Thu
Jul 30 2009
05:20 pm
The problem with Obama's health care plan
By: R. Neal

Everybody keeps talking about the "Obama health care plan." The problem with Obama's health care plan is that it isn't Obama's plan.

All President Obama said is that he wants Congress to send him a bill that will "control rising health care costs, guarantee choice of doctor, and assure high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans."

What he's getting from Congress is the usual Large Disconnected Collection of Random Bad Ideas that has been compromised, negotiated, hornswoggled, horse-traded, sheep-dipped, and pureed into an unrecognizable, unintelligible steaming pile of bullshit that will be worse than doing nothing once somebody figures out all the loopholes and double-crosses and switchbacks and end-arounds.

The rest of the noise about the government picking your doctor and making you wait months for treatment and coming to your house to euthanize Grandma is another steaming pile of bullshit made up by Republicans and the Blue [Cross] Dogs to scare you so they can protect the status quo for insurance companies.

The President should veto anything coming out of that pit of vipers that doesn't meet his three core principles.

Then he should demand single payer. But we know that won't happen because it makes too much sense.

Topics:
Gregg Lonas's picture

Thank you

Submitted by Gregg Lonas on Thu, 2009/07/30 - 6:26pm.

Thank you R. Neal.

The Dude's picture

Well stated, Bub.

Submitted by The Dude on Thu, 2009/07/30 - 8:59pm.

Well stated, Bub.

Brian A.'s picture

Yes, it's been

Submitted by Brian A. on Thu, 2009/07/30 - 11:46pm.

Yes, it's been disappointing. Even more so since this is one of the rare times where the political stars are aligned so we really could have comprehensive reform.

Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.

citizenX's picture

VERY WELL SAID

Submitted by citizenX on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 2:35am.

THANK YOU FOR A WELL STATED EXAMPLE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE HEALTH CARE BILL...OR SHOULD I SAY LACK OF A HEALTH CARE BILL?

rocketsquirrel's picture

very well said. you should

Submitted by rocketsquirrel on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 7:56am.

very well said. you should send that verbatim to Maddow.

Check out the Rachel Maddow clip last night where Congressman Anthony Weiner (D/NY) added an amendment calling for the end of Medicare. He did it to call the GOP'ers bluff on the nightmare of "gov't run healthcare," pointing out how the gov't does control costs with Medicare, VA, and military healthcare.

Not one GOP'er on the committee voted for the amendment, proving their hypocrisy.

Weiner dares ask the question, "why have private insurers at all sucking billions out of actual healthcare."

more here, including the amendment.

smalc's picture

I got a glimpse of the

Submitted by smalc on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 11:09am.

I got a glimpse of the tea-baggers' critique of the plan from a coworker on their mailing list. Paranoia abounds.
One in particular was "page 59, government would have electronic access to all bank accounts".
If you look at page 59, you'll see the bill "enables electronic funds tranfers...".
Have these people never paid bills by ACH?

Andy Axel's picture

They're only forwarding the

Submitted by Andy Axel on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 12:11pm.

They're only forwarding the email, they're not reading the bill. I've seen that thing. Scare tactics like, "THEY'LL MAKE YOU CARRY A NATIONAL ID CARD!" Do you carry an insurance card? A social security card? Sure you do. Like that, dipshits.

____________________________

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap! Special holidays, Sundays and rates!

R. Neal's picture

That stuff showed up here

Submitted by R. Neal on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 1:26pm.

That stuff showed up here recently, too:

(link...)

Here's the story behind the email and a point by point factcheck:

PolitiFact | E-mail 'analysis' of health bill needs a check-up

"It's awful," she said. "It's flat-out, blatant lies. It's unbelievable to me how they can claim to reference the legislation and then make claims that are blatantly false."

EricLykins's picture

about that email that's been circulating...

Submitted by EricLykins on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 1:40pm.

Most of what the e-mail says is wrong. In fact, it's a clearinghouse of bad information circulating around the Web about proposed health care changes, so [Politifact] thought it would be helpful to address a bunch of its claims.

There is also a Side-by-Side Comparison of Major Health Care Reform Proposals from the Kaiser Family Foundation here

Welcome to the Information Age.

bill young's picture

Disinformation

Submitted by bill young on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 5:22pm.

Thats what this specfic email is..disinformation.

Voters are mad about this economy.

Voters are scared because health care
costes are skyrocketing.

Folks sending out the disinformation
know this & they know they're on the
wrong side of the debate.

Because,no matter your opinion of how,
the right side of the health care debate
is getting something done.

Getting something done is passing
a health care reform bill.

That the President can sign.

bill young's picture

This Fall

Submitted by bill young on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 6:12pm.

I'm optimistic that a health care reform bill,
the President can sign,will be on his desk this fall.

Rachel's picture

I don't think it's going to

Submitted by Rachel on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 7:31pm.

I don't think it's going to quite as bad as some of you do. I sure don't expect a great bill, but if it has a public option, requires (and provides means for) coverage for everybody & does away with letting insurance companies deny coverage for pre-existing condition, I'l consider it progress.

bill young's picture

Dont need luck

Submitted by bill young on Fri, 2009/07/31 - 7:14pm.

We dont need luck.

And my optimism dont mean nuthin'.

We need the good sense & the skill by those who
want to get r done..to get r done.

It's going to be a long winding road but I swear
I really believe we can do it this fall.

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