Obama's 'civil' town halls: No Austin, TX

It is great to see the Presidency used for something, other than war or economic domination. President Obama's healthcare initiative is both, refreshing and absolutely necessary. We have Healthcare Insurers in charge of our healthcare delivery system and it is hurting a lot of our citizens, even killing some of them. This must stop. President Obama's government-sponsored option is a good beginning. It will oblige the Corporate Insurers to bring down their ludicrous prices and out of pocket costs, to people who live on minimum amounts of a fixed income. It will not be the end of Private Insurers, they know a good thing, when they see one. It will oblige them to streamline their " product" and make it more attractive to the prospective buyer. If they don't, the buyer can go to a government-sponsored program, like Medicare, or Medicaid, which for the past 40-50 years, has done quite well by those in need. Give President Obama's initiative an honest hearing and do your own research. You will see, it is not for his sake, the President's, that he is championing this reform, it is for ours, America's.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

Obama wants "civil" town halls?:
Yet another lie.
He wants OBEDIENT town halls. STAGED town halls. With questions only from his plants. And he doesn't mind noise, as long as the chanting is for him. In other words, he doesn't really want "town halls."

Rebuttal Points To The Seven Most Moronic Talking Points That The Big Insurance Lobby Has Been Feeding To The Delusional Wingnut Screamer Puppets To Repeat at Healthcare Townhalls All Over America:
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"Where In The Constitution Does It Say That We're Entitled to Universal Health Care?"

** Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says the Congress must promote the general welfare of the people; how can the Congress say it is promoting the general welfare of the public when fifty people die a day that didn’t have to? Now, I know - promoting general welfare cannot be interpreted as every American is entitled to have the federal government to buy them a house, a bed, and fancy steak dinners every day; such broad interpretations would give Congress absurd powers, just as Madison correctly argued. General welfare does NOT mean the federal government has to provide us with all our necessities - because such a system would NOT be capitalism - there we agree. HOWEVER, Congress’s ability and duty to promote the general welfare under the Constitution, along with the Constitutional provision of equal protection under the law, DOES suggest that Congress has an obligation to see that people who work hard and save responsibly have an OPPORTUNITY to get those necessities; a system that has effectively been rigged over the years so that most people are one emergency away from having their insurance policy dropped and being unable to get coverage due to pre-existing condition, and given no options but death when extensive treatment is necessary, cannot be seen as consistent with Congressional duties under the general welfare clause or equal protection clause of the Constitution.

"I Believe In The Free Market!"

** I believe that competition and more choices are good for the market. A public option is one more choice, and more options are good for the consumer and good for the market. The current bills being proposed let you keep your private plan if you want, and use the public option if you choose. If the public option ends up being crap as some here think, people won't choose it - that's what the marketplace is all about - and if people don't choose the public option because private insurance is so much better, then no money in the program will be spent, and we've lost nothing; so this not a win or lose, but a win or break even, and you have to be pretty timid to be afraid of that.

"Government Care Sucks; Reform What We Have First!"

** Medicare and Medicaid are government run health insurance. They have problems, they need reform, but every poll shows that people are more unhappy with private insurance than they are with Medicare and Medicaid by double digits, and it makes sense to put out the biggest fire first. Most Americans aren't eligible for anything but private insurance anyway, so the idea that good solutions like reforming Medicare and malpractice lawuits are enough on their own is just a slap in the face.

"Big Money Interests Are Pushing The Public Option!"

** If you want to be cynical and vigilant as a citizen against big money influencing the government, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE MONEY. On one side, there are BILLIONS of dollars at stake for the insurance companies, because they have the power to drop or deny anyone they please when they need urgent care in order to maximize their profits - of course they don’t want to give that up. On the other side, you have no financial motive that could even compare - who stands to make billions from the public option? Against the public option, you have a source of money, you have a motive, and you have planning and mass collusion by the insurance companies for decades to block any reforms, documented repeatedly by various non-partisan sources; on the other side, what even compares? Being vigilant against big money interests screwing with legislation that affects the people is VITAL, and I applaud everyone here who does so - but you HAVE TO FOLLOW THE MONEY, or otherwise, for all you know, you're fighting against the very things you think you're fighting for.

"BOOOOO!!!!"

** I'm sure that all the people yelling and booing have been lucky, they've never seen someone get denied life-saving treatment or be dropped altogether by their insurance company - or had it happen to themself. It would be easy for me to say that I hope you become one of those 14K a day who lose their health insurance so you can understand - but the truth is I hope none of you ever have to deal with that, I hope you never have to end up as one of those uninsured fifty people a day who die because they're refused the health care they needed to live.

