text:
Senate deal on public option draws praise from Obama
By Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery
President Obama praised Senate Democrats on Wednesday for producing "a creative new framework" to provide coverage to uninsured Americans without relying on a government insurance option.
"I support this effort, especially since it's aimed at increasing choice and competition and lowering cost," Obama said at a health-care event near the White House, attended by several Senate Democrats. "So I want to thank all of you for sticking with it, for all those late nights, all the long weekends that you guys have put in. With so much at stake, this is well worth all of our efforts."
The response Wednesday to the compromise plan was generally positive among Democrats. But some lawmakers are raising concerns about a Medicare buy-in program for individuals age 55 and older. That proposal aims to provide an affordable coverage option for low-income older adults, but hospital and doctor groups have warned that they could be big losers, since Medicare pays much lower rates than does private insurers.
Senate Democrats are scheduled to hold a special caucus late Wednesday afternoon to discuss the status of their $848 billion health care bill. Senior Democratic aides said Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) was preparing to send a "manager's amendment" to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost analysis as early as Wednesday night. The package would wrap together all the perks, favors and other loose ends that must be resolved in Reid's quest to secure 60 votes for final passage.
The compromise came together Tuesday night as Democratic Senate negotiators struck a tentative agreement to drop the controversial government-run insurance plan from the bill, hoping that would remove a last major roadblock standing in the way of a final vote in the chamber.
Under the agreement, the government plan preferred by liberals would be replaced with the Medicare buy-in and a program that would create several national insurance policies administered by private companies but negotiated by the Office of Personnel Management, which oversees health policies for federal workers. If private firms were unable to deliver acceptable national policies, a government plan would be created.
In addition, private insurance companies would face stringent new regulations, including a requirement that they spend at least 90 cents of every dollar they collect in premiums on medical services for their customers.
The announcement followed six days of negotiations among 10 Democrats -- five liberals and five moderates -- appointed by Reid to work out differences on the public option and other pressing issues. Appearing in the Capitol with Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), the leader of the liberal faction, and Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), representing moderates, Reid hailed the deal as a broad agreement that has the potential to "overcome a real problem that we had" and push the measure to final Senate vote before Christmas.
Reid's challenge will be to convert at least five moderate-to-conservative members of the Democratic caucus who oppose a public option, without alienating liberals, who have championed the issue as their leading reform goal. One undecided lawmaker Reid is courting, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, has declared he will not back a bill that includes a public option in any form.
But in a statement after Tuesday's deal was struck, Lieberman suggested that he may be warming to the bill. "I am encouraged by the progress toward a consensus," Lieberman said.
Senators said they would examine ways to change the Medicare buy-in proposal, to make it acceptable to all Democrats and possibly Sen. Olympia J. Snowe (Maine), the only Republican to support the Senate reform effort.
Snowe has expressed concerns about a Medicare buy-in, because of the potential harm to local health care providers. But she and others, including Budget Chairman Kent Conrad of North Dakota, said they are willing to discuss such a Mprogram, so long as states with especially low Medicare reimbursement rates were taken care of and a mechanism was adopted to ensure that Medicare would not be adversely impacted financially.
Among the options on the second point: Setting up a separate pool for the presumably sicker buy-in population; making the buy-in program a temporary bridge to 2014, when the exchanges start; and requiring the buy-in population to pay additional premiums if their care proves to be more costly than is first estimated.
Shailagh Murray
December 9, 2009; 3:25 PM ET
Categories: 44 The Obama Presidency , Health Care
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Sorry to be repetitive, but to quote Pogo, I have seen the enemy and it is us. kee-righst-all mighty, we ARE the house divided. And no, I'm not calling for a lock-step agreement with the administration and with congress, but just a way out of this impasse that is crippling our progress towards a solution that might benefit our nation.
This is, apparently, too much to ask. Are we in such a war-mode that it extends to our own citizens? Are we displacing our fear of terrorism onto each other? Yeah, it's easier and safer than confronting the real terrorists out there who cannot be reached thru the media.
What am I getting at? Just this--a more civil, open-minded approach to the welfare of our citizenry, at the expense of other interests. Aha, you will say--now I know where her interests lie. And yes you're right, my concerns are for the the have-nots and those who do not have a voice.
Disclosure: I am elderly, surviving on SS and Medicare. One child is rich; one is middlin'; one is poor, really poor. I know the territory. You think these conditions spread over from one to the other? Think again.
But, what I do know is that we as a united country are falling apart. And I'm ambivalent about this. Maybe we are too big and too diverse to continue on as one united entity. Bigger is not better, despite our attempts to keep it so. I think that despite the influx of immigrants, there's still a lot of individual character or essence to be accounted for.
I just said that particular thing with some misgivings--as a New Englander, I came to VA for graduate school and a job. It was heaven to a non-political person in the seventies. Enthralled by the mystique of T. Jefferson, I sat on the Lawn and was properly enthralled by the architecture. It is still a little gem of history and art. The years may go by, but one will never find a more pure moment of art-attained.
