucrats that when challenged on something they should know refer you to some pinhead law school indoctrinated staff lawyer .
Gary| 3.24.10 @ 5:24PM
Just so you know. A web search on how much the war in Iran has cost so far reveals that the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan throough FY 2010 is $1.05 trillion. That's total for the eight years.
bolum izle | 4.26.10 @ 7:46AM
We are at war: We the People-against our once-proud Republic that has turned into a Socialist Juggernaut.
bob philbin| 3.22.10 @ 4:47PM
Is it coincidental that Osama bin Laden's stated goals are to bring America to its financial knees, and that Barack Obama is doing just that?
nicace| 7.22.10 @ 8:07PM
your lies are absolutely ridiculous and don't contribute to the debate... so shut up!!
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:32AM
Just curious, how do you bankrupt a country that's already bankrupt (hopelessly so since Reagan's Great Wealth Redistribution plan) by reducing the deficit as Obama's plan does?
Never mind that Republicans fought tooth-n-nail along with Democrats for this Health Insurance industry plan all along, and that the GOP is only posturing/pretending to oppose it. What they oppose is a Democrat victory on anything, not the plan itself.
Babydoc| 3.24.10 @ 8:26PM
Enough with your marxist lies. The Obamunist has already run up a deficit in 14 months that is greater than what Bush ran for the entire 8 years of his administration. Just because the government is holding the gun when it steals from me doesn't make it any less of a crime than were it some punk mugging me in the streets. This government takeover of health care is unconstitutional, immoral in the extreme, and utterly hypocritical given that Obama and his acolytes have exempted themselves and their family members from having to participate in the scam.
If this national socialist govenrment medical law was so freaking wonderful, then how do you explain the politicians exempting themselves from it?
I grieve for the death of the Republic. It is unlikely to be restored without significant suffering by our descendents.
Brian Mc| 3.22.10 @ 7:15AM
The time for voting is past.
We are at war: We the People-against our once-proud Republic that has turned into a Socialist Juggernaut.
The time for voting is past.
Ryan| 3.22.10 @ 8:24AM
What, specifically, are you declaring to do?
Brian Mc| 3.22.10 @ 8:26AM
"Give me Liberty, or give me death".
Tom| 3.22.10 @ 9:05AM
Brian,
While I understand your sentiment I am unclear exactly what you are saying. The implication is you are going to revolt. Lets be real, no matter how angry a lot of people - maybe even a majority of people - if there is to be a solution it will be through democratic means. There is simply no way there is going to be some sort of armed resistance to the federal government and its un-Constitutional seizing of power.
bullwhacker| 3.22.10 @ 11:57AM
Democratic means? You've got to be kidding me. That was the old America. Welcome to Obama's new one.
Tom| 3.22.10 @ 12:59PM
Bullwhacker,
So when do you take up arms?
Tom
jeannie| 3.22.10 @ 4:44PM
Big talk. Read Dr. Zhivago. It can get much, much worse than it is now, if people willingly let civilization slip away.
Explosion Proof Light | 11.2.10 @ 9:37AM
Mr. bullwhacker,
In america, if the government kid you, you can let him go, just go enen he is a president. But in a lot of country specially in the less development country, the government kid you again again, then the result will be different. You are a luck man if in this kind ways.
Achilles Toejam| 3.24.10 @ 1:23PM
Tom, I appreciate your point but I think you need to reread a little history starting with the Declaration of Independence. Our founding fathers tried it your way first with King George petition after petition and pleading for justice, Brian gave you a quote you know who said it and why?
Why do you think the founders incorporated the right to bear arms in our founding documents, not to hunt squirrels but to give us a tool to safeguard our liberty from all enemies foreign and domestic and that means despotic government, the men who signed the Declaration of Independence new what would happen to them if they fell into British hands and it would be a quick death my friend, if they could see what our generation of Americans are putting up with they wouldn't believe it they would be appalled. Why do you think they have been steadily chipping away at our Second Amendment right not a Tom Harkin government handout right but a true unalienable God-given right which is the heart of the system our founders gave us. Am I advocating violence no, not at this time because I see an awakening of my countrymen taking place they are rediscovering our heritage and our history I want to give that one last try first. But if that fails... Are there men of encourage in America today? I believe there is and they understand the meaning of patriotism that being an allegiance to an idea that has been largely forgotten in our country, but it is stirring again but like before we need God's providential help.
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
Patrick Henry
"War is an ugly thing but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feelings which thinks that nothing is
worth war is much worse. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a
miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill
"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen."
Samuel Adams
obamasafraud| 3.23.10 @ 1:21PM
I agree. Time to take up arms for a second american revloution. What good does voting do? Too many moderate republicans. If you could elect all conservatives, then we would have a real country again and we could repeal this.
Achilles Toejam | 3.24.10 @ 5:44PM
Obamasafraud, I'm sorry but I must disagree Obama is not a fraud but a true blue Marxist having been indoctrinated in that political philosophy since he was a boy, that's what makes this so tragic because the truth was out there for anyone to check out on their own but the problem was the media he was their man "The One" their Messiah and they would not tell the truth and they protected him all the way so ignorant Americans fell easy prey to this America hating huckster.
The problem in selecting all conservatives is your just exchanging one tyrant for another on the other side of the political spectrum, I think we would be better served to support constitutionalists vetting them to make sure they are principled in the concept of original intent and understand the difference between having a position and having convictions, that's the trouble we had with Bush positions change but convictions are founded in something much deeper.
We may get one shot at doing this right and I hope to God we don't fall into the old trap of supporting the "electable guy" some smooth talking political chameleon like Romney and his ilk who can barely be counted on to stop the Socialist march down the field let alone kicked the ball back up the mountain and down the other side, if we allow ourselves to be taken in by this kind of politician we will blow our chance to restore our Republic.