"A Public Option Will Put Private Insurance Companies Out of Business!"

** No, not if you believe the Congressional Budget Office, who says private insurance companies will get MORE business when a public option is passed:

"I Am Against The Obamacare Bill!" -

** There is no Obama bill. Obama doesn't have a bill in Congress, or even a bill in Congress he said he supports, so if you oppose "the Obamacare bill", you oppose a figment of your imagination.

Three general guidelines for the healthcare debate:

First, whenever someone is spouting off about "communist fascism", you may ignore everything that person says from that point forward. Fascism and communism are two entirely different things, and a primary tenet of fascism is its opposition to communism. So if you think Obama is leading us to either fascist communism or communist fascism, you aren't only a paranoid, LaRouchian nut, you also don't even know what it is you're afraid of, and are just putting scary words together in the hope of stirring an emotional response among stupid people.

Second, you cannot be "against socialized medicine" and at the same time think Medicare is good. Medicare is, in no uncertain term, socialized medicine, and government run, and all of that very scary stuff. If the concept of "socialized medicine" outrages you, you are against Medicare. If you are for Medicare, then by definition there is some level of "socialized medicine" you are willing to accept, and at that point you are exactly where the entire rest of the country is, and we're merely arguing about the details.

All of the people who say that they are afraid of socialized medicine but that they support Medicare are liars. All of them. They either secretly don't support Medicare but are unwilling to say such an unpopular thing out loud, for obvious reasons, or they aren't in fact afraid of "socialized medicine" but still want to use the talking point.

This includes Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and every Senate Republican, as well as the usual assembly of pundits and shouters and supposedly panic-stricken mobs crying in fear at town halls over the imminent Russianization of America if we undertake any meager healthcare reform whatsoever.

The third guideline: the first two guidelines are freaking obvious.

IT’S HARD TO SAY what’s more amusing, the wild-eyed Wingnutty rants from the mental midgets who make up what's left of the Republican base, at healthcare town hall meetings or the Republican leaderships attempts to portray those pre stoked, foaming at the mouth snarling sentiments as genuine mainstream anger about the president’s health care plans.

Some of the younger people among us might not be aware of this but the outrageous lies and fake outrage coming out of the mouths of Republican minions during a Democratic adminstration is nothing new. Republicans have been perfecting their Message of Hate for years.

This original flyer, one of about 5,000 distributed in downtown Dallas a day or two prior to the Kennedy assassination, was the creation of Republican ideologue Robert Surrey, an associate of Major General Edwin Walker, Retired. Unknown persons placed these anti-Kennedy handbills on car windshields and tucked inside racks of the two Dallas daily newspapers.
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http://www.john-f-kennedy.net/wantedfortreason.htm
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According to the GOPer deather nutjobs, if Stephen Hawking had been born and raised in the UK, he would have been euthanized, the victim of Britain's National Health Service which would have deemed his life "worthless" because of his handicaps.
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http://www.americablog.com/2009/08/stephen-hawking-proud-american.html

There was only one problem with that Wingnut deather theory: Hawking was born and raised in the UK. Indeed, he is now fighting back, crediting NHS with saving his life.

"I owe my life to the NHS': Stephen Hawking tells US to stop attacking health service
Professor Stephen Hawking has defended the NHS after its severe criticism during the American political debate over health care reforms.
The physicist spoke up for the NHS after the Republican Right in America claimed it was 'evil' and 'Orwellian' in a direct attack on President Barack Obama's plans to overhaul health care in the U.S.
Critics of the president have said his plans would introduce a 'socialist' system like Britain's.
Prof Hawking, who suffers from Lou Gehrig's disease, said: 'I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS.
'I have received a large amount of high quality treatment without which I would not have survived."
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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205953/NHS-branded-evil-Orwellian-high-level-US-politicians.html#ixzz0OGqrl0GM

I don't know what's more impressive about the Wingnut deather morons? The fact that they are willing to peddle such easily disprovable garbage with a straight face, or that they have managed to convince a few Democrats that they are worthy negotiating partners?

These Corporate Sponsored Teabagger Thugs who are being bussed in to purposely disrupt things, are taking away the opportunity for average Americans to discuss healthcare at townhalls with their law makers.

If Republicans actually had anything to contribute to the healthcare discussion they wouldn't have to hire teabagger thugs to perfom their fake outrage performance art all over the country.