In the meantime, I've been reading lots and lots of historical Jeffersonia.
But, now I'm off-topic, so basta!
Posted by: moran1 | December 10, 2009 2:33 PM | Report abuse
Right now - Federal workers and retirees can select plans at a cost range from $100 dollars a month for the cheapest individual coverage to $500 dollars for the most expensive family plan.
That plan should be open to everyone, small businesses and corporations as well.
Rockefeller's Medicare plan should also be activated for qualified recipients who can demonstrate that insurance is unaffordable to them. And if you are 55 and don't qualify through a poverty clause that you can buy in scaled to your income.
As far as those crying about cost there is plenty of money for war. I suggest some of that be diverted to take care of our honest hardworking citizens being forced into bankruptcy and onto the streets by the insurance companies and the ridiculous cost of medical care and medicine in THIS country.
The 1945 anti-trust exemption for private insurance companies has to be repealed.
And Insurers should be allowed to sell across state lines to get rid of the state wide duopolies and promote national networks.
All of the ideas to promote competition need to be rolled out. It is a multifaceted problem that requires a myriad of approaches.
Paul Burke
Author-Journey Home
Posted by: JourneyHomeBurke | December 10, 2009 12:19 PM | Report abuse
I have a prepared text when I receive requests for money in 2010 and 2012:
No Public Option, NO MONEY!
No end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, NO MONEY WHATSOEVER.
Posted by: tango4hormigas | December 10, 2009 11:44 AM | Report abuse
A single, government sponsored health plan is the only way to provide low cost, high quality health care for all citizens - as all civilized countries in the world have found out. This "compromise plan" is a compromise between good and evil -and that results in a very bad plan. This plan requires those without insurance to buy it from private insurers. This is a windfall for insurance companies and a giveaway of taxpayers and citizens money. It does nothing to bring down costs. It does nothing to eliminate the existing "death panels" that will continue to charge the highest premiums and deny medical care when needed the most. This is another sellout, like the bank bailouts and the Wall Street bailouts. We will not have representative government until we "throw the bums out" and elect true representatives of the people. This bunch has been bought by corporate interests. Until the revolution, we will have endless war and hear this huge sucking sound at the US Treasury.
Posted by: lorax2 | December 10, 2009 8:12 AM | Report abuse
AuthoritativeAuthoritarian - Your post is very interesting for readers aged 11-15 that have parents that teach them how to hate and not how to think or write properly. Hey thats you!
Posted by: gregp1 | December 10, 2009 3:14 AM | Report abuse
russpoter - the same insults could be said about you with gretaer justoification, however I find it more gratifying to report your abusive behavior to the WAPO, which I have done. I hope they kick you off the site for being so kind and so intelligent. NOT.
Posted by: gregp1 | December 10, 2009 3:09 AM | Report abuse
russpoter, thank you for your insightful analysis of my post.
Repeating the same name over and over again is not going to get anyone to google whoever the heck you've been spamming about on this and other story's comment boards.
If you had a third of an ounce of reading comprehension ability you would have understood that I don't support a single payer system, because it has few merits and is detrimental to the competition between providers that is supposed to keep prices down and quality of service up.
My point is entirely this; that 'Single Payer' is just a label for one entity cutting all the checks. It can exist under many different systems of funding.
You of course failed to bring anything to this discussion except become another chicken-headed lemming spamming some search term you apparently think has some weight of merit. It doesn't, and you fail.
Now give the keyboard back to mommy, it's way past your bedtime.
Posted by: sql_yoda | December 9, 2009 11:39 PM | Report abuse
What good is health care reform if this is happening to unjustly "targeted" Americans?
• Regional Homeland Security- administered fusion centers use a nationwide microwave/laser radiation "directed energy" weapons system, employing cell towers and satellites, to silently, invisibly torture, impair, physiologically and neurologically subjugate unconstitutionally "targeted" Americans and their families -- an American genocide hiding in plain sight.
See "comments" section at:
http://nowpublic.com/world/obama-wrong-west-point-u-s-does-torture-its-own-citizens ALSO:
OR (if link is corrupted): NowPublic.com/scrivener re: "GESTAPO USA"
Posted by: scrivener50 | December 9, 2009 10:55 PM | Report abuse
A single payer system could exist under hundreds of different scenarios,
starting with YOU being FORCED to be treated by Nidal Hasan, MD, and having NO OTHER CHOICES.
Posted by: russpoter | December 9, 2009 10:51 PM | Report abuse
I am so very sick of all the sanctimonious, self-righteous, "up by the boot-strap", no tax for me, no armed forces service for me, chicken hawks, telling me how wrong it is for people in this country to want reasonable health CARE at a reasonable price, and for those who have nothing, to just get over it. Don't raise my taxes, but it's OK to spend us into unfathomable debt to pay for really stupid wars.
