Obama on healthcare: 'No unanimity'

With the Republican smear-the-public-option campaign---designed by Wingnut mouth-breather Frank Luntz---in full swing, here's a handy, crystal-clear rebuttal you can print out and leave on windshields and utility poles (and even in emergency rooms!) across America:

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE OPTION

1. Choice, choice, choice. If the public health insurance option passes, Americans will be able to choose between their current insurance and a high-quality, government-run plan similar to Medicare. If you like your current care, you can keep it. If you don't—or don't have any—you can get the public insurance plan.

2. It will be high-quality coverage with a choice of doctors. Government-run plans have a track record of innovating to improve quality, because they're not just focused on short-term profits. And if you choose the public plan, you'll still get to choose your doctor and hospital.

3. We'll all save a bunch of money. The public health insurance option won't have to spend money on things like CEO bonuses, shareholder dividends, or excessive advertising, so it'll cost a lot less. Plus, the private plans will have to lower their rates and provide better value to compete, so people who keep their current insurance will save, too.

4. It will always be there for you and your family. A for-profit insurer can close, move out of the area, or just kick you off their insurance rolls. The public health insurance option will always be available to provide you with the health security you need.

5. And it's a key part of universal health care. No longer will sick people or folks in rural communities, or low-income Americans be forced to go without coverage. The public health insurance plan will be available and accessible to everyone. And for those struggling to make ends meet, the premiums will be subsidized by the government.

It might not hurt to give your senators a jingle and ask 'em which they embrace more: campaign contributions from the big insurance lobby and Frank Luntz's Republican propaganda, or historic legislation that will enhance their legacy and make them heroes among their constituents for improving the health and well-being of all Americans. Be patient---sadly, it could take some of 'em a while to decide.

Our health care system is disintegrating. Today, 46 million people have no health insurance and even more are underinsured with high deductibles and co-payments. At a time when 60 million people, including many with insurance, do not have access to a medical home, more than 18,000 Americans die every year from preventable illnesses because they do not get to the doctor when they should. This is six times the number who died at the tragedy of 9/11 - but this occurs every year.

In the midst of this horrendous lack of coverage, the U.S. spends far more per capita on health care than any other nation - and health care costs continue to soar. At $2.4 trillion dollars, and 18 percent of our GDP, the skyrocketing cost of health care in this country is unsustainable both from a personal and macro-economic perspective.

It always makes me laugh when I hear people say they want to preserve "insurance choice" in this country. What choice do you have when you work and are nominally "insured," but your insurance coverage doesn't pay for anything you need? Are you then going to have the ability to run out and purchase extra coverage on the wages you make? Well, I guess you have the "choice" to rob a bank or maybe win the lottery to pay for it, but that's about it.

Republicans and their rich oligarchy supporters will do anything to kill a good healthcare bill because they know people will like it and when that happens their electoral goose will be cooked for generations - if it's not already.

We all remember the commercials that were made by Republicans and their pals at the Big Insurance Industry to trick Americans into thinking that health care reform would hurt average working families. We now see what has happened to the health-care system. CEOs rake in the big bucks from the huge profits they take in as health-insurance costs have skyrocketed.

FierceHealthcare reports the following top 10 CEO salaries for 2008:
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* Ron Williams - Aetna - Total Compensation: $24,300,112.
* H. Edward Hanway - CIGNA - Total Compensation: $12,236,740.
* Angela Braly - WellPoint - Total Compensation: $9,844,212.
* Dale Wolf - Coventry Health Care - Total Compensation: $9,047,469.
* Michael Neidorff - Centene - Total Compensation: $8,774,483.
* James Carlson - AMERIGROUP - Total Compensation: $5,292,546.
* Michael McCallister - Humana - Total Compensation: $4,764,309.
* Jay Gellert - Health Net - Total Compensation: $4,425,355.
* Richard Barasch - Universal American - Total Compensation: $3,503,702.
* Stephen Hemsley - UnitedHealth Group - Total Compensation: $3,241,042.

My rates go up and coverage goes down every time I turn around. And then they just decide not to cover certain medications without an explanation. Even scumbag criminals are resurfacing like Rick Scott to try and con America for a second time -- and the corporate media does nothing about it.
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http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/dont-let-third-way-ben-nelsons-or-repub

Republicans know that a successful health care reform that achieves universal coverage will bury them electorally for a generation. Health insurers and Big Pharma know that a powerful public option and a Medicare bargaining for prices will kick them off the gravy train permanently. Republicans and Big Insurance Company propagandists know their scare tactics aren't nearly as scary as reality for the large majority of Americans.