Stephen Colbert EXPOSES the fake Wingnut "protesters" for what they are - low IQ Teabagger stooges doing the dirty work for the Big Healthcare Insurance Lobby.
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http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/240728/august-04-2009/the-word---hippie-replacement

Top Nine BIG Lies about Health Care Reform from the Big Health Insurance Lobby and their Repuglican puppets - and One Truth

The Lies:

1) The United States has the BEST healthcare system in the world!

No, it doesn’t. In fact, for the amount of money we spend, we have one of the WORST.

We rank 37th by the World Health Organization in terms of Health system performance. Countries that out perform us include every single Western European nation (France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy etc...), Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Israel), Latin American countries (our ‘poor’ neighbors to the South, Columbia, Chile, and Costa Rica) and even a few African countries. We just barely beat Slovenia and Cuba.

2) The current Healthcare bill will mandate euthanasia.

No, it doesn’t and it won’t. There is nothing in any health care reform bill before Congress that would require people to "decide how they wish to die." Yet Conservative talking points from activists and legislators, including Sarah Palin, have lied and suggested otherwise.

Section 1233 of the House bill would allow Medicare for the first time to cover patient-doctor consultations about end-of-life planning, including discussions about drawing up a living will or planning hospice treatment. Something anyone who is in their later years would naturally be interested in. Patients would, of course, seek out such advice on their own -- they would not be required to. The provision would limit Medicare coverage to one consultation every five years.

3) With healthcare reform, Americans will lose their private insurance.

No, they won’t. The bill does not force private insurers out of business or force people onto the public plan.

The CBO, in fact, estimates the House bill would result in a net increase of 3 million Americans with employer-provided care.

In truth, it would be a GOOD thing if private insurers did go out of business, because their private profit is predicated on a diseased and sickened America trapped into going to their outrageously expensive ‘resources’ for care (the ultimate captive market), but, unfortunately, that is not what is in the bill. Not even close.

4) The Health Care Legislation Mandates Taxpayer Dollars Pay for Abortions

No, it doesn’t. In fact, the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted an amendment, proposed by Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), that would prohibit taxpayer dollars from funding abortions.

"Private health care providers are free to cover abortion, but not with federal funds," -- U.S. News and World Report.

5) Americans Don't Want a Government-Run Health Care Plan

Yes, they do. Republicans have consistently berated the proposal for a government-sponsored health insurance plan, or "public option," as unpopular.

But, in fact, a CBS/ New York Times poll from late July shows that, even though doubts have grown in recent months about Mr. Obama's health care proposals, 66 percent of Americans still want the government to provide a health insurance plan like Medicare to compete with private health insurers.

6) Healthcare will be rationed with a health care reform.

Healthcare will not be rationed. One of the misleading buzzwords in the health care debate is "rationing" -- the idea that patients will have limited treatment options if the government becomes more involved in health care delivery.

In fact, while a public plan would not be able to cover all procedures, private insurance plans do not either. The difference is, actual health needs will determine the priority on who gets care, not someone’s ability to pay. If you have the money, of course, you can always pay extra and get your nose job or breast implant done privately, pronto, rather than waiting behind the long line of critical care and cancer patients (for example) who will have priority in a public system.

7) Health care reform is not urgent. We should take more time to study matters.

Urgency is in the eye of the beholder. Close to 50 million Americans currently have NO health insurance, which means something as simple as an auto accident could bankrupt them. During the span of Congress' three-week vacation this August, 43,250 people will lose their health insurance coverage, 53,507 people will file for bankruptcy because they can't pay their medical bills, and 1,265 people will die because they lack coverage.

8) The Blue Dogs are honestly interested in cutting government costs in Health Care Reform

No, they aren’t. Our so called ‘Blue dogs’, those self described fiscally conservative Democrats are in the back pockets of the drug and health insurance companies. Follow the money. When Blue Dog Democrats negotiated a compromise with Democratic leadership over certain elements of health care reform, they required the government-sponsored health insurance option that would be created to negotiate its own payment rates, rather than using Medicare payment rates, which will dramatically increase the costs to the American taxpayer. They also refused to allow cheaper drugs from Canada to compete with US firms.

According to a CBO preliminary analysis, the cost of those two changes would almost completely offset the $100 billion achieved in savings elsewhere. It’s not about being fiscally conservative, it’s about helping the insurance companies and drug companies maintain their profit thresholds—at the expense of America’s health.

9) Health care reform will cost us nearly One Trillion dollars!

