Btw, I’m raiding this fucking website. And telling all my friends to do the same.
Edit - here’s my “healthcare” story:
“Grandma is dead on the floor right now and I don’t have any false teeth so I’m wearing hers now. Do you think that’s okay? I hope so. The baby’s having trouble eating the wood chips I cooked up for breakfast, so I’ll prolly have to let her borrow my teeth. I hope Obama fixes this world and fast.”[/quote]
That is pretty bizarre. I really can’t remember other presidents doing something like that. Essentially rabble-rousing (community organizing??) from IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Just wierd really.
Btw, I’m raiding this fucking website. And telling all my friends to do the same.
Edit - here’s my “healthcare” story:
“Grandma is dead on the floor right now and I don’t have any false teeth so I’m wearing hers now. Do you think that’s okay? I hope so. The baby’s having trouble eating the wood chips I cooked up for breakfast, so I’ll prolly have to let her borrow my teeth. I hope Obama fixes this world and fast.”[/quote]
That is pretty bizarre. I really can’t remember other presidents doing something like that. Essentially rabble-rousing (community organizing??) from IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Just wierd really.[/quote]
I just told them we don’t want their stupid health care reform.
EVERYONE is playing political games…and in the end, America loses.
Let’s say the GOP regains a majority; Pelosi and her “gang” are all ousted…and it is Dawn in America again.
Then what? What “incentive” would a DEM minority have to THEN work with a GOP majority to get anything done after the VERY partisan “just say No” previous 4-8 years?
None.
[/quote]
If the GOP gains majority, you are absolutely right. On the other hand if the Dems use reconciliation, what incentive would the GOP have to continue a move towards bi-partisanship?
After Bush 2 and this mess Obama is trying to slam down our throats, I think(hope may be a better word) the GOP has realized that most people in this country are small government conservatives. If they stick to their guns, run on this platform and keep their word when they get in office, the GOP could control the senate and office of the president for the next few terms.
[/quote]
Another question. Health Care cost are simply smothering individuals and small buisness. That’s not a debate. Who and or what is exactly supposed to help reign in those cost? (And if your answer is “The Free Market”…please be more specific).
Mufasa
[/quote]
The federal government needs to stay out of insurance, health care, and any facet of our lives they want to control for “our benefit”. Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are all colossal failures. I’m scared to death of what they would do to the health care system. They need to been more concerned with upholding the constitution and the ideals this country was founded on. All of these issues were around 234 years ago, but the founders got it right.
Please be more specific on what you mean by ‘health care cost’. Are you talking about health insurance or the actual cost of the health care that an individual and/or insurance company pay? They are two entirely separate issues that seem to be tossed around like they are the same.
Another question. Health Care cost are simply smothering individuals and small buisness. That’s not a debate. Who and or what is exactly supposed to help reign in those cost? (And if your answer is “The Free Market”…please be more specific).
Mufasa
[/quote]
Muf,
Here’s my 2 cents: It is very clear that government control is NOT the solution. On reason I believe that costs are so high is that insurance has come to mean “covers every health care cost” and is ubiquitously tied to employment. The result is a very non-competitive environment. People occasionally shop doctors for reputation, but rarely for price. A few quick examples:
1- The cost for complex procedures that are NOT covered (plastic surgery, lasik, etc) has come down dramatically. Why? Competitive market forces. I shopped my Lasik surgeon using both reputation and price to find the best deal for ME personally. My wife did the same for her boob job. There were many options. Some people choose the “Rolls” and some people choose bottom dollar. It is a REAL marketplace that allows consumers to set prices based on their own perceived value.
2- My employer coverage is a HSA plan. I get to put dollars into my HSA tax free, and use them for medical expenses. After my deductible is met, the plan covers me fully. As a result, I’d LIKE to price shop doctors, but there really isn’t a good way to do that for primary care. Most of the time they don’t even know the price of their own services!
