Comments on: More And More, Democrats Fearing Health Care Mandate Without Public Option

By: selise

selise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:20:49 +0000

obama campaigned against individual mandates. regardless if there is a po, there should be no individual mandates.

By: LKN2

LKN2 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:52:08 +0000

Ok, now that we’re all going to be required to pay much more out-of-pocket, it’s even more clear that this isn’t health care reform, it’s insurance reform (more industry bail-out than anything else). In many cases, health insurance will never actually provide any health CARE. The only possible justification for requiring any type of insurance is liability – in the case of health insurance the “liability” would be to protect the State from having to cover a person’s care. So why isn’t a self-insurance option included? If I have to pay such a large portion of my medical expenses anyway, I should have the option of saving all those premiums in an account to pay for catastropic expenses. Even mandatory auto insurance has a self-insured bond option. A person should only need to write “self-insured” on his income tax return to avoid any fine.

By: GDC707

GDC707 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:17:11 +0000

Exactly, exactly, exactly. Gazillions more in the health cartel’s war coffers which they will use to undercut the PO in every way. If Congerss coupled a VERY strong PO with a repeal of the anti-trust exemption enjoyed by the the cartel I might start celebrating. Short of that we are simply hoisting Champagne glasses to smoke and mirrors.

By: marcos

marcos — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:09:23 +0000

It ain’t over until its over, and this is starting to look like deja vu all over again.

By: GDC707

GDC707 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:08:44 +0000

“Even though it looks leader-like and makes for a good photo op, being in the front of the troops and acting brave isn’t real smart. The guy in the front prancing back and forth usually gets shot first.”

Thank God FDR didn’t follow this fallacious battle analogy.

If something falls in place on this health care farce it will be in spite of Obams, not because of him. And I remember saying on election night that the best thing O has going for him is not his brains (unimpressive) or his guts (non-existent) but his luck. No doubt about that, Obama is LUCKY. Just look at the timing of his career in politics.

By: GDC707

GDC707 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:56:03 +0000

Gam, a few days ago I savaged you in a post for a rather pedantic style, but today your substance is spot-on. Many, many times in this battle Obama has attempted to ditch the PO, and would have gladly if it allowed him to smile and declare victory. Only a massive, straining effort has kept him from throwing us all under the insurance company bus. And may all you Kool-aid guzzlers out there please remember that it was Obama who sold us ALL out way back in February when he summarily executed single -payer by “taking it off the table.” Then he cut a whopping good deal for Giant Pharma that will result in the continued skyrocketing cost of medicines due to NO gov’t ability to negotiate for lower prices and NO ability to import medications from cheaper priced countries. (I know this one well, for an expensive drug I occasionally need has risen 50.7% in just over 2 years.) This “Obama is a Jedi-Knight” fantasy that wants desperately to believe that this obvious Goldman-Sachs corporatist is really on our side is a laughable delusion – a holdover from the giddiness of election night. And remember, there is no guarantee that this “imminent” PO is going to be anything but reform in name only. Good Night and Good Luck.

By: clamberite

clamberite — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:42:59 +0000

There is every reason to believe that the complaining from the left is having an effect. It is possible that the administration is not as clever as I might think, and instead of leading needs to be lead. Our complaining and keeping the dialogue alive may be the breeze that is pushing the health care boat in the right direction. It certainly cannot hurt.

By: clamberite

clamberite — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:38:55 +0000

How come no one is arguing this simple fact-”If the free market worked for all Americans then we would all have affordable health care.” It doesn’t work, and there is no reason to think it will ever work. Therefore we need to do something different. Like competition with the Public Option. Better of course would be single payer, but that is almost too much to wish for with all the campaign cash thrown to the Senate.

Another truism-”If the insurance companies were willing to make some changes they would have already done so. Especially in the face of pending legislation.”
I think we should have some really draconian legislation proposed that would kick their asses into high gear to do something for the sake of the people of the country that allows them to make so much money in the first place. Or put them out of business, that would be alright with me.

By: OldFatGuy

OldFatGuy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:38:15 +0000

But keep on complaining, it keeps the Rethugs thinking they’re on to something and they will burn out quicker.

I will, thank you very much. While I’m the first to admit glee at seeing movement in the right direction for a change, the fact remains a health care reform bill with even Hacker’s original PO in it IS A COMPROMISE. The health insurance industry will still make billions in unecessary profit, create billions in unnecessary inefficiencies and red tape, and continue to “murder by spreadsheet.”

Damned right I’m gonna keep complaining.

By: clamberite

clamberite — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:33:25 +0000

Even though it looks leader-like and makes for a good photo op, being in the front of the troops and acting brave isn’t real smart. The guy in the front prancing back and forth usually gets shot first.

Imagine if the President had taken the lead on this. Not only would he have to take the heat for it he would also have to carry the burden of all the Obama hatred and the end timers of the Rethugs. All at the same time. If he isn’t that smart like you think then I think he is really lucky. It is working. But keep on complaining, it keeps the Rethugs thinking they’re on to something and they will burn out quicker.