No, it won’t. First of all, that's not a trillion every year, as most people assume -- it's a trillion over 10 years, which is the way that people in Washington talk about federal budgets. On an annual basis, that translates to about $140 billion, when things are up and running.
Even that, however, grossly overstates the net cost to the government of providing universal coverage. Other parts of the reform plan would result in offsetting savings for Medicare: reductions in unnecessary subsidies to private insurers, in annual increases in payments rates for doctors and in payments to hospitals for providing free care to the uninsured. The net increase in government spending for health care would likely be about $100 billion a year, a one-time increase equal to less than 1 percent of a national income that grows at an average rate of 2.5 percent every year.

* And now, a simple TRUTH: Selling American’s health for profit is a killer system

It kills the average American, while reaping huge profits for the privileged few. Why do we pay the MOST of any country on Healthcare cost and reap such few benefits, barely able to keep ahead of Cuba which pays less than 1/100th of what we pay per capita? Because Shareholder and CEO profits trump access to quality health care. The U.S. averages twice as much spending on health care with worse outcomes than any other industrialized nation on Earth. Where does the money go? Into the drug companies and health insurance industry pockets, that’s where. Commercial health insurance is responsible for 20 to 30% of health care dollars siphoned to excessive administrative costs, lobbying, marketing, CEO salaries and profit-taking. $1.4 billion stock options to former UnitedHealth CEO William McGuire, for example; another $30 billion went to after-tax health insurance profits, plus $32 billion insurance underwriting and marketing costs.

All that money could have cured thousands if not millions of Americans. Instead, it went to health care and drug company CEOs who have spent lavishly on Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats to ensure that meaningful healthcare reform does not happen in this country. That money is spent in hopes that you will continue to believe the 9 big lies that are currently be propounded by their lobbyists and fellow travelers and in hopes that you ignore this single truth: They don’t care about your health, they care about their wealth.

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
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It's "nice" to see grannydoc continue to post the same BS talking points cut and pasted from some BS left wing website.
Zone D, actually there isn't much difference between facism and communism. Both systems feature totalitarian governments.
Anyway, Robert Fibbs speaks again. Fibbs says there is a great amount of misinformation. There is, but it's coming from Fibbs and Obama.
Let's see, the Senate just dropped the "alleged" Death Panels from its bill. It still exists in the House and it still exists in those advising Obimbo on health care reform.

Don Fitzgerald, if you have all the health problems you indicated in another post, then you are Candidate #1 to get terminated by ObamaCare. You are a cost. You are expensive. And being an elderly gentleman with high health care costs makes you a liability. Don, those are not words, but the words of Ezekial Emanuel, Rahm's bro and Obama's chief health care advisor.

Granny doc, What the Hey!!! You say you believe in the free market, so does Madoff!! You say that government care sucks?? Why, because you can't charge 50,000 dollars for a root canal?? ASK ELDERLY ON MEDICARE, OR THE VETS THAT ARE TAKEN CARE OF AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION!! They recieve public health care!! You say big money is pushing the public option!! YOU CAN SELL ME AUTO INSURANCE, LIFE INSURANCE, PROPERTY INSURANCE, OR ACCIDENT INSURANCE, HEALTH INSURANCE IS A RACKET DREAMED UP BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S, MADOFF SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THAT RACKET. THEY DON'T INSURE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS, SICK PEOPLE, OR OLD PEOPLE. DON'T WE HAVE RACKETEERING LAWS ON THE BOOKS?? HEALTH INSURANCE IS A RACKET!! IF THE CITIZEN'S OF THIS COUNTRY DON'T GET NATIONAL HEALTH CARE, THAN NO ONE SHALL GET HEALTH CARE PAID FOR BY THE TAX PAYER! PERIOD!! THAT INCLUDES THE POLICEMAN, FIREMAN, POSTAL WORKER, MILITARY, SCHOOL TEACHER, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WORKER, STATE GOVERNMENT WORKER, LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKER, VETERANS, AND ANYONE ELSE THAT GETS HEALTH CARE PAID FOR BY THE TAX PAYER! PERIOD!! EVERYONE GETS HEALTH CARE OR NO ONE GETS HEALTH CARE, PERIOD!! THE PUBLIC OPTION MUST REMAIN AS A BASIC PART OF THE SYSTEM TO KEEP THE CROOKS IN CHECK, PERIOD!! whiteagle38

The Big Health Insurance Lobby-Republican Puppets, who are using aggressive, foaming at the mouth tactics to shut down the possibility of a political discussion on healthcare in this country are reminiscent of the anti-desegregation movement, a point that becomes noteworthy when you aggregate the motives of the Wingnut "birthers", who loudly deny Obama's citizenship, the Wingnut "teabaggers", who loudly declare that the same taxes they paid under Bush are tyrannical under Obama, the Wingnut "deathers", who loudly assert that healthcare reform is secret plot to euthanize seniors and others that the government deems unproductive.