Richard| 3.25.10 @ 10:03AM
Your comments are well formed, intellectually, but I cannot help but wonder what ever gave you the notion that viable thought is enhanced by improper sentence structure? 'Periods' exist for a purpose.
Kenny| 3.22.10 @ 7:22AM
I read you, Brian Mc.
Your sentiment has something to do with a quote from Thomas Jefferson about watering the Tree of Liberty, I assume.
Brian Mc| 3.22.10 @ 7:39AM
I'm sorry, Kenny
My heart is too wrought at this moment to respond in a reasonable manner. We have just watched the destruction of our once great nation in the blink of an eye...what comes now will never be equivalent to what has past.
Rocco| 3.22.10 @ 7:53AM
Thank Hugo Chavez Obama and his merry band of Bolivarian wanna-be liars, cheats and thieves. We are well on our way to becoming a banana republic, and according to the Bloomberg news website, well on our way to losing our AAA bond status - that means paying higher interest rates to our Chinese masters, oops, I meant, creditors (oh, well, same difference), and higher taxes to support that higher debt service.
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:34AM
Hugo Chavez was elected by a majority of the people, unlike 43. Why do you hate Democracy?
John3| 3.22.10 @ 1:16PM
Because we are still a democratic republic, according to our constitution, we should continue with those ideals and with due process according to our laws. And one thing is for sure, I now have a list of democratic congressmen and senators who need to be replaced. The list is tacked to my bulletin board beside my grocery list. These people need to be replaced!
Achilles Toejam| 3.24.10 @ 1:36PM
Yes Kenny, that was a good quote from Thomas Jefferson but Brian was quoting from Patrick Henry's impassioned speech to the Continental Congress.
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpation."
President James Madison (1751-1836) speech, Virginia Convention, 1788
Shamus| 3.22.10 @ 7:29AM
The US is functionally bankrupt today. It could not pay its bills but for loans from Communist China.
stu| 3.22.10 @ 8:05AM
Cloward & Piven, Alinsky, Susstein, etal
you can smell the filthy pall hanging over us
Barbara| 3.25.10 @ 1:27PM
The dark clouds of doom do hang over US. We can see them as we wait for the deluge that will no doubt follow. We do need to seek the high ground.
John - TMF| 3.22.10 @ 8:40AM
I was watching "The World at War" last evening, with my 17 year-old son. It was the episode about the American entry into World War II, and a fair amount of time was focused on the rationing, scrap drives, and other "social" aspects of the war effort.
Besides that was a snippet of Roosevelt's speech about having to pay more taxes, and buy more bonds....
That brought to mind another little story of the time from my Aunt, who was 8 at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. She said in explaining rationing to my elder son (he was researching a high school history paper) and how my grandmother warned her, "...whatever you do, don't lose your ration book. You can lose the money, that can be replaced, but you lose the book and we can't replace that."
I flashed back to the statement from some elderly former FDR administration official who formally copped to the real reason for US war rationing... economic control, especially of inflationary forces, as the deficit and the economy was artificially pumped up due to the war effort.
I remember a great uncle who fought in Europe from D-Day through to the May 8 German surrender, lamenting that he came back from the war to end up with a pitiful little job in a scrap yard disposing of all of the rubber tires that were collected for "no good [blasphemy inserted here] reason."
Flash back to the present... I was rummaging through a scrap box of pictures and items from the Depression and War years about my father and grandfather (Aviation Chief Radioman) and came upon 3 ration coupon books, one was my father's, and then my grandmothers along with one of my aunts...
The silly thought occurred "...will I get to use these some day when we need them again? "
I have that box somewhere.. I have the books too... because it was never about winning the war, it was always about government control of the people.
November 2010, and November 2012 await. This nation will only have a chance to save itself after noon on January 20, 2013. That, folks is a long, long, time.
Regards,
The Mighty Fahvaag
bullwhacker| 3.22.10 @ 12:04PM
Plenty of time left for their encore performance; cap & tax, immigration, etc. We just witnessed the longest Act I in history.
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:37AM
Thanks for the laugh of the day :)
USA4EVER| 3.24.10 @ 4:43PM
Laugh now, Jon B, before they tax you, fine you or penalize you for it. A bit of a stretch, but since it seems you've never opened a history book (except perhaps one written by Karl Marx), you cannot possibly understand what has just happened to this country. My ophthalmologist, originally from China, is FLABBERGASTED that we have allowed this to happen. How much more proof do you need?
Of course Obama doesn't like Glenn Beck. Obama's 'New Regime' doesn't want ANY of you to see actual video clips of what they and their comrades do when they are unknowingly being taped, and Beck is literally risking his life to get those recordings to us. He, at his own expense, has to have armed security guards around him 24/7--365 ... just for putting out there what is really going on behind the scenes. And I'm sure he is grateful to you for making this necessary.
Shame on you for making light of the despicable atrocity that you and your cohorts have just allowed to take place. By the way, have you purchased your video of "Butt-Kissing Lessons for Beginners?" You're going to need it, dude.
Robert| 3.25.10 @ 2:20AM
Has everyone forgotten about Congress' power of impeachment, once it is liberated from the control of the Marxists? Saving the country can begin in January 2011. A Congress with conservative Republicans in the majority can also investigate all the racketeers currently in the government and who influence the government currently, and expose who they are for all to see. Sunlight is a great disinfectant.
Richard| 3.25.10 @ 10:08AM
Impeachment is an empty procedure: Succeed, and you get Biden. Get him out and you get Pelosi. The devil has the bases covered.
Val| 3.22.10 @ 9:07AM
The insurance companies will become an arm of the govt. just like Fannie and Freddie. This is total control of the health care industry and all Americans lives. We all know the common sense approaches that should be but that is not what has happened. I am for defunding this thing immediately after the Nov. elections. then work on repealing it as much as possible. Then putting the common sense health care/cost fixes into law.
Shamus| 3.22.10 @ 1:56PM
Once they control health care, they will have the power to deny it to people they don't like.