You clain to be MORAL, upstanding PATRIOTIC, GOD FEARING, ordinary apple pie christians who love their country. You are hypocrites in the extreme. Death panels? We already have those - they're called insurance claims "adjusters". Dare I say WWJD?
Do YOU not realize how YOU have been played for a fool? I voted for this President and to enable a Dem. Congress - yeah, the audacity of hope. I am willing to admit that I've been suckered. I am absolutely mad as hell about it too. Do you have any idea that YOU have been played as well? What - FOX didn't clue you in? This country has been bought and paid for by those who would have us all believe we actually have a voice in its governance. Dem vs. Rep.? It's a charade to distract - they're all the same.
We're circling the drain folks, and unless ALL of us quit fighting over the crumbs, their will be nothing left for future generations - children, grandchildren.
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!! It's way past time to take it to the streets. Oh - and you teabaggers? I dare you to admit that YOUR side of the fence is not so rosey either.... what have YOU done to leave a great legacy for your children? NOTHING. Admit it.
Sad and disgusted.
Posted by: debsmyth | December 9, 2009 10:49 PM | Report abuse
why would nationalized healthcare be a bad thing? Anybody??
YOU are a MORON -- MOVE TO CUBA, IDIOT
Posted by: russpoter | December 9, 2009 10:48 PM | Report abuse
greyghost1 wrote, "I watched a guy by the name of David Blaine last night too, he was a great illusionist as well, pulled the head off a chicken, put it right back on, & no dead chicken. Too bad we're so easily fooled. The price will of insurance will not be so easily swallowed when reality sinks in. Unfortunatey we won't be as lucky as the chicken."
this is amazing. i once saw a dinner where obama pulled a chicken drumstick out of a box of KFC and then ate it, threw the bones under the table, and then reached in the box of KFC and pulled out ANOTHER one.. and gosh dangit.. if that 2nd chicken drumstick didn't look just like the first!
i was friggin AMAZED!
Posted by: AuthoritativeAuthoritarian | December 9, 2009 10:44 PM | Report abuse
I watched a guy by the name of David Blaine last night too, he was a great illusionist as well, pulled the head off a chicken, put it right back on, & no dead chicken.
Too bad we're so easily fooled. The price will of insurance will not be so easily swallowed when reality sinks in. Unfortunatey we won't be as lucky as the chicken.
Posted by: greyghost1 | December 9, 2009 10:38 PM | Report abuse
mister wishy washy goes to washington says;
Posted by: AuthoritativeAuthoritarian | December 9, 2009 10:37 PM | Report abuse
Toosoonoldtoolatesmart -
A single payer system is not a draft. All it means is that there would be one and only one entity that cuts checks to providers for physician ordered services.
It would virtually eliminate the endless months of uphill battles trying to get your insurance company to pay for your claims.
It would also virtually destroy competition among service providers to provide the best service at the lowest price.
A single payer system could exist under hundreds of different scenarios, from being funded directly out of your income taxes to being funded individually based on risk, as every current provate plan already is.
The funding aspect of it has nothing to do with what it's called. It's just another alternative, albeit a poor one, to paying customers current frustrations with the for-profit industry.
Posted by: sql_yoda | December 9, 2009 10:36 PM | Report abuse
The best first step to health care reform is to eliminate employers as providers of package plans. Health care is no longer a "benefit" in the traditional sense, in that employers don't pick up the tab for it. But keeping it in the work place has been a benefit for insurance companies that are insured of premium payments thru payroll deduction. The marketplace will give us a better deal if we get our employers out of the way.
Employers don't offer car, renters or homeowners insurance and yet Americans are able to figure out how to purchase it. Amazing, isn't it?
In fact, I propose that ALL payroll deductions be eliminated, including taxes. It's time that we demand that businesses stop being tax collectors for the govt. Maybe if Americans had to pay their taxes quarterly, semi-annually or annually, they'd pay more attention to what they're really paying. But of course, Congress and the States will never go for this. It would give The People too much power and we can't have THAT.
Posted by: Marrigan | December 9, 2009 10:26 PM | Report abuse
Universal Health Care and the New Deal is what America needs.
Posted by: blakesouthwood | December 9, 2009 10:23 PM | Report abuse
At least we are moving in the right direction to single-payer system. Only then will we be able to have a better health care system than the Cubans.
Many people are confused about what single payer would mean. The simplest analogy: the "selective service" or draft. It is compulsory, you don't get a choice of where to go--the Government will decide for you, and you will be forced to accept a reduction in pay in order to "benefit" from single payer. Really great for democracy. If you're a Russian peasant.
Posted by: Toosoonoldtoolatesmart | December 9, 2009 10:19 PM | Report abuse
By Bill Dedman
Investigative reporter
updated 3:02 p.m. ET, Wed., Dec . 9, 2009
[INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER] Bill Dedman:
"The nonprofit conservative group Judicial Watch has sued the U.S. Secret Service after the Obama administration again denied a request for copies of the list of visitors to the White House.