AMERICA’S NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY!

It’s official. America and the World are now in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC. A World EPIDEMIC with potential catastrophic consequences for ALL of the American people. The first PANDEMIC in 41 years. And WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES will have to face this PANDEMIC with the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed World.

STAND READY AMERICA TO SEIZE CONTROL OF YOUR NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

We spend over twice as much of our GDP on healthcare as any other country in the World. And Individual American spend about ten times as much out of pocket on healthcare as any other people in the World. All because of GREED! And the PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare system in America.

And while all this is going on, some members of congress seem mostly concern about how to protect the corporate PROFITS! of our GREED DRIVEN, PRIVATE FOR PROFIT NATIONAL DISGRACE. A PRIVATE FOR PROFIT DISGRACE that is in fact, totally valueless to the public health. And a detriment to national security, public safety, and the public health.

Progressive democrats and others should stand firm in their demand for a robust public option for all Americans, with all of the minimum requirements progressive democrats demanded. If congress can not pass a robust public option with at least 51 votes and all robust minimum requirements, congress should immediately move to scrap healthcare reform and demand that President Obama declare a state of NATIONAL HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY! Seizing and replacing all PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance plans with the immediate implementation of National Healthcare for all Americans under the provisions of HR676 (A Single-payer National Healthcare Plan For All).

Coverage can begin immediately through our current medicare system. With immediate expansion through recruitment of displaced workers from the canceled private sector insurance industry. Funding can also begin immediately by substitution of payroll deductions for private insurance plans with payroll deductions for the national healthcare plan. This is what the vast majority of the American people want. And this is what all objective experts unanimously agree would be the best, and most cost effective for the American people and our economy.

In Mexico on average people who received medical care for A-H1N1 (Swine Flu) with in 3 days survived. People who did not receive medical care until 7 days or more died. This has been the same results in the US. But 50 million Americans don’t even have any healthcare coverage. And at least 200 million of you with insurance could not get in to see your private insurance plans doctors in 2 or 3 days, even if your life depended on it. WHICH IT DOES!

Contact congress and your representatives NOW! AND SPREAD THE WORD!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoHCmq2lhe4

What the republicans don't tell you as they are screaming nanny state, government run healthcare, take your choice........is that very soon, healthcare will become so expensive that employers will stop offering it. As soon as it hits the republicans in their hearts (wallet), prepare for shouting in the streets....we need healthcare reform......

My family has a small business in Indiana and cannot afford to give it's employees any kind of health care, that's why we agree with a large portion of Americans on the government single payer system. Born in Europe I paid for our health care with insurance stamps in a little book, so did the employer everybody worked for? Until the mass legal and illegal immigration into my country of birth all citizens had exceptional medical services. It insured us of surgery, eyes and teeth care for all the people. Today Europe is under considerable pressure from the millions of foreign laborers, who poured into my nation and other industrialized countries around us. Why American newspaper always seem to quote that European health care is free--is beyond me? Nothing is free! We paid for it through our employers, but we were--NOT--subsidizing for profit insurance companies?

Every health insurance company removes their pound of flesh, their co-pays, deductible, premiums and of course pre-existing conditions. THESE NEFARIOUS BUSINESSES ARE CURRENTLY SPENDING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, SPREADING RHETORIC AND PROPAGANDA ON TV, RADIO AND IN MAGAZINES. They are truly worried that there mammoth profits are in jeopardy, because for once the majority of the American people are not listening to their lies. Yes! In Europe you do wait for surgical procedures, but no more than three months. Years ago, I had been out of the country visiting relatives in Australia. When I returned their was a letter waiting for me, for an appointment with a nose surgeon. THE RATIONING OF HEALTH CARE HAS ONLY COMMENCED, SINCE THE INFLUX OF FOREIGN NATIONALS NOT PAYING THEIR SHARE IN EUROPE.

We must take into consideration that a American government pool of health care money, far exceeds European standards and would cover every citizen and legal resident--NOT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. Only the well heeled population don't care for it and the for profit trillion dollar business base have issues, because they have so much to lose? If nothing else we should have the ability to choose for ourselves. Those who think that for-profit insurance companies, should know that this avenue is available to them. Then the larger portion of the population should not have to beg, to be covered, as they should have access to government Universal health care. We should all know our enemies in this health care issue, who are right now undermining President Obama's plan. Those politicians who are adverse to any new health care agenda, are without doubt stockholders in hospitals, billing services, insurers or other profit entities. They sold you out to the wealthy special interest lobbyists on E-Verify and a near future AMNESTY. Be ready to throw those political puppets out of office, when their time comes around for re-election. Bombard your Senators and Congressman for a single payer Health care for all AMERICANS.