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:38AM
You mean the Government MIGHT act like HMO's do right now? I suppose that's possible.
Flipside| 3.22.10 @ 9:10AM
The two Americas are not compatible. One is splintered into groups with flags of victimhood against "them", the "man". They change laws they don't like, twist the rules, buy favors, pay for play. The other America raise flags of self determination, choice, freedom and independence of gov. intervention. This bill my mark the beginning of the end. The nation may split up into cluster countries. I'd be fine with that.
Becky| 3.22.10 @ 12:24PM
I also see the idea as attractive, but the two Americas have been compatable in that the producing group complements the unproductive by supporting them. The two Americas will only remain compatable as long as the independent group voluntarily provides for the dependent group.
I'd really like to see what a constitutional convention is like before a civil war, though.
Tom| 3.22.10 @ 1:46PM
The easiest route to a constitutional convention is through 2 more states petitioning Congress for a balanced budget ammendment. Currently there are 32 states which have. It would short circuit the need to line up 34 states behind some sort of repeal of healthcare.
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:41AM
True, and excellent point.
One group cheered the over throw of the Constitution when the US SC violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to install the President of their choice, while another plays the victim when a President is Democratically elected in compliance with State, Federal and Constitutional election laws. Rather than acknowledge reality, they create illusions or conspiracies because they cannot admit their flaws.
Inge| 3.22.10 @ 9:17AM
The bribery, special job offers, and the rest of corruption regarding this bill should be reason enough after the next election in November to begin impeachment proceedings. By the way, as the Washington Examiner reportet this morning, Not only did Stupak sold out, he also received a special airport deal in the amount of about $728,000 dollars for his vote.
It would be ugly, but only then can this intentional bankrupting of America may be reversed, but also a beginning to rebuilt from fresh ideas.
David Moshinsky| 3.22.10 @ 9:45AM
William Tucker is correct, but missed one important point. Employer paid plans create our problem. Since employers include the cost as part of the cost of production, it has become a national problem. Instead of enjoying our wonderful care, with high tech equipment, world class specialists and easy access to fine prescription etc. we bemoan the cost. Part of the solution is to move the cost to the user. Tax exemptions for employee benefits should end and be given to individuals.
Another part of the solution is to require a switch to major medical, high deductible plans, forcing users to become aware of costs. A $50 bill when paid by insurance must cost much more, because of administration costs. High deductibles will save this and yet protect us from catastrophic costs.
Martin| 3.22.10 @ 6:11PM
You are exactly right. This tax break for employers is the main cause of the high cost of care and insurance, but it seems that few see the problem. Government intervention is at the root of exorbitant costs. More intervention will lead to more problems. The government will then seek to intervene further to solve them. "Health care reform" will become a permanent need.
NOBAMA| 3.22.10 @ 10:07AM
William: I think more descriptive than "health benefits" is "prepaid health service contract" It isn't just bumps in the fender that are covered, it's oil changes, wheel alignments, radiator flushes, and everything down to wax jobs. (prevention, prevention, prevention). If your service contract allowed unlimited service to your car - in new tires, brake bleeds, free air filters, shocks, rotations and flat repairs, as well as every accoutrement imaginable - seat covers, (Prevention!) sunshades, bras, car covers, bug shields and mud flaps. Roadside flares, jumper cables, free bluetooth for hands free driving, weekly wash and detailing, fuel and oil treatments, antifreeze, etc, etc, etc.... What would such a policy cost? And there you have it.
Melvin| 3.22.10 @ 10:27AM
As much as many of would love to grab our muskets and march to Washington D.C. and grab the politicians by the nape of their botoxed necks and throw them to the curb, alas we cannot unless we are prepare to suffer dire consequences.
Once this shock and awe leaves us and hopefully rational thinking can again be the order of the day, what is governments greatest thirst and lifeblood? Taxes and fees.
We somehow need to figure out a way through a National Strike or other provocative means to choke off the money juggler to Washington D.C.
This way is much more effective and like a cancer, you cut off the blood supply (taxes) the cancer (government) grows smaller and or dies.
But we have to be united in this, if not government will pick us off one by one.
Maybe someone out there that is much smarter than I who could figure out a way to throttle this unresponsive government.
Tom| 3.22.10 @ 1:02PM
Melvin,
Kudos for thinking outside the box. The problem is Washington does not care if they have money, they spend anyway.
Tom
Melvin| 3.22.10 @ 2:16PM
Our government may not care, but I bet a nice shiny Yuan, the Chinese do.
Tom| 3.22.10 @ 2:54PM
So, they will just print money. In the end they will spend until it becomes a detriment to re-elections.
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:42AM
...because Democratically enacted laws, by people who were democratically elected, are just "Wrong."
Robert| 3.25.10 @ 2:34AM
If the Texas state legislature were to pass a resolution declaring that the federal government's unconstitutional take-over of the medical system violates its residents' liberty, and constitutes a violation of the compact by which it joined the union, and unless the federal government cures the breach, Texans are absolved of all further allegiance to and obedience to the federal government, then the federal government would have to decide between repealing the bill or risk losing 1/7 of the national economy, and therefore of its tax base. And if California were to do the same (though fat chance with Democrats in charge), that would be over another $1 trillion of a $14 trillion economy gone, beyond the $2 trillion in Texas.
maire| 3.22.10 @ 10:53AM
Yes, yes. It is EXACTLY the plan. Cut this arrogant nation down to size.
Finally, AmSpec gets it. It is, in fact, THE feature, not a bug.
This is what happens next:
I have heard there are something like 38 state attorneys general planning to challenge this on Constitutional grounds. If those fail, those 38 states make a majority who could call a ConCon and add an amendment "clarifying" the enumerated powers. Those 38 states could "change" the Constitution "back" to what it was intended to do.