The records are being sought by journalists and public interest groups to help determine who is influencing White House policy on health care, the economy and a host of other issues."
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 10:17 PM | Report abuse
Democrats say they are getting close to pushing
The operative word here is "pushing" because that is all they are doing. Shove it down our throats in spite of the MAJORITY of Americans not wanting the government anywhere near our health care! Why burn down the system for a few without insurance? Just get the illegals out of all of it and there will be more than enough room for tax paying citizens and those that need some help! The number they are saying that "needs" insurance just happens to be the number of illegals that are taking up space in the county health districts and Medicaid. Get them out and there you go, instant fix for the problems. Then they can tweak what needs to be adjusted. No need to burn down the house when you just need to straighten it up. But cleaning up isn't nearly as dramatic as they want. They gotta have the DRAMA! They gotta keep spewing that we are all gonna die if they don't get their way. Strange we have survived all this time without these idiots interfering constantly. Guess they are "creating" work for themselves to try to convince us they are earning their HIGH salaries and billions in perks
Posted by: atthun | December 9, 2009 10:15 PM | Report abuse
[obama's science czar, John] Holdren further commented in a glowing fashion that Brown's book was a work "that should have reshaped permanently the perceptions of all serious analysts about the interactions of the demographic, biological geophysical, technological, economic and sociopolitical dimensions of contemporary problems."
This "BOOK" to which Holdren believes in was written by geochemist Harrison Brown.
Here's what Harrison Brown said in THE BOOK which Holdren holds in such high esteem:
"Unfortunately, at the present time, there is little, [we can do] other than to prevent breeding in persons who present glaring deficiencies clearly dangerous to society and which are known to be of a hereditary nature."
He continued: "Thus, we could sterilize or in other ways discourage the mating of the feeble-minded."
(((imo, the more dangerous threat of this administration is yet to be realized..)))
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 10:07 PM | Report abuse
When 'insurance' becomes mandatory, isn't it just a form of protection money, to keep the authorities off your '6'? In english, with any of this legislation, will it still be legal to walk down the street, uninsured? If some insurance company isn't getting what they consider to be their fair share of your monthy earnings, such as they might be, will you end up facing some kind of legal penalty, can you in effect be cited for failure to have health insurance, breathing while uninsured, so to speak?
I'm of the opinion that a lot of these insurance institutions are long overdue for some decisive trust-busting, and a deep, loving look on the part of the public into their sordid inner workings.
I'd also like to know if the ambulance service is going to let you die in the street for lack of insurance. Will you be refused at the emergency room on account of not having a health policy?
Payola politics, and insurance companies are big enough to submit their own signature-ready 'legislation', and the lobbyists want their institutions to get every penny they can squeeze out of taxpayers, one way, or another, medicine is a very lucrative trade to be in, annual salaries run to hundreds of thousands of dollars, and beyond, and it kind of stands to reason that the folks employed in medicine and supporting periphery are trying to do everything they can to stoke the boiler, as it were, even if that means strong-arming the public into paying for their Grand Vision Of Healthcare Perfection And Socioeconomic Prominence. Frankly, some of the physicians I've met didn't really impress me all that much, and one seemed to make a quacking sound on a regular basis. It didn't seem to impair his ability to drive the Lexus, though...
I just don't think that Congress should serve up the public into the maw of what are essentially financial institutions with way too much clout as it is, in Washington. Let them peddle their 'no pay' policies elsewhere, and restructure their entire industry in such a way that people that actually might NEED care, can then actually receive it. It's nice to build SuperHospital from the proceeds of stock dividends of publicly-traded 'insurance' companies, but what it really amounts to, in my view, is just another way to levy a mandatory tax against the public. Sure, it doesn't sound like a 'tax' when you say 'insurance', but again, if it becomes mandatory by LAW to have it, I'm against it.
Counterproposal: Make people a great deal on their insurance, but keep it optional. And, finally, don't base someone's health insurance payment on their credit score. The car insurance people already tried that, and some of em are in deep kimchi over it.
Whatever they do, there's going to have to be serious provisions to prevent fraud, either on the hospital/company side, or the public side. Lots of money in play, in all of this, who's going to make sure that people 'keep it honest'?
Posted by: walkerbert | December 9, 2009 9:55 PM | Report abuse
why would nationalized healthcare be a bad thing? Anybody??
Posted by: dboz1970 | December 9, 2009 9:53 PM | Report abuse
What's there to praise. They're all Democrats. Government health care is what the Democrats, the MSM, and the far left has dreamed about for years. It's the closes thing to socialism this country has gotten and that deserves praise from President Obama not the deals. The fix is in and so are the votes. All Reid has to do is mention it's for the party and all Democrats will vote the party way and forget about the American people. By now all American's have put two and two together to see it was never about the uninsured and competition. It was about total take over by the government over our lives. Nothing President Obama said has turned out to be the truth. He says one thing in his speeches, but his programs takes a different course then what he said and that makes a liar out of him. Reid wants the votes by Christmas so he can give the government health care to President Obama as a Christmas present in appreciation for being the most far left radical this country has ever had.