None of these positions makes a damn bit of sense or has any evidence to back it up, but in large part it is the same group of hard-right nutjobs, almost entirely white conservatives that believes all three at once. If you believe the Repug shouters themselves, in their own words, the healthcare debate isn't about healthcare but about a conspiratorial government and the end of the Republic.

This is, by definition, a far-right position, and less charitably a batsh*t insane one, and that it has managed to make it so far and be featured so prominently is testament to just how completely the farthest of the far right has captured the Republican party and why they can't win elections anymore.

These people are pathetic excuses for human beings - Right-Wing Lunatic Fringe 'Protesters" In Action.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K21_teAW0Zg
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GrannyQuack keeps the copy and past act from the DailyKooks,

GrannyQuack,

"Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution says the Congress must promote the general welfare of the people; how can the Congress say it is promoting the general welfare of the public when fifty people die a day that didn’t have to?"

Does the gov't feed us? hosue us? clothe us? Would you like the gov't to wipe your butt also?

However, for more of legal definition of what the Founders meant by the general welfare, try reading

http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/08/04/congress-a-wealth

"I believe that competition and more choices are good for the market. A public option is one more choice," - Will the playing field level or will all insurance providers have the ability to raise caoital thru printing money and hiking American's taxes? If you want more competition, tear down the walls between the insurance markets that exist at the state level.

"Government Care Sucks; Reform What We Have First!" Medicare and Medicaid are government run health insurance" - Both of these programs cost a lot more than they were originally projected and medicare is projected to go bankrupt within the next decade - unless rationing occurs.

"Big Money Interests Are Pushing The Public Option!" - Yes there is big money interest behind the pushing the public option - it has come from the Pharmaceutical Industry. Big pharma has the backing of former Congressman Bill Tauzin - who is now a lobbyist. He has been given a seat at the table at drafting of the health care bill. I wonder what happened to BO's pledge to not have lobbyist ionvolved in his administration?

"BOOOOO!!!!" - GrannyQuack would apply the Speaker Dimwit philosophy that if you disagree with the her health care bill, you must be un-American. Just shut-up you peons, the Democrats know what is best for you.

"A Public Option Will Put Private Insurance Companies Out of Business!" What the CBO does not tell you is that businesses will pay the penalty and let gov't cover their employees insurance. As far as the additional three million that will be covered by private insurance - that is probably the three million additional gov't employees that will be hired by 2016. Do you think the AFSCME will let its employees have their benefits downgraded to a federal gov't health care plan?

"I Am Against The Obamacare Bill!" - This one I agree with since BO has delegated the direction of the bill to Nancy and Harry. What I would be against is most of what BO has spoken about on this topic

GrannyQuack is back to copying ,ore stuff from the DailyKooks

The United States has the BEST healthcare system in the world! - Any rating by the WHO, a subset of teh UN, should not have any non-scientific facts believed. Remember, the UN has Libya on Human Rights commission. See where people come from healthcare - the US has a net influx of people from other countries that have great gov't run programs.

The current Healthcare bill will mandate euthanasia. - The bill does not mandate, but down the road when the money becomes tight (and it will), there will come the decision to either raise taxes or ration care. See what Oregon did with a lady with cancer.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,392962,00.html

With healthcare reform, Americans will lose their private insurance. - Employers will flock to this option as soon as it becomes avaialble. The penalty for not providing health insurance is less than what it costs most employers to provide health insurance.

Give it time and one trial lawyer, abortion will be covered.

According to more current polls, Americans don't want gov't run health care.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/august_2009/support_for_congressional_health_care_reform_falls_to_new_low

See # 2 above. Either taxes go up or care gets rationed. Name a major gov't run program that has met customer expectations AND come in below budget. See Social Security and Medicare for financial failures.

There is plenty of time. The House bill would call for implentation in 2013, with the exception of the tax increases to fund it - those would start in 2011. That is the dirty little secret that helped the "balance" the budget of this bill.

The Pelousy Puppies are out for one thing - Congression career preservation. They haven't acted that conservative so far when voting on the Spendulus and Cap and Tax.