My ideal solution would be:
a) Tort reform to reduce costs across the board
b) Encourage HSA type coverage, in large group plans not necessarily coupled to your employer. Basically, you pay tax-free out of pocket for routine expenses, and are covered by your insurance for catastrophic events. This will cause consumers to price shop routine medical care (like my item 1 above), open up competition, and reduce prices. It will also have the effect of removing people from the idea that they shouldn’t have to pay for ANY of their medical care.
c) Require up-front price disclosures from medical practitioners. Per my item 2 above, this is the only large expense I can think of where people aren’t told the price before buying!
d) Freeing up the system to allow purchasing across state lines is a great idea. It will be hard to implement, since many of the problems are on the state side vs. federal. People should lean hard on their state legislatures and insurance commissioners. Bearaucrats like that make never ending regulation to justify their own funding and existance.
[quote]Mufasa wrote:
<<< “just say No” >>>[/quote]
I have been the citizen of NO for over 20 years.
For most of everything this government has been doing regardless of which party it came from. Now we finally have an utterly outta control power structure in place, which was the inevitable conclusion of the last especially 50 years, that is pushing us come hell or high water onto a greased slope into total collapse. At least as anything even bearing an echo of what this country was founded to be.
No IS THE ANSWER. Any time the GOP or anybody else says no to this hippified crew of marxist destroyers, I am onboard. At this point even for things I may agree with them on because any perceived victory strengthens them and I want these people driven out of our halls of power in as much disgrace as possible.
The Republicans are no saviors, but at their worst they are still not this bunch and I’m hopeful (maybe fruitlessly so) of a conservative rebound whereby they will try to be as un-Obama like as they can. In the long run I doubt it will make any difference, but it may buy us a few more years.
Another question. Health Care cost are simply smothering individuals and small buisness. That’s not a debate. Who and or what is exactly supposed to help reign in those cost? (And if your answer is “The Free Market”…please be more specific).
Mufasa
[/quote]
The free market is the only solution. Once you get the government out of health care(Medicare) the prices will plummet, then you allow competition across state lines. Now you have 50 states competing against each other, now look through history what happens when America competes with each other? Then you add tort reform, once doctors don’t have to pay a ridicules amount of mal practice insurance the cost will come down even more.
Then you need to end employer based insurance by allowing individuals that work to instead of getting the insurance from their work simply take the money. Then they can use that to buy whatever health plan they want. Opening up more competition and lowering prices.
Simple solutions that can drastically cut costs, all without big government.
Btw, I’m raiding this fucking website. And telling all my friends to do the same.
Edit - here’s my “healthcare” story:
“Grandma is dead on the floor right now and I don’t have any false teeth so I’m wearing hers now. Do you think that’s okay? I hope so. The baby’s having trouble eating the wood chips I cooked up for breakfast, so I’ll prolly have to let her borrow my teeth. I hope Obama fixes this world and fast.”[/quote]
That is pretty bizarre. I really can’t remember other presidents doing something like that. Essentially rabble-rousing (community organizing??) from IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Just wierd really.[/quote]
I just told them we don’t want their stupid health care reform.[/quote]
Speaking of “healthcare stories,” this is from Beck and it’s hilarious:
[quote]pushharder wrote:
Even my wife walked in while I was watching the Summit and remarked what an arrogant bastard Obama was being when she noticed his condescension towards the Repubs.[/quote]
Especially McCain. See there Johnny? That’s what you get for being so nice during the campaign.
[quote]pushharder wrote:
Even my wife walked in while I was watching the Summit and remarked what an arrogant bastard Obama was being when she noticed his condescension towards the Repubs.[/quote]
Especially McCain. See there Johnny? That’s what you get for being so nice during the campaign.[/quote]
I saw some key, opportune times for a sharp witted person to put Barry in his place. Alas, I went away disappointed.[/quote]
[quote]pushharder wrote:
Even my wife walked in while I was watching the Summit and remarked what an arrogant bastard Obama was being when she noticed his condescension towards the Repubs.[/quote]
Especially McCain. See there Johnny? That’s what you get for being so nice during the campaign.[/quote]
I saw some key, opportune times for a sharp witted person to put Barry in his place. Alas, I went away disappointed.[/quote]
Yeah, he looked nervous and even a little intimidated.
If there was a politically-relevant psychological effect from his POW imprisonment, I’d say it is a resulting reflexive tendency to defer those who are his political enemies.
Not that he may consider them enemies – he dreams they are his buddies – but those who count him as their enemy.