Posted by: houstonian | December 9, 2009 9:50 PM | Report abuse
Private insurers can make up any potential shortfall by issuing abortion only policies for a cheap price.
The more abortion we have the less costly it will on the US taxpayer in the long term.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 9:46 PM | Report abuse
meanwhile ABC reports:
"At least 12 members of Osama bin Laden's family currently hold Federal Aviation Administration pilot's licenses that make them eligible to fly aircraft anywhere in the United States, including three who received their licenses just this June, according to an analysis of FAA records provided to ABC News by a computer security firm, Safe Banking Systems.
Thirteen members of Osama bin Laden's family currently hold Federal Aviation Administration pilot's...
Thirteen members of Osama bin Laden's family currently hold Federal Aviation Administration pilot's licenses that make them eligible to fly aircraft anywhere in the United States, including three who received their licenses just this June, according to an analysis of FAA records provided to ABC News.
One of the three who received his FAA licenses this year, Yeslam bin Laden, a half-brother of Osama who lives in Geneva, Switzerland, is named in a civil lawsuit brought by the families of 9/11 victims alleging he helped to finance Osama's al-Qaeda network as it started up in the 1990s in Yemen and the Sudan. "
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 9:45 PM | Report abuse
meanwhile ABC reports:
"At least 12 members of Osama bin Laden's family currently hold Federal Aviation Administration pilot's licenses that make them eligible to fly aircraft anywhere in the United States, including three who received their licenses just this June, according to an analysis of FAA records provided to ABC News by a computer security firm, Safe Banking Systems.
Thirteen members of Osama bin Laden's family currently hold Federal Aviation Administration pilot's...
Thirteen members of Osama bin Laden's family currently hold Federal Aviation Administration pilot's licenses that make them eligible to fly aircraft anywhere in the United States, including three who received their licenses just this June, according to an analysis of FAA records provided to ABC News.
One of the three who received his FAA licenses this year, Yeslam bin Laden, a half-brother of Osama who lives in Geneva, Switzerland, is named in a civil lawsuit brought by the families of 9/11 victims alleging he helped to finance Osama's al-Qaeda network as it started up in the 1990s in Yemen and the Sudan. "
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 9:44 PM | Report abuse
To the MORON dogs for single-payer --
if you think LYING CHICAGO THUGS can't SCREW UP health care --
you are beyond hope. Give up, and move to Cuba. Now.
Posted by: russpoter | December 9, 2009 9:26 PM | Report abuse
Why move to Cuba? Our health care system is ranked just as bad as their's.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 9:43 PM | Report abuse
We are in a system that is utterly immoral and bankrupt and has been completely turned over to the greedy and corrupt corportions. My question is why are we as public the salaries and all the perks of congressmen and congresswomen, U.S. senators, the President and rest of the staff and virtually all of the other institutions. Why play charade of living in the fake democracy?
Posted by: kevin1231 | December 9, 2009 9:34 PM | Report abuse
Sweet, they figured out how to call it something other than a public option. The only problem is that it still is the public option. You have a government mandate to create a 'private' non-profit, overseen and regulated by the government. This is how you have the public option without calling it the public option.
Posted by: thelaw1 | December 9, 2009 9:27 PM | Report abuse
To the MORON dogs for single-payer --
if you think LYING CHICAGO THUGS can't SCREW UP health care --
you are beyond hope. Give up, and move to Cuba. Now.
Posted by: russpoter | December 9, 2009 9:26 PM | Report abuse
What do we know so far? The plan establishes federal requirements for all insurance companies. But the public option will kick in if private insurers choose to decline these requirements. Perhaps without these requirements, private insurers could still come up with marketable policies allowing them to compete against the government's public option. The government's option, if activated, would be a plan managed by the Office of Personnel Management. For those not currently covered, some financial support would be provided. They could select among the private offerings or the government option, if activated. For those who would qualify, they could buy into an expanded Medicare. For everyone, Medicare would be much weaker than it is currently, and supplemental insurance would be a practical necessity. A simple and less expensive plan would be to allow interstate competition, and then let the free market take its course.
Posted by: ReginaldJackman | December 9, 2009 9:22 PM | Report abuse
Direct quote from the story: "private insurance companies would face stringent new regulations, including a requirement that they spend at least 90 cents of every dollar they collect in premiums on medical services for their customers."
Rather than supporting a publically available, competitive in the national market, non-profit health insurance option, it seems like many commentors here would prefer to allow limits on profitablilty for a publically traded company. The American way is and always has been to let the market sort it out. Why do so many people so strongly oppose giving consumers the option to pay into a program that pays its customers claims instead of its shareholders dividends?
On what bizzarro world does a company whose sole purpose -
to provide a safety net to hard working Americans who pay premiums as contractually agreed, and occasionally have to file a claim and cash out their policy -
on what planet does the customer allow the company to rake in MORE than 10 cents on the dollar for the unique privilege of being denied a claim when they have the extremely bad luck to be one of the few people every year who need expensive coverage?