The trillion dollars is over a seven year period as opposed to the tax revenues over a nine year period. When the number of years are equal, this is nothing but a deficit buster. Unless health care is rationed.

http://jec.senate.gov/republicans/public/_files/FinancingHealthCareExpansionwithSurtaxesonHighIncomesJuly302009.pdf

And there you go bragging about Cuba - acountry that is now suffering a toliet paper shortage.

http://themoderatevoice.com/42276/toilet-paper-shortage-may-clog-cuban-lifestyle/

Health Insurance Insiders Speak Out and Spill The Beans on Republicans and their Insurance Industry Sponsored Teabagger Trolls!

Wendell Potter, a career insider in the health insurance industry for many years, has turned hero and speaks out about the secret, deceptive and corrupt practices of the health insurance industry. Wendell Potter says, "I'm the former insurance industry insider now speaking out about how big for-profit insurers have hijacked our health care system and turned it into a giant ATM for Wall Street investors, and how the industry is using its massive wealth and influence to determine what is (and is not) included in the health care reform legislation members of Congress are now writing."

"What I saw happening over the past few years was a steady movement away from the concept of insurance and toward "individual responsibility," a term used a lot by insurers and their ideological allies. This is playing out as a continuous shifting of the financial burden of health care costs away from insurers and employers and onto the backs of individuals. As a result, more and more sick people are not going to the doctor or picking up their prescriptions because of costs. If they are unfortunate enough to become seriously ill or injured, many people enrolled in these plans find themselves on the hook for such high medical bills that they are losing their homes to foreclosure or being forced into bankruptcy".
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http://www.prwatch.org/node/8422

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And there you go bragging about Cuba - acountry that is now suffering a toliet paper shortage.http://themoderatevoice.com/42276/toilet-paper-shortage-may-clog-cuban-lifesty
Posted by: Terry | August 16, 2009 5:36 PM
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40+ years of an embargo on Cuba for what, a toilet paper shortage?!?!

Gee, we really showed them, right Trickledown Terri?

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!......not.

Is it any wonder the GOP isn't just losing the youth vote, but also any group that isn't white and male? Those who already enjoy the fruits of privilege are those most hostile to "empathy" as a governmental value. They've got theirs and they want to keep it. Yet everyone else sees the value in working toward community success, rather than just focusing on the individual.

The GOP's hostility toward empathy, inherent in just about everything they do -- from starving government, to an aggressive and destructive foreign policy -- is predicated on a proud and arrogant dismissal of the wants, needs, and customs of anyone unlike them. So Obama is a moron for trying to understand Islam, ACORN is dangerous because they engage in community organizing, taxes are bad because it redistributes wealth, and blah blah blah blah. Go down the list -- every conservative position is predicated on selfishness and lack of give-a-sh*t for other people.

The problem for conservatives is that ultimately, the rest of the country disagrees, including its largest growing demographics. And it's hard to win elections when you are so far outside the American mainstream on such a key value.

President Obama's already-solid approval ratings have started to climb again. The increase in the President's poll numbers can be traced back to when Corporate Sponsored Wingnut Teabaggers started terrorizing healthcare town-hall meetings; Americans, apparently, don't like people who quash civilized discussion by rudely screaming ad nauseam.
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http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/08/10/Obama-has-6-month-approval-of-63-percent/UPI-86581249921095/

The loud Insurance Industry Astroturfed protests by the right-wing goon squads at Congressional town hall meetings are made for the media. It doesn't matter if the protests are astroturfed, or not; no "serious journalist" can resist showing, or writing about, chaotic right-wing protests. Thus the actions of a small, frustrated, and angry crowd dominate the debate the corporate media says this country is having.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8194485.stm

IAm Against The Obamacare Bill!" - This one I agree with since BO has delegated the direction of the bill to Nancy and Harry. What I would be against is most of what BO has spoken about on this topic

Posted by: Terry | August 16, 2009 5:14 PM
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JON STEWART DESTROYS TERRY'S HEALTHCARE FOR THE RICH, SCREW EVERYONE ELSE/ GLENN BECKIAN RIGHT-WING TALKING POINTS ON HEALTHCARE.
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http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-august-13-2009/glenn-beck-s-operation
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Throw The Healthcare Obstructionist Out!

More than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 76% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (85% of democrats, 71% of independents, and 60% republicans). Basically everyone.

We have the 37th worst quality of healthcare in the developed world. And the most costly. Costing over twice as much as every other county. Conservative estimates are that over 120,000 of you dies each year in America from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don't die from. Rich, middle class, and poor a like. Insured and uninsured. Men, women, children, and babies. This is what being 37th in quality of healthcare means.