If that fails, states will try to secede. That's when it will get ugly.
bob| 3.22.10 @ 11:01AM
I, for one, would like to see the challenge suceed... I would even consider moving to one of the states calling for a ConCon .. this "healthcare package" effectively puts a lot of your small business, what America was originally built on, out of business. They can't pay for what the health bill calls for them to do...
Bigtex| 3.22.10 @ 10:59AM
Now is not the time to beat chests and run around willy nilly. This will take cool head and lots of careful planning and executing. I am one of those optimistic people who see every "tragedy" as an opportunity. The Dems have just given all Conservatives the inspiration and means to take back our country and restore it to it's former greatness, but not through whining and crying.
As I watched CSPAN yesterday afternoon, I observed a phenomenon know to the pols as a "conga line". The 'Pubs lined up and one by one asked for "unanimous consent to revise and extend their remarks", basically asking for time to insert into the Congressional Record a speach that they would have liked to make before voting, but didn't. Our legislative process is broken. Even the good guys must go. We need to start with a clean slate and send a whole new bunch at a time. Too many good men and women go to Washington with the noble ambition of "changing Washington" and "making a difference", but all too soon get swept up into the current of the cesspool that is out legislative process.
This effort to restore our nation is going to take much effort and commitment on the part of all concerned Americans, but it can be done. What we must guard against is coming off like a bunch of wild-eyed crazies that can't/won't be taken seriously by the majority.
nemosum| 3.22.10 @ 11:25AM
"Preventive care increases overall costs in the system"
Citation needed...
Sure the short term costs maybe more, but wouldn't it be cheaper to catch disease early?
Tom| 3.22.10 @ 1:27PM
Nemosum,
It is too much trouble to find a citation right now, I might look when I get home. But basically whether preventitive medecine saves money or not is dependent on several variables. How much does that care cost, how many people does it detect early, what is the cost savings of those early detections. There are lots of studies available on preventitive medecine and in most cases they do not save money. It is not hard to find them.
Another thing to realize is extended life expectancies increase healthcare costs. For health care alone, although not necessary larger society, it is better if we all drop dead of massive heart attacks at a relatively healthy 45.
Melvin| 3.22.10 @ 11:33AM
A Constitutional Convection...? That is playing with fire people.
It could backfire big time with consequences of biblical proportions.
Correct me if I am wrong but a ConCon once convened is opened up to anything?
bullwhacker| 3.22.10 @ 12:09PM
Whether or not a constitutional convention is a good thing depends on which party is in the majority. After 2010, I'm all for it.
bullwhacker| 3.22.10 @ 12:20PM
Promising everyone a new house caused the current crisis. Promising everyone health insurance will cause the next one. Heard Corker today lament the fact Repubs were not allowed to have their fingerprints on this monstrosity. He vowed to tweak the legislation in a bipartisan manner. How do you tweak over 2000 pages? He has no clue what just happened. Its outright repeal or get out of the way-Corker!
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maire| 3.22.10 @ 2:29PM
I thought that way until about 15 minutes ago, when I read Stacy Cline's article stating that there was no way any court would hold any of this "thing" unconstitutional.
Emotionally, I am starting to accept that we have no constitution. We have a "mob rule" in DC that will continue to buy votes, and have no legal way to assert our liberties against it.
That is called "rule of men and not of law" - aka "Banana Republic."
We need to smush the federal government back down into its constitutionally mandated box. But how, if the courts cannot or will not recognize that the supreme law of the land is being violated?
Just electing Republicans - even "conservative" ones, will not accomplish that. We will still be at the mercy of the whims of the majority - the very thing our founders took such pains to prevent!
Secession? I don't really know. I too fear a ConCon but to be truthful, I think we lost any protection against the tyranny a long time ago.
We do not have a constitution anymore, if this "thing" stands.
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Oldefarte| 3.22.10 @ 4:35PM
In addition to the Democrats' stimulus, this welfare-care will bankrupt the country. Companies providing medical insurance have not mandated increases in coverages----this was accompolish by government mandates to insurance companies. Unless the taxpayer-voters are seriously upset enough to vote for true """""CHANGE"""" in November, benkruptcy will become a certainty for America in the not too distant future!!!!!!
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notodems| 3.22.10 @ 8:32PM
I agree with all of you. Health care reform is no good. If you can't afford heath care now, too bad. It's not our problem for people that do have health care. We republicans need to stand up and fight this.
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Integrity| 3.22.10 @ 10:25PM
Country Men not let yourself be boiled in anger, stay focused and aware for those who do not. Teach who knows not the truth,and never let them bring you down to their unjust self serving ways or you will be like them. Integerty is something they wish they all could have but the wicked know in their heart that is what they have givien up to self serve them self. Don't stop become stronger by teaching, don't do what they think you will do only do what is just and right. They will be brought down with the one thing they all wish they still had INTEGRITY!
gene Hauber| 3.22.10 @ 11:27PM
It is the intent of this commie regime in power to bankrupt us. can't you tell?? It's the quickest way to "demonstrate" that capitalism doesn't work and now we will be dependent on the gov for everything that we will need ..Thanks a lot all of you gutless cowards in congress.
who do you represent??
since it is not your constituents
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Yo - still want to know where that Mao Zedong White House Christmas tree ornament is at?
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norris hall| 3.23.10 @ 6:18AM
My wife and I are optimistic about health care reform.
We are in our 60’s. My wife has a pacemaker so we have been unable to shop for insurance because every insurance company we called said they wouldn’t even take our application due to her pacemaker.
For 20 years we have been stuck with our current company, unable to even entertain the idea of finding a better or less expensive option.
Right now we are paying $837 per month for health insurance. For that we have a plan that has a YEARLY $11,000 deductible.
We see the doctor as little as we can because each visit is an out of pocket expense for us.
A few years back we discovered wonderful medical care in Thailand at a fraction of the cost
Thailand isn’t the only country to open their doors to American patient who have no or poor health insurance plans.
