Health Care Reform Theater

http://gawker.com/5657264/daschle-public-option-was-secretly-nixed-early-in-health-care-debate

Soooo.... A Public Option was NEVER really an option.

And the Douchebag Of The Year Award goes to....

Kucinich has fallen

The POTUS has personally courted him and swung his vote.

As the Judas Goat goes, others will follow.

It seems though, Kucinich will continue the fight for reform.

One hopes.

Hawaii, 40 years of mandated health care

whuh?

heyyyyy.... helloooooooooo.

i think health care reform dropped off of the national radar.

i guess now it's up to private industry to do what our government refuses to do with Public Policy.

Time for Silicon Valley to improve and annihilate Traditional Medicine like it's done every other industry it's touched.

bill passes Senate

The Senate passes health care bill.

Except that, having removed the public option to appease conservative Democrats, it is now just a regulatory/oversight thing - a police action.

And as various examples in society demonstrate --- the economic mess on Wall Street and main street, the mess on the fronts of two foreign wars --- our government does a piss-poor job of policing and regulating.

It is essentially rewarding the insurance industry for a badly done job by forcing millions of additional Americans to purchase coverage from those same "health care providers" who have showed a knack for murder and financial profit.

A public option would have helped to keep insurance companies in check by allowing market forces to have a balancing effect. If a public plan can run with about 10% or less administrative costs, private insurance would have to stop ripping off consumers and compete on a value basis.

Not unlike TARP, another victory of Socialism for the rich.

A more in depth rundowm here.

Joe Lieberman: Fiscal Conservative... Responsible American

Joe Lieberman was one of the most vocal Senators in support of the Iraq War... i.e. - chasing down Saddam Hussein and creating a Civil War in Iraq as punishment for the actions of Saudi Arabian Nationals.

So spending over 11 million dollars an hour, every hour for the past 6 and a half years blowing stuff up is good and "fiscally responsible".

But he doesn't want to expand Medicare because that's "fiscally irresponsible".

Killing people overseas at 11 million an hour is "fiscally responsible". Saving lives at home at the same burn rate is "fiscally irresponsible."

yeahhhhh.

how to destroy health care reform, alternate perspective

1) establish unbeatable majority

2) use shortsighted appeasement tactics: spinelessly give away concessions during committee phase to opposition forces who don't intend to vote for the Bill no matter what form it takes.

3) having given away those concessions, let grandstanding attention-hungry munchkins of your own super-majority break rank and torpedo your semi-crappy non-reform-oriented "reform" legislation BY GIVING EVEN MORE AWAY and shifting the tone of the Bill to anti-reform.

4) watch as the fallout of your own incompetence swings majority the other way to a Party that knows how to get things done.

Democrats continue to proclaim their impotence and incompetence despite having a Super-Majority

Harry Reid announced the Public Option is still on the table.

But over a dozen of his own party's Senators aren't on the same page yet.

Why can't the the Dems unwedge their collective heads from their ass and close ranks?

You know: like what the GOP does when it wants to pursue an ill-conceived war or chaos-inducing deregulation maneuvering.

Health Care Reform update

Congress is still creeping slowly "forward" on the health care bill.

The 800-pound gorilla, a Public Option, is still not an option as Republicans want to protect the Health Insurance Industry Death-Quickening-and-leading-cause-of-personal-bankruptcy-sucking-away-at-the-life-essence-of-our-Nation Industry in our "free market".

Protect Insurance Company Profits

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Robery Reich on the Public Option

Mr. Reich sounds as if he's addressing 2-year-old children. Which is sort of accurate.

The HR676 petition is here.

choose death

Republicans still blocking each and every health care reform bill in congress.

How is it that Republicans find it easy to spend money on War, but difficult to correct the horrific overspending-and-under-service of the health care system?

The GOP's new Motto should be: "When in doubt, choose death"

How does universal health care work?

In Europe, Health Care is a basic human right.

In America, Freedom of Speech and the right to bear arms is covered. We got that whole "life, liberty, pursuit of happiness" thing... whatever that means.

But Health Care is a commodity in the U.S., not a basic human right.

What America doesn't want but desperately needs is Universal Health Care. Hear David Sedaris on French health care (Real Audio File). A view from the inside. From NPR's Morning Edition - August 15, 2000

Sadly, the Asshole Health Insurance Cabal and it's 30% skim will likely continue, except with a new infusion of funding from your tax dollars. Thanks Obama. More Socialism for the Rich.

Rein in insane health costs

Former U.S. controller general David M. Walker says, "Rein in insane health costs" before dumping more money into a broken system.

"If there's one thing that can bankrupt our nation, it's health care costs. Health care reform must do more than add a wing on a house that is structurally flawed"

"Rein in insane health costs" - NY Daily News

HR676, the red-headed step child health plan

"Support a Real Public Option" by Dennis Kucinich

Dennis Kucinich advocates HR676 which calls for a "universal single-payer health care system in the United States, Medicare for All". He argues that HR 3200, "America's Affordable Health Choices Act", still feeds billions into the wasteful and expensive for-profit insurance infrastructure.

"four percent of Americans trust insurance companies"

Ok, what percentage of Americans trust Congress not to fuck it all up? Will the layers of government bureaucracy required to administer any of these plans mash it into an incomprehensible mess like everything else the Fed touches?

Weigh in with your opinion: feedback[at]kucinich.us

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UPDATE: follow the action on HR676 at DAILYKOS.COM