I know that many of you are angry and frustrated that REPUBLICANS! In congress are dragging their feet and trying to block TRUE healthcare reform. What republicans want is just a taxpayer bailout of the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry, and the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare industry. A trillion dollar taxpayer funded private health insurance bailout is all you really get, without a robust government-run public option available on day one. Co-OP's ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR A GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION. They are a fraud being pushed by the GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry that is KILLING YOU!

YOU CANT HAVE AN INSURANCE MANDATE WITHOUT A ROBUST PUBLIC OPTION. MANDATING PRIVATE FOR PROFIT HEALTH INSURANCE AS YOUR ONLY CHOICE WOULD BE A DISASTER. AND UNETHICAL, CORRUPT, AND MORALLY REPUGNANT. AND PROBABLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL AS WELL.

These industries have been slaughtering you and your loved ones like cattle for decades for profit. Including members of congress and their families. These REPUBLICANS are FOOLS!

Republicans and their traitorous allies have been trying to make it look like it's President Obama's fault for the delays, and foot dragging. But I think you all know better than that. President Obama inherited one of the worst government catastrophes in American history from these REPUBLICANS! And President Obama has done a brilliant job of turning things around, and working his heart out for all of us.

But Republicans think you are just a bunch of stupid, idiot, cash cows with short memories. Just like they did under the Bush administration when they helped Bush and Cheney rape America and the rest of the World.

But you don't have to put up with that. And this is what you can do. The Republicans below will be up for reelection on November 2, 2010. Just a little over 13 months from now. And many of you will be able to vote early. So pick some names and tell their voters that their representatives (by name) are obstructing TRUE healthcare reform. And are sellouts to the insurance and medical lobbyist.

Ask them to contact their representatives and tell them that they are going to work to throw them out of office on November 2, 2010, if not before by impeachment, or recall elections. Doing this will give you something more to do to make things better in America. And it will make you feel better too.

There are many resources on the internet that can help you find people to call and contact. For example, many social networking sites can be searched by state, city, or University. Be inventive and creative. I can think of many ways to do this. But be nice. These are your neighbors. And most will want to help.

I know there are a few democrats that have been trying to obstruct TRUE healthcare reform too. But the main problem is the Bush Republicans. Removing them is the best thing tactically to do. On the other hand. If you can easily replace a democrat obstructionist with a supportive democrat, DO IT!

You have been AMAZING!!! people. Don't loose heart. You knew it wasn't going to be easy saving the World. :-)

God Bless You

jacksmith — Working Class

Twitter search (#welovethenhs) Check it out.

I REST MY CASE (http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/25/why-markets-cant-cure-healthcare/)

Republican Senators up for re-election in 2010.

* Richard Shelby of Alabama
* Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
* John McCain of Arizona
* Mel Martinez of Florida
* Johnny Isakson of Georgia
* Mike Crapo of Idaho
* Chuck Grassley of Iowa
* Sam Brownback of Kansas
* Jim Bunning of Kentucky
* David Vitter of Louisiana
* Kit Bond of Missouri
* Judd Gregg of New Hampshire
* Richard Burr of North Carolina
* George Voinovich of Ohio
* Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
* Jim DeMint of South Carolina
* John Thune of South Dakota
* Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas
* Bob Bennett of Utah

grannydoc,

Thanks for taking on the Repugs and their moronic anti healthcare talking points

Don't listen to Terry, he's a delusuional right-wing sociopath who still thinks the Bush/Cheney administration and their tax cuts for the rich, big oil and big corporations were some sort of booming success story.

Here's the Republican idea for "healthcare reform".

Insurance companies rake in the money, deny the coverage.

I mean, who do these clowns think their kidding. The GOP cronies have been in the back pocket of the collusion of the insurance companies for years.

Europe and Canada has 10 times more efficient health care at half the cost.

It's time for American companies to get off the profit first attitude and let the people have the service and treatment we deserve. And if government has to force their hand, so be it.

WHAT THE HEY TERRY!! ON GRANNY QUACK. You right wing nuts that spread the lies and scare tactics about health care! Just remember Terry and history will bear me out, THAT THE REPUBLICANS NEVER DO ANYTHING FOR THIS NATION, THEY ONLY DO THINGS TO THIS NATION! Health care for all now, with or without the right wing nuts!! whiteagle38

I just heard about this from the Politics Search Directory website! Great article, very well written.

Of course they are all "civil" town hall meetings when obama is there. He has all his Acorn and Union minions bussed in.

Paulo

Why NOT ?