I see the adminstration has sent out all the talking points to the posters.

Ask yourself this:
If your employer announced that you were going to be laid off tomorrow because of the economy, and that if you wanted to continue your insurance coverage by COBRA, it would cost of $915 a month (the average cost), how long would you be able to keep yourself and your family covered? Nationally, COBRA coverage costs around 83% of the average unemployment benefit....and that's just fine with the angry old rich white guys who make up the Republican party, but the rest of us here in the real world can't afford it.
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http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09010/940941-28.stm

The insurance crisis could be your problem, tomorrow, through no fault of your own, as it has for millions of hard working americans in the last few months.

The Grand Old Prevaricators (GOP) , the political arm of WallStreet with the Insurance Corporations are desparately trying to disrupt any attempts for the public to get reduced health care costs . Their objectives are to influence the uninformed electorate . A Public healthcare program would kill the insurance companies . If we all stopped paying for insurance and just pay what ever bill we get for ailments there would be big competition among doctors and among hospitals and their prices would drop . Instead of paying Insurance premiums put the money in a safe local bank with FDIC insurance . If we never get sick we would have a nice nest egg . If we do get sick we will get bills from doctors and hospitals then we could make payments or a down payment to them . Insurance is a bet . You put up your money betting you will get sick . Meanwhile we do everything possible to stay well . Thanks to the crooked Health Insurance Industry, we're already paying out the butt - even if we never see a doctor!
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-mann/americans-whove-used-cana_b_215256.html

Republican Corporate-Sponsored "Patients United Now" - A Big Insurance Industry Lobbying Group, Funded With GOP Dollars, Is Trying To Kill The National Healthcare Plan For Poor And Middle-Class Americans:

After orchestrating and funding the so-called "Tea Parties" movement, "Americans for Prosperity" — a nationwide front group founded and funded by the right-wing polluter Koch Industries — is launching an ad campaign characterizing President Obama’s effort to reform the health care system as a government take-over that will ration care and care and deny treatments.

"Americans for Prosperity" is notorious for its fake Republican grassroots efforts, funneling millions of dollars into conservative campaigns designed to undermine public initiatives. As Lee Fang put it, “AFP is a professional Republican AstroTurf machine”:

~ They Hosted ‘Drill Baby, Drill’ rallies around the country.

~ They Financed Joe the Plumber’s tour against the Employees’ Free Choice Act and other anti-EFCA rallies.

~ They Started NoStimulus.com, “a grassroots website that we hope will be a focal point for the widespread frustration ordinary Americans feel at the runaway government growth that we see during good economic times and bad.”

Now, they're operating under the name "Patients United Now, Americans for Prosperity", (which is mostly funded by large multinational corporations) and they're masquerading as an organic grassroots movement pretending to be "outraged" over the Presidents health care proposals.

The effort provides cover or ‘grassroots clout’ for conservative politicians and activists to oppose the President’s health care initiative. But this collection of trumped-up charges, outright lies and complete fabrications makes little headway in critiquing the President’s actual proposal." Just like all other peddlers of the “government take-over” critique — Frank Luntz, Conservatives for Patients Rights, Betsy McCaughey, Rick Scott and Sally Pipes — the goal is to define Obama’s proposal in their terms rather than to engage in a debate about health care or offer real solutions to the crisis. As Frank Luntz admitted to the New York Times, “we don’t know what he is proposing".
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http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/27/pun/

Republican Corporate-Sponsored "Patients United Now" - A Big Insurance Industry Lobbying Group, Funded With GOP Dollars, Is Trying To Kill The National Healthcare Plan For Poor And Middle-Class Americans:

After orchestrating and funding the so-called "Tea Parties" movement, "Americans for Prosperity" — a nationwide front group founded and funded by the right-wing polluter Koch Industries — is launching an ad campaign characterizing President Obama’s effort to reform the health care system as a government take-over that will ration care and care and deny treatments.