India also has geared up for medical tourism.
Fortunately for us Thailand really saved us from costly medical care in the US.
The only downside is we can only make the trip to Bangkok once a year.
2Anglico| 3.23.10 @ 11:12AM
A trip to Thailand costs how much? What happened to the complaints about shipping American (doctor) jobs overseas? Is a Thai doctor worth as much as an American doctor? BTW $837 per month premium for two people in their 60's is PERFECTLY reasonable.
David Kozak| 3.23.10 @ 2:44PM
As portrayed by the victory of the democrats, and the passage of this landmark legislation, it is patently obvious that the divulgence of knowledge and common sense did not suffice to prevent the mass economical carnage and forthcoming mourning that the people of this once great nation will inevitably bear. This healthcare bill will undoubtedly bestow many with promising hopefulness in alleviating their medical burdens, remove the yoke of arduous healthcare insurance protocols, and set many Americans free from the demoralizing hardship that medical care imparts on those that truly need it. For once, those saddled with illness can treat their conditions without enduring radical financial detriments, and receive medical attention in a fashion that will preserve their health concurrent to their financial state. The healthcare reform, as it is seen on this faithful day, brings forth hopeful expectation and a seeming remedy to our nation’s once contemptible healthcare system. Or is it so?
The healthcare reform budget calls for the imposition of many economically detrimental sanctions, among them extreme tax increases and undue government enforcement ensuring complete compliance of all of the healthcare reform’s taxes, fees, and excessive mandatory employment tax obligations, of which our economy cannot suffice to bear. Our anguished economy cannot afford the costs associated with the healthcare reform; however, the Democratic Party believes so. Will this healthcare reform suffice to the Democratic Party’s expectations? The numbers, figures, and facts speak otherwise. Nevertheless, there will always be people in positive expectation of this healthcare reform, ready to defend it, in the wake of its promising and truly appealing “benefits.” Woe to them that act out of pure bliss instead of using sound logic as the basis for their beliefs. Irrespective of how the Democratic Party positively portrays the healthcare reform, it will inevitably fail on the sole basis of natural process and order. If it cannot work, it cannot work.
What has been sowed in the unfertile land of illogical and prohibitive notions will be reaped accordingly when natural law fails not in proving the healthcare reform’s true disfunctionality. I expect genuine and harsh condolence to this excerpt, from the many who place their trust in the unquantifiable and irrational provisions of the healthcare reform, but beliefs are difficult to transform even in the wake of the truth as portrayed herein. There is nothing that can be done to change the mentality of those that believe in the fantasy of the healthcare reform for the sake of it, and likewise prevent the certain forthcoming economical ravages of its devastation. Doomed as we are, our only true expectation lies in heeding the knowledge we will gain from this failure, and assure that such mistaken legislative decisions are never again repeated.
Micheletb| 3.23.10 @ 6:55PM
The author of this article is terribly uninformed.
He states that the first bullet point will "encourage people to wait until they're sick before buying insurance" That statement has nothing to do with first bullet point. The issue is when a person gets sick and then no longer can work so they are dropped from the insurance coverage. Basically insurance companis say FCK this person, they aren't working and are expensive to us so lets drop them. It has NOTHING to do with people waiting to get insurance once they are sick. That problem is taken care of by requiring everyone to have some type of insurance by 2014 so NO ONE will be waiting till they are sick to get insurance.
What is wrong with goign to the doctors for preventative care? The author of article says "you no longer have to be sick to go to docter, you can just go for "preventative" reasons......
What is wrong with that? The author is completly worthless after that statement. If one understood that preventative "checkups" such as men for prostate cancer and women for breast cancer, if you can prevent these things with early detection you are saving hundrends and millions of dollars in care down the road. Same goes with childhood obesity and heart dieses. Yes you are not "sick" but by being able to go to DR and prevent dieses your actually costing them less money then if you only went when your sick. Completely uninformed and uneducated author of article.
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FoxJohnSix| 3.23.10 @ 10:42PM
Can anyone give me some advice? I hate Obamacare. I am a conservative.
I am self-employed, diagnosed with diabetes - but under control. I take a statin drug and synthroid. I am in good health. I was under my wife's plan, but she got cut back, and they took her benefits away. So I went looking for insurance, with a "pre-existing condition" and have been turned down by 4 major companies. My wife bought insurance for her and my son 9 months ago. Last week the insurance companies jakcer her rates up 30%. I am still uninsured. I hate Obamacare and I am a conservative. But what do I do???
Christopher Scott| 3.24.10 @ 11:39AM
The Democrats know that the Obamacare bill is a budget buster. That is why President Obama convened the deficit bi-partisan commission that includes former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson from Wyoming. Sometime after November of 2010, this presidentially appointed commission will recommend that the federal government enact a Value-Added Tax (akin to a sales tax) to allegedly help close the annual federal deficit. This commission will also recommend reducing federal spending and there will be a token effort to reduce spending that will be quickly forgotten. President Obama and his media allies will then claim that enacting a Value-Added Tax is the bi-partisan patriotic thing for Congress to do.
I predict that Senators McCain, Graham, Snowe, and a few other Republicans will flirt with voting for such a new tax. The alternative will be to allow the federal government to drift into insolvency. It will take extreme intestinal fortitude on the part of the GOP to allow the federal government to ruin its credit-worthiness, and I doubt that the entire GOP caucus is up to the task.
History is an important teacher regarding this problem. We were in a deep recession at the beginning of 1932 that was greatly depressing federal tax receipts which lead to large annual federal deficits. A bi-partisan majority in Congress and President Hoover enacted major tax increases in 1932 in an attempt to close the federal government's budget deficit. This caused the bottom to fall out of the economy and it shrank by 15% that year which caused tax receipts to decline further. This tax increase was disastrous for the country and was politically ruinous for the GOP. (The GOP has never really recovered from the debacle of 1932.) In 1933, President Roosevelt and the Democrat majority in Congress de-valued our currency and partially defaulted on our national debt.