The whole point of insurance is that you pay periodically for the peace of mind to know that should you have a serious and expensive problem, you can get treatment for it.
There is no peace of mind when you have to throw most of your premium to shareholders who would prefer to never pay out a single cent. The public option will remove the obligation to profit from the actuarial equation.
It's a win/win situation for all of us.
Why so many citizens so vehemently oppose it completly boggles my mind.
Posted by: sql_yoda | December 9, 2009 9:17 PM | Report abuse
As someone who is very interested in the whole health care debate, I have "attempted" to follow it. Up, that is, until the point it became simply impossible to make any sense whatever about anything anyone was saying about the whole thing.
At the point I realized that the NEWS was simply reporting what all the players were reporting to the NEWS in order to get across their own partisan political points, I said, the hell with it.
I CANNOT effect a single thing, myself, as an individual. And, neither can the rest of us as individuals.
We voted all these people into office and now they are
"paying to play" with their ultimate sponsors.
I do, suspect, however, that Obama may have been playing a card that has nothing to do whatever with what his "loyal opposition" believes him to have been playing.
It may just be possible that Obama has lead the "loyal opposition" down a garden path and that he will, in the end, get something passed into law that he played with the "long game" and not the "short game" of political opportunism, and he will end up giving the American People what they actually need.
Posted by: cms1 | December 9, 2009 9:15 PM | Report abuse
To the FOOLS who want single-payer --
hope you get it, and get assigned to Nidal Hasan, MD.
You are so simple and LAZY, you need to be told what to do.
With single-payer -- you will get to meet Jesus, ASAP. And you deserve it.
R.I.P., morons.
Posted by: russpoter | December 9, 2009 9:13 PM | Report abuse
I have a better idea than health care reform. We need to collect our potholes in the country and send them to Afghanistan where they can be placed on roadways to help block movements of the Taliban.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 9:10 PM | Report abuse
There's no way to get past the fact that the Administration as well as the Congress are working against the wishes of their party members. It's stunning to watch the administration destroy their chances for reelection as they insult their party base almost daily. As I write this, there's breaking news on that the Administration is defending a Bush administration torture defendent attorney. The Obama people are argueing that the torturers should not only be immune to legal charges but that they should also be immune to civil suits. This comes on the eve of Obama's acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize. It's also the 60th aniversery of the Nueremberg Trials. Almost 60 years to the day after those Nazi trials, the Obama administration is in court argueing against the law that convicted those Nazis. Especially 3 Nazi lawyers who were convicted of EXACTLY what the Bush lawyer is charged with.
The Progressive base of the Democratic party and their Independent partners have been completely abandoned by the administration. After spending 8 years under Bush, the hoped for rescue by the Obama crowd has instead been betrayal. Any Progressives that want to see their issues worked on has to face the fact that the Democrats aren't interested. Progressives don't need to start a new party that can win elections. We need to group together and vote as a block. The Democrats can trade action on issues for that block of votes. They can't win elections without us. They also won't ever work on our issues unless we have the leverage to make them do so. We need people with good organizing talents to provide a way for Progressives to sign up and join forces. We also need a leader to speak for the block and to extract promises of action from the Democrats. Much better than what we have now. We give Democrats our votes and victory and they give us nothing. Lets organize.
Posted by: fredfawcett | December 9, 2009 9:00 PM | Report abuse
"A MYSTERIOUS giant spiral of light that dominated the sky over Norway this morning has stunned experts — who believe the space spectacle is an entirely new astral phenomenon.
Thousands of awe-struck Norwegians bombarded the Meteorological Institute to ask what the incredible light — that could be seen in the pre-dawn sky for hundreds of miles — could possibly be."
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 9:00 PM | Report abuse
I've yet to come across any single politician in modern times that lies as much and/or as arrogantly as Obama. One literally has to turn any/everything that he says inside-out and/or upside-down to get tat the truth. Personally, I feel sorry for this backward human being.
Posted by: nosam32 | December 9, 2009 8:44 PM | Report abuse
addressed GITMO second day in office but waited until the last month in the year to talk about jobs????
now at the Nth hour they must pass SOMETHING, ANYTHING all to make a president look good and the people of america be dammned?
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 8:44 PM | Report abuse
Obama, Pelosi and Reid no longer represent voters.
They represent policies and an ideology that have been rejected by the majority of Americans.
They and their ideology are dinosaurs.
Posted by: bob59 | December 9, 2009 8:33 PM | Report abuse
Health care reform that Joe Lieberman can support. A warm bucket of spit. The reform, I mean.
Posted by: branfo4 | December 9, 2009 8:32 PM | Report abuse
Federal employees premiums will increase 8% in Jan. - and Medicare premiums will increase 20%!
Posted by: angie12106 | December 9, 2009 8:25 PM | Report abuse
Well, this just shows that people who oppose a public option have no business calling thesmelves "pro life."