"Americans for Prosperity" is notorious for its fake Republican grassroots efforts, funneling millions of dollars into conservative campaigns designed to undermine public initiatives. As Lee Fang put it, “AFP is a professional Republican AstroTurf machine”:

~ They Hosted ‘Drill Baby, Drill’ rallies around the country.

~ They Financed Joe the Plumber’s tour against the Employees’ Free Choice Act and other anti-EFCA rallies.

~ They Started NoStimulus.com, “a grassroots website that we hope will be a focal point for the widespread frustration ordinary Americans feel at the runaway government growth that we see during good economic times and bad.”

Now, they're operating under the name "Patients United Now, Americans for Prosperity", (which is mostly funded by large multinational corporations) and they're masquerading as an organic grassroots movement pretending to be "outraged" over the Presidents health care proposals.

The effort provides cover or ‘grassroots clout’ for conservative politicians and activists to oppose the President’s health care initiative. But this collection of trumped-up charges, outright lies and complete fabrications makes little headway in critiquing the President’s actual proposal." Just like all other peddlers of the “government take-over” critique — Frank Luntz, Conservatives for Patients Rights, Betsy McCaughey, Rick Scott and Sally Pipes — the goal is to define Obama’s proposal in their terms rather than to engage in a debate about health care or offer real solutions to the crisis. As Frank Luntz admitted to the New York Times, “we don’t know what he is proposing".
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http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/05/27/pun/

If you want to sell me insurance, sell me auto, life, accident or property. DON'T SELL ME HEALTH INSURANCE!! THAT IS A RACKET DREAMED UP BY THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHO WON'T SELL HEALTH INSURANCE TO SICK PEOPLE. MADOFF SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THAT RACKET!! WHERE IS THE PROFIT IN THAT?? EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO HEALTH CARE. iF THE CITIZEN'S OF THIS C;OUNTRY DON'T GET NATIONAL HEALTH CARE, THEN NO ONE SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO HEALTH CARE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYER!! THAT INCLUDES TEACHERS, POLICE OFFICERS, FIREMEN, FEDERAL WORKERS, STATE WORKERS LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS, THE MILITARY AND ANYONE ELSE THAT GETS HEALTH CARE PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYER!! AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT, NO ONE SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO A PENSION PAID FOR BY THE TAXPAYER, PERIOD!! whiteagle38

It looks like the Dems. are about to fail the test of history. They seem to be some sort of political cowards party.

No unanimity, BHO? A 70% favorable for a public system isn't good enough? And that's the second choice IMO. The real solution is single payer, and it's not even on the table.

And to the Dem. congress; A mandate in 06 followed by a larger mandate in 08 is not enough to wake you from your stupor?

The Republicans must love these guys; Winners that act like losers.

When the country needed reformed in the the early 20th century, TR didn't ask the permission of the oligarchy. He rammed through reform.

At the height of the Depression the banks were slapped straight, SS was enacted, FDIC, Glass/Steagall, etc. FDR didn't ask for the help of the right wing cretins that caused it.
When the Civil Rights Act was passed, LBJ didn't ask the KKK for it's input. He, and the majority of the congress acted boldly.

No unanimity, Mr. Obama? Please.

If the Dems. and Obama fail on healthcare reform they are done. Welcome back the Republics.

When a cheaper alternative with lower quality is made available, employers will opt to purchase those less costly insurance plans, forcing employees to accept this cheaper alternative which may or may not allow them to keep their current doctors. Employees may also be invited to purchase their own healthcare if they have their heart set on keeping their own physician after years of establishing a trusting doctor-patient relationship. This is the part you’re not told, that ultimately, it will be a luxury to keep your existing physician and your existing health plan.

It should be the government option that will prevail and let those private insurance health SCARE ones be shut down. If the government is losing money, let's just tap these illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship and let them pay their due fees for the number of years of being illegal. They are now about a million so every penny counts. Let them pay a hefty sum so that we citizens will enjoy prosperity. Then while these illegals are paying their dues, delay the processing until they die out.

Take a look at Canada they are marketing their country for those rich legal immigrants. The truth is they are just after their money. They are a lot of them living in Grand Canada. It is a good business.

Hope Obama will listen

Posted by: TDC | June 24, 2009 10:14 PM

Hate to break it to you, but that's the suituation right now. By company shops our health coverage every year. If there is money to be saved, they'll take it. That we have a choice in our current system is a myth for most people. Your company decided what health plan you will get, and the insurers decide which doctors are part of that plan. Most americans have zero control over what doctors will be available to them.