My point is that significantly raising federal taxes will so retard our economy that we will accelerate our descent into default. President Obama will urge the GOP to drink this poison with him in less than one year from now. The GOP must stand strong and unanimously resist all calls to raise federal taxes. Otherwise, we have a better chance to re-live the 1930's than at any other time since World War II.
Floyd Krautner| 3.24.10 @ 11:41AM
Whether US Health Care can be reformed is a political matter, which means that most of the arguments against a better health care system are lies.
Many other countries have superior health care results in every category. The United States is NOT #1 in health care outcomes. Life expectancy in the US is 38th behind Cuba, Macau, Ireland and South Korea to name a few. Almost every country in Europe outdoes the US when it comes to health care. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L.....expectancy )
The notion that the status quo in the US is vastly superior to what others offer and needs no changes is a BIG LIE.
Jon B| 3.24.10 @ 11:45AM
True, Floyd.
Bilbo| 3.24.10 @ 3:55PM
Floyd, we have 300,000,000 people to care for. Cuba is a dictatorship with small populace comparitively. You can't make the case that we have poor health care and health delivery systems when you look at smaller countries to compare to. Be smart, stop putting down this country's health system with stupid stats that are meaningless to the argument that the government needs to take over healthcare concerns. The DOD is the largest government agency and the VA is the second largest. The VA's mission is to care for the health needs of military veterans comprising less than 25% of the population and it has a tough time keeping up with that (some would say it is failing). Can you imagine how big an administration is going to be that looks after everyones healthcare needs. It's stagering. It's not possible under the new Obamacare Plan - plan and simple IT WILL FAIL!
Floyd Krautner| 4.18.10 @ 12:14AM
According to what I've been told there are economies in big numbers. Therefore what works in a small country should work even better with more people and certainly cheaper per unit.
Predatory insurance companies have to be restrained because unfettered they can cause immense economic damage. Moreover a lot of policy holders will never get topflight care because Anthem et al will cut you off when the bills begin to mount.
Most people say that the VA health care is A-ONE.
If Obama gets a PUBLIC OPTION passed then he will have succeeded.
Pammy| 3.24.10 @ 11:55AM
Hey -Why didn't you resolve this mess 8 years ago when you had the clever Republicans in power.
You an incompetent leader who left you all to run riot and now you have one who is at least engaging you all to talk at his and his Party's detriment.
Check the bottom line - you are broke- Period. Look for creative solutions rather than irrational argument at the expense of those having a hard time with their health policy etc. If you are earning over $250,000 with a fabulous lifestle talk - anything less be creative. I earn less and I am doing all I can to stay healthy - Be Creative and not be fooled whoever is in power will still be in the same mess.
ENUF!!!!
MattZ| 3.24.10 @ 12:03PM
Semi-relevant comparisons aside, I think a major plank of the legislation that just passed aimed at making sure those among us with a smashed "side view mirror" don't go bankrupt because of it.
And no, I don't think Ginger kids should be charged higher insurance rates because they happen to be bad drivers.
MZ
rosegrower| 3.24.10 @ 12:35PM
"Health care reform" has nothing to do with health care, but ultimately with control. The next target will be the food supply - mark my words. I was one of those uninsured for many years, but I still had health care. I did the unthinkable - I called for pricing on office calls, x-rays, etc. before I went to see a doctor, bargained for the "insurance price" on services and paid cash. Sure, it would have been nice to be able to whip out an insurance card and not see how much I was actually paying because my premiums were extracted from my paycheck, but I suspect that during that time period, I actually spent less on health care than I do now that I have insurance. And with Obamacare, my ever-increasing taxes will be covering everyone who has an unhealthy lifestyle (statistically, the working poor are the ones most likely to smoke, drink heavily, eat poorly and be overweight). Thanks, President Obama, for decimating my middle-class existence.
RussS| 3.24.10 @ 1:30PM
Healthcare will not bankrupt us. But make no mistake, all roads from here lead to single payer and a VAT. Any holes a the Supreme Court may poke in Obamacare will only accelerate this process.
Costs will go up, a public option will be introduced which will eventually become a defacto single payer system, and a VAT will save America from bankruptcy.
Which in my view isn't so bad. The conservative way was untenable. There are simply too many middle class voters who suffer in real ways under conservative policies. They don't feel the freedom and opportunity. All they know is they can't take their kid to the doctor. And they vote.
We will have 'healthcare rationing' just like we already do from insurance companies, only the rationing will be more reasonably distributed. Rich people will continue to get whatever they want, just like they do in Europe. Government will be 35% of GDP.
Anf you know what? America will still be America. Our spirit and unique culture will not die. We will still be us, just like we were still us after social security, medicare, and medicaid started.
I understand fully the freightening scenario that conservative ideology paints if we go down this road. But this scary picture is false. The only thing that will change about America is that the middle class will have health security.
Larry| 3.24.10 @ 1:49PM
Some of this talk about "the time for voting is past" is quite premature and disturbing. Consider the following about the history of modern, unstable states: many of those unstable states are prone to military coups to achieve transitions of government. No revolution or forced transition of power in modern times has succeeded without the backing of the military. Why? They have the weapons. Modern, massively deadly weapons.
We have, on the other hand, a tradition of a nonpolitical military, and have had that since our founding. And it has been an important reason why our country has been as successful as it has (relatively speaking) in having peaceful transitions of government.
Yet, if any purported "revolution" in this country were to succeed in overthrowing a leftist attempt to take the country to an extreme socialist welfare state, modern history still suggests that such a revolution MUST have the backing of the military. Otherwise, especially in this country with the weapons the U.S. military has, such a revolution would be crushed pretty quickly, notwithstanding those who may take to the hills and continue engage in preemptive guerrilla actions. We had a civil war, but this particular revolution, no matter how it happened, with or without military support, would be an incredibly bad precedent and would be as destructive as it can get to the psyche of this body politic.