Of course, the real problem is that the time it takes for working out a true reform for healthcare intereferes with Republicans' opportunity to hoist themselves from their triple-wide barco-loungers and stuff themselves at the nearest all-u-can-eat buffet.
Posted by: SaffronLove | December 9, 2009 8:22 PM | Report abuse
WHERE is the response to the Ft. Hood situation that was suppose to be forthcoming at the end of November??????
a matter of priorities, u-s'ppose?
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 8:15 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: demtse | December 9, 2009 8:14 PM | Report abuse
Anyone who thinks Reid's idea using the OPM to generate and manage health plans is a moron.
The OPM did not do such a great job this year keeping health insurance rates down. The Blue Cross Blue Shield family option went up approximately 50 dollars per month, an increase of over 10 percent when the cost of living was negative. Furthermore, the rest of the plans had similar increases. So much for the argument of competition bringing the cost of health care down. The total cost of Blue Cross Blue Shield, both government and employee contribution is approximately $1200 per month for 2010. Employees pay about a third the total cost or $400 per month. What person who does not have insurance now is going to pay that monthly bill. The realistic answer is nobody because people are expecting FREE health care.
Posted by: FormerNewYorkerNo9 | December 9, 2009 8:09 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: demtse | December 9, 2009 8:09 PM | Report abuse
I'm a liberal Democrat so the reconciled health care bill, when it comes, must become law. It's not correct that the Senate won't include the public option in their health care reform bill. The public option shouldn't be controversial because of conservatives who can't go beyond yelling "socialism", which is nonsense that is spewed. However, health care reform which will cover millions of more people in the United States is very important. The reconciled health care reform will be fiscally responsible in that it will cut the federal deficit. Health care is a right, no exception.
Posted by: LibertyForAll | December 9, 2009 8:08 PM | Report abuse
now seriously, besides the cult-obama followers does what obama think matter at all? hasnt he proven he speaks BEFORE he understands any situation and isnt he the one who couldnt answer questions about what is contained in his own Bill? the sooner more of us take these matters literally, the better off we will all be, regardless of which party you support.
passing this bill will screw up this country for centuries. how dare some of you treat it so carelessly - isnt this how obama got into the oval office to begin with? these are serious issues. i sincerely wish we treat them seriously.
THIS BILL HAS DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THE REAL PROBLEMS OF THE HEALTHCARE SITUATION, yet some are applauding it? for doing what?
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 8:06 PM | Report abuse
As expected, Obama is more than willing to drop the public option to get a health care bill. Reform, in the sense of providing affordable health care for everyone legally in this country, was never his goal or that of most Democrats in Congress.
He just wants a health care bill, any health care bill nearly will do, so he can claim a big victory.
Posted by: Aprogressiveindependent | December 9, 2009 7:59 PM | Report abuse
Let's get even more creative and eliminate the mandate. This will free up the current ten million or so voluntarily uninsured from being forced under penalty of fine or imprisonment to forgo buying health insurance.
Posted by: reginacoeli | December 9, 2009 7:57 PM | Report abuse
Since the President has no idea what the deal contains he should just shut up until he can read it. Course, it will be like the Stimulus bill for $787 billion that he did not read either before signing it. I thought lawyers were taught to read a document before signing but we have a narcissist who believes he sees all and knows all. Fact is he know little about anything except wanting more and more power.
Go to Oslo, Copenhagen, and hopefully enjoy it so much you decide not to return to further ruin this country.
Posted by: georgiarat | December 9, 2009 7:56 PM | Report abuse
no deal has been struck yet.
they want to give the public a perception that they have something the public will accept. NOT TRUE. A federal agency still overseeing the system equals GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTHCARE. no matter how they try to dress it up.
aside from that the bill is still a dudd. it does nothing to address what ails the healthcare debate and that is no mention of TORT, etc. - - anyone voting for this bill and thinking they will slip by their voters are in dreamland.
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 7:53 PM | Report abuse
Tee hee! Insurance companies get 10 cents of every dollar of premiums. The rest must go to "medical services". So to increase their profits they must increase the cost of medical services, so they can increase the premiums. They can even do what my insurance company did, and force you to buy services (e.g prescription drugs) from them, so they get paid from both ends!
The best way to bring down medical costs is to close insurance companies and outlaw loans for medical services, so no one can charge more than people have to spend, and to take most of the doctors out of the supply chain - why not go directly to the first aid provider, dental technician, blood lab, etc, and leave the doctors out of it? In most of the cases, its the technicians who do the work anyhow.
Posted by: Don19 | December 9, 2009 7:52 PM | Report abuse
no deal has been struck yet.
they want to give the public a perception that they have something the public will accept. NOT TRUE. A federal agency still overseeing the system equals GOVERNMENT RUN HEALTHCARE. no matter how they try to dress it up.
aside from that the bill is still a dudd. it does nothing to address what ails the healthcare debate and that is no mention of TORT, etc. - - anyone voting for this bill and thinking they will slip by their voters are in dreamland.