1. In an effort to avoid inaction & bankruptcy, there is no denying Single-Payer Plan is the most cost-effective way, and the Public / Private Option is a partial adoption of it. At present, roughly 20 million of the uninsured are young adults, the possible enrollees of lower costs, accordingly, this partial adoption could be more cost-effective than the full one by ratio.

2. As common sense goes, in terms of fire, preventing it ahead or containing it in earlier phase is the most sensible cost containment of all, and the essential and most cost-saving preventive care programs call for expansive investments of non-profit.

3. One of three pillars in a new foundation, this health care redesign, to be sure, is going to lead to much-needed massive job creation.

4. We need to accept Sebelius' remark this way; If the death panel is true, she is willing to open the door for deficit-driven nonsense.

5. Good News !

A staff writer at The New Yorker and some experts have examined Medicare data from the successful hospitals of 10 regions, and they have found evidence that more effective, lower-cost care is possible. Thankfully, the provisions in the reform include more expansive policies than they have.

Please be 'sure' to visit http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/opinion/13gawande.html?hp for credible evidences !

Some have followed the Mayo model with salaried doctors employed, Other regions, too, have found ways to protect patients against the pursuit of revenues over patient.
And a cardiac surgeon of them said they had adopted electronic systems, examined the data and found that a shocking portion of tests were almost certainly unnecessary, possibly harmful.

According to analysis, their quality scores are well above average. Yet they spend more than $1,500 (16 percent) less per Medicare patient than the national average and have a slower real annual growth rate (3 percent versus 3.5 percent nationwide).

Surprisingly, 16 % of about $550 billion (the total of medicare cost per year) is around $88 billion per year, except for Medicaid (total cost of around $500 billion per year), medicare 'alone' can save $880 billion over the next decade.

In addition, under the reform package, along with the already allocated $583 billion, the wastes involving so called "doughnut hole" , the unnecessary subsidies for insurers, abuse, exorbitant costs by the tragic ER visits etc are weeded out, the concern over revenue (below) might be a thing of the past.

(( Net Medicare and Medicaid savings of $465 billion + the $583 billion revenue package = $1048 billion - the previously estimated $1.042 trillion cost of reform = $6 billion surplus - $245 billion (the 10-year cost of adjusting Medicare reimbursement rates so physicians don’t face big annual pay cuts) = the estimated deficit of $239 billion ))

In modernized society, the business lacking IT system is unthinkable just like pre-electricity period, nevertheless, the last thing to expect is happening now in the sector requiring the best accuracy in respect to dealing with human lives. Apparently the errors by no e-medical records have spawned the crushing lawsuits (Medical malpractice lawsuits cost at least $150 billion per year), and these costs have led to the unnecessary tests, treatments, even more profits so far. And in different parts of the U.S., patients get two to three times as much care for the same disease, with the same result.

Thank You !

Wonder what kind of pack of lies this CHANGE will make.

Mark Silva,

To add a little bit of clarification to your title for this article, ~ in the city of Austin, county of Travis, Mustapha Mond would probably have about a permanent 90% approval rating. Unless he were to switch parties, there would be NOTHING that he could do that would reverse that in the slightest. Have to give Robert Gibbs a lot of credit for seemingly having some awareness of that little esoteric fact.

Anti Trickled On John E,

You stick with the Cuba model, I'll stay with my private health insurance that I have the skills to earn on my own - unlike you.

oooo,

And Europe and canada have ten times the wiating lines, they also have something called QALYs. You better familarize yourself with that term if BO gets his way.

I forgot, its already here:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,392962,00.html

Lucid points by pro healthcare posters here, and flailing insults by those opposed.

The angry white middle-aged male has spoken (shrieked, actually)... and nobody cares!

Obama wants "civil" town halls?:
Yet another lie.
He wants OBEDIENT town halls. STAGED town halls. With questions only from his plants. And he doesn't mind noise, as long as the chanting is for him. In other words, he doesn't really want "town halls."

Posted by: Community Organizer | August 16, 2009 11:26 AM

You have these meetings confused with those of President Bush, where any dissenting point of view was pushed off to a "Free Speech Zone" usually about a half-mile to a mile removed from the actual meetings. Local officials would commonly bar reporters from access to anyone in the "Free Speech Zone" and anyone with a dissenting voice who refused to be put INTO the "Free Speech Zone" could be subject to arrest for stuff like trespassing, resisting arrest, or disorderly conduct. Bush also gained some notoriety for himself by stocking his town hall meetings with pre-selected people who were pretty much guaranteed to agree with him.