Annie Ladysmith| 3.24.10 @ 1:57PM
Bankruptcy is indeed the name of the game. They are takening down the middle class at breakneck speed. Obama was hired as the CEO of the nation to bankrupt us. There is no doubt that that is his job and thereby the goal of the Rockerfeller/industrial complex. Demoralize them, starve them, take their homes and guns, enslave them, and then harvest them for the hormones, stem cells (think of the future for you children), and of course organs. The MF's at the top of their crap pyramid have the technology to live up to 300 years, BUT, they need live people to supply parts and substances. Is this what you want to leave on the necks of your children?
This "health care" absurdity was a smoke screen, buying more time while they finish setting up their infrastructure, like getting the FEMA camps staffed. They've been recruiting from pig farms where workers are used to the grusome slaughter of animals. If you still think your government is looking out for your best interest please tell me where i can get some of those pills you are taking, or is it simply the sodium fluride?
frankazzurro| 3.24.10 @ 2:03PM
They tried that "no cap on treatment" crap in Massachusetts. Large corporations decided that it would behoove them to 'self-insure'. Since they're not insurance companies but use insurance companies as 'administrators' of their self-run plans, the corporations can impose whatever cap they want on any type of coverage. There's always a way around these silly federal rules.
George F| 3.24.10 @ 3:55PM
I am of the opinion that Dems are purposely trying to bankrupt the country. It's called conquering the nation without firing a single shot.
It is obvious that they know what they are doing because they tell so many lies to cover up and, unfortunately, many people are naive enough to actually believe them.
Fed Up| 3.24.10 @ 7:38PM
So then, make them fire the first shot.
“We are governed by consent, not decree.” So here is the deal. Petition your Governor to pass a law - that recognizing the Unconstitutional law in their State is against the law.
Virginia just did something close to it, and still might do more. We here in Florida, are working on it right now.
Just don't comply. Make them come with their agents to arrest him and the Legislature. You cannot stand against this alone, but the State can. You see the State has something at their disposal to resist with... it is called the National Guard. The reason are States have these militaries is for what comes next.
If our States simply resist and say no; that they will not recognize this law, then it all comes unglued. Sure they will say you must, but that is the bitch in laws; they have to be complied with or they must be enforced.
Make them draw their guns. When the enforcement agents show up at the State lines, arrest their agents with our National Guards.
The Governor who does this first is the next President of the United States. Read that again and note, United States - States - get it.
We do not have a National government that dictates to us. So now the question is do you have enough energy to go and make your Governors and State Legislators blow this up?
Sure the next elections can defund it, and sure that will set up the 1212 race to repeal it and those are all doable. Remembers Prohibition – it was repealed and it was ten long years of fascist tyranny. So don’t lose heart.
Don't think for a minute this is over. But really, if you want to stop the march of Progressivism/ Socialism for good in the US, then what better way is there then to reveal to the Nation just how despotic this "leaders" are. Make them pull out their guns!
Repeal 16,500!
(For those still catching up - 16,500 is the number of IRS agents they need to enforce their new "popular" law) Why Mr. President, do you need all that enforcement if the people are so willing? Your real intentions have become all to clear.
Resist this! Call your Governor, call your State Legislator and tell them you will vote them out if they do not resist.
The State's Rights Collation - coming soon - a plan at the website FixUSgov.com (and no it is not up quite yet – we know – we are working on it)
Americans are not a ruled people – we are governed by consent – so don’t give our consent.
J| 3.24.10 @ 6:18PM
When I read stupid and heartless articles like Tucker's it makes me feel much better about being a liberal Democrat.
Where to begin? Um, how about, like, if your car breaks down you can get a rental, or take a bus, or hitch a ride. If your body breaks down, there are no substitutes, nor can you "do without" your own body. Not unless you're Shirley McClaine.
Same deal if the damage to the car exceeds its value: you scrap it and you get a substitute or you do without. So how much is your body/your life worth? How much is your child's life worth? Quick, give me an answer. You can't! Is a 60-year-old's life worth less than a baby's? "Yes," you say? Well, how much less? Not sure? If gov't allowed them to, I'm sure the insurance companies would be happy to give you their best estimate. --> All of this goes to show why health care really can't be a completely free-market, unregulated business. Life is truly priceless. I don't mean each life has infinite value; I mean that markets cannot and should not try to put a dollar value on anybody's life.
Also your entire family doesn't lose sleep, go into grief and suffer when your car is damaged, (not unless they're really shallow), because that car is just a thing, and it has a finite value.
Tucker also complains that health insurance covers everything, even "minor" conditions. Well, minor problems with bodies, just like with machines, can develop into major problems, which are much more expensive to fix. However, most people don't buy a car unless they're pretty sure they can pay for the minor maintenance. Then they buy insurance for the major stuff. And if the insurance won't cover major stuff, they scrap the car and all they've lost is the finite value of the car after amortization. (See the 2nd paragraph again.) But nobody asks to be born. Nobody does a cost estimate before coming out of the womb and says, "Jeez, with all these expenses, I just can't afford to live! [Croak!]" Some desperate mothers make this judgment on their unborn children's behalf and get abortions, but we call these forward-thinking, rational cost-calculators "murderers." One could argue that only you can put a value on your life; however, the law and most Republicans would say otherwise if you are terminally ill or just tired of life and want to end it all: suicide is illegal.
Yeah, right, it's those darn corporations and unions and IRS to blame for rising health costs, because they all wanted to give a tax-free benefit to workers. Mm-hm. And now that companies are reducing or cutting health coverage, I guess that means they're compensating employees more in other ways, right? Wrong. Employers have reduced their employees' real wages along with health coverage.
"Preventive care increases overall cost to the system." That's an exagerration. At best, it's an unproven assertion. What we can be certain of is that preventive care produces better health outcomes. Don't forget the human element! We're spending all this money to help people feel better and live longer, remember?