Posted by: ChooseBestCandidate | December 9, 2009 7:52 PM | Report abuse
Q - What is a typical Repubtard like?
A - See below.
1. Likes illegal aliens for cheap labor.
2. Doesn't want to pay taxes, but expects everyone else to pay taxes.
3. Doesn't want to provide health care to illegal aliens.
4. Thankful we did not have legal abortion during the time Bush was conceived.
5. Prasies Jesus on Sunday and craps on man the rest of the week.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 7:38 PM | Report abuse
All these commenters who think that politicians have the solutions to health care access problems in place for 20+ years, you're clueless and lame! I really hope that the core of responsible physicians will respond to this garbage by finding new careers by 2014, so those left "providing care" will deserve the system that will screw those providers. Hey, fools, this is not about improving access and services, just intruding further and minimizing standards of care just for the sake of a dollar.
And to all those morons who think this will be about "free health care", yeah, it is free as you are the freeloaders who don't pay for care now. I truly look forward to all those who are the choir for these bozos in DC when you as recipients get hit with the fees for insurance coverage because you just don't understand what this bill is about: everyone is paying into it, not just the top 10% of income earners paying for the rest.
All you supporters make me sick, but at least I know my options to seek out those who can help me, because they won't be supporting this crap.
Happy Holidays America, and good luck with your health care needs in 3 years!
Posted by: Joelhassfam4 | December 9, 2009 7:36 PM | Report abuse
Someone must have told Congress that there were a few ordinary, middle-class citizens left in the US, so they decided to wipe us out. Brazilianization.
Posted by: rusty3 | December 9, 2009 7:34 PM | Report abuse
Rev: Don't know what kind of communion juice you have been drinking. This has nothing to do with corp kingpins. It has to do with Joe Blow's taxes and health care skyrocketing to unseen cost levels. And it has to do with you not being able to get health care when you need it...call up some of your Rev. buddies in Canada. And you need to look back at the last four Bush year..guess who was in control of Congress, the same liberal tax and spend folks we have up there...check the rolls of congress. Bash Bush all you want, but you had the same liberal Demos controlling things in his last four years. You had better be praying for all of us if this things passes.
Posted by: tonyjm | December 9, 2009 7:33 PM | Report abuse
Expanding Medicare down to age 55 is worse and will finish it sooner. Medicare ia already bankrupt from provider billing fraus that runs in the billions. By law, it cannot negotiate the lowest prices for medications, supplies and services like the VA. Unlike the VA it has much higher Physician and Hospital costs because it has its own. Unlike the VA, it pays providers more the more they do-all of the above are built-in poison pills which make it unsustainable.
Also, the clause in the Senate bill deferring benefits til 2012 is an insult to our people, to say the least.
Both bills under consideration will fail because they have protected an improper right of the private insurance sector to be at the table instead of as competition to the Public Plan-there cannot be trustworthy negotiation for rates as long as the Foxes are in the henhouse.
Posted by: lionelroger | December 9, 2009 7:27 PM | Report abuse
The President is restoring service to the public from the Oval Office. Rather than destroying the economy for corporate kingpins like his predecessor, Obama is delivering long overdue health care reform. This reform needs strong public option and reproductive health services. The days of stricty serviing corporate and insurance titans and their fringes of loud stooges are over. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta
Posted by: revbookburn | December 9, 2009 7:17 PM | Report abuse
Spend, spend, spend, spend,Dépenser, passer, utiliser, épuiser, uitgeven, besteden, verspillen, verkwisten, أنفق, 度, 耗費, тратить, расходовать, затратить, тратить, Spandeer, harcamak, geçirmek (vakit), tüketmek, farbrengen. In any language, spend is spend and if you spend more than you make you go broke. Wake up congress.
Posted by: tonyjm | December 9, 2009 7:05 PM | Report abuse
They might have had a little to work with if they hadn't also added on an expansion of Medicare. We need to get out of the mindset of expansion, as if expansion is the only form of reform. People still won't be able to afford these private insurance plans run through OPM, they aren't cheap, and so of course government subsidies will be involved in helping people to buy in. We can't afford it.
Posted by: Reactive1 | December 9, 2009 7:05 PM | Report abuse
Obama praises the senate even if they trip on their own balls. But they saved him from the public option that he campaigned on then sold out to AHIP and PhRMA in those backroom deals.
What a sleazy group of politicians. If they had your best interest at heart they would have implemented single payer, saved the country 50% on health care cost, and covered everyone with no exeption.
Next time you're at the voting pole remember you're not really voting for the candidates, but for the lobbyists who paid their campaign and painted you a rosey picture of these idiots.
Posted by: Single_Payer | December 9, 2009 7:03 PM | Report abuse
I live in the European Union and I definitely don't understand why in the US some people does not want a public health system.
We can also make a lot of money if we work hard, we do not pay much many taxes (+-37% if you make 100k