Health savings accounts will do nothing to control or cut costs.
"Catastrophic insurance." Wow, that just has a great ring to it. I feel sorry for the health industry marketing guy who has to re-phrase that into something peppy. Anyway, this seems to make a little sense, except, again when you realize that unlike a car, your life has no price; your treatment, however, does have a price. And if your condition is "catastrophic" enough, no insurance plan is going to cover that price, not unless it passes on those costs to others in the insurance pool. --> Which leads us to the inevitable economic conclusion that we should include as many people in the risk pool as possible, to spread the rare catastrophic costs over the largest possible base of healthy people. --> Which is exactly what the Democrats are trying to do with this bill.
Finally, about all this federal bankruptcy and "waste" talk... First, I wish these deficit hawks would be just as outraged at America's outrageous number of personal medical bankruptcies -- even for those with health insurance! -- bankruptcies which hardly exist in other developed countries. Second, you know, the bill might cost a little more than the CBO estimated, who knows? We'll find out. But you can't seriously argue that ensuring people's health is a "waste," not unless you're the most selfish, Ayn-Randish SOB who ever lived. Besides, Republicans like to talk about "dynamic scoring" of tax cuts, which they can never manage to prove -- but what about the dynamic economic effects of healthy people who are more productive, are free to change jobs, or risk starting a new business because they're not terrified of losing their health insurance for themselves and their dependents? Forget employment-at-will, which is just euphemism for, "I can fire you for no reason," let's really unleash the free movement of productive labor!
asil| 3.24.10 @ 6:25PM
I hope government health care fails!!!! I agree with you Ret. Marine, God bless you! Primary is may11 in my state. I am afraid this country will look Venezula if we don't do something soon!! I could move to the state of Virginia in 2014!!!
nicace| 7.22.10 @ 8:11PM
Obviously YOUR NOT A PATRIOt just like rush limbaugh.... who says he also wants obama to FAIL... well... that also means you want our country to fail.... plain and simple...
Slowtrot| 3.24.10 @ 7:30PM
Does anyone wonder why hussein is keeping the boys busy in Afghanistan and Iraq?
After campaigning against the war so virulently all of a sudden he's a war mongerer.
He's probably wondering where he can send the rest of the troops while he takes over the country and turns it into a King-sized cuba!
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Forget employment-at-will, which is just euphemism for, "I can fire you for no reason
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nicace| 7.22.10 @ 8:17PM
My fellow Americans...
please stop calling Obama a marxist...
you obviously heard this from glenn beck and have not a CLUE what marxist means.... Marxism was soviet RUssia and what the Obama administration is doing today is FAR FROM marxist.... if you think minimally regulating a bank or getting everyone in the U.S. covered is Marxist, your obviously stupid... even though you share a different opinion than Obama his policies are far from marxist
PSL07| 11.8.10 @ 1:46PM
The writer of this article, William Tucker, needs to do a follow-up. It's Nov '10, the HCR Bill's 8 months old &, as of 9/23/10, the points talked about in this article as being the main reasons HCR wouldn't work are in full force in every health insurance policy that exists today (#1 Insurer's can't drop you b/c of sickness or place lifetime limits on care, #2 Preventative Care @ 100% Coverage, & #3 children can stay on parent's policy till age 26). I'd like to hear from Mr. Tucker as to what the results have been to real Americans. Have any of them lost their coverage? Have any health insurers stopped writing policies as you claimed they would? Have any health insurers gone bankrupt as you claimed would happen? Have the American people had their taxes raised to pay for HCR provisions? Have their policy premiums been increased as a direct result of these provisions being in force? Have they had any monetary impact to the lives of everyday-Americans, positive or negative, as a result of HCR? Or, on the other side of the equation, did the ideas & opinions Mr. Tucker wrote about not come true? Free speech protects Mr. Tucker's (& everyone who debated this article online's) right to say what they wanted to say roughly 8 months ago when this article was first published, but professionalism and just simply getting-the-story-right dictate that Mr. Tucker do a follow-up article to either verify or disprove what he alleged would happen & “Why Healthcare Reform Won’t Work”. I think many of the Naysayers that posted to this article in support of repealing HCR will find that the reality today is not even close to as bad as Mr. Tucker predicted it would be just 8 months ago. As my parents, and I’m sure many of yours used to say “Only time will tell”. Mr. Tucker: You made predictions of what would happen as a result of these 3 specific HCR provisions. So what’s the result? Were they true or false? I await your updated article.
jim| 11.9.10 @ 12:04AM
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James White| 1.18.11 @ 5:31AM
Now that Obama and his Andy Stern(SEIU) type Czars from Chicago are in Charge it has crystalized before the Nation and some seemed shocked at what they are seeing.
I understand fully the scenario of government health care reform. But this scary picture is false. The only thing that will change about America is that the middle class will have health security.
There is "Politics as Usual" with corruptive influences with a small c and then there is what we are seeing now Union Type Corruption....Corruption with a big C.
iPad to iTunes Transfer | 11.21.10 @ 12:19AM
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Oil Press | 1.3.11 @ 10:08PM
Tucker as to what the results have been to real Americans. Have any of them lost their coverage? Have any health insurers stopped writing policies as you claimed they would? When I read stupid and heartless articles like Tucker's it makes me feel much better about being a liberal Democrat
Zorgverzekering overstappen | 11.19.11 @ 6:50AM
Comparing health insurance with your car insurance... very typical. Over 20% of all Americans don't have any health insurance. Did it ever cross your mind you're already aying for them?
vergelijken van leningen | 1.16.12 @ 12:15PM
Now that Obama and his Andy Stern(SEIU) type Czars from Chicago are in Charge it has crystalized before the Nation and some seemed shocked at what they are seeing.
sineperde | 1.7.13 @ 9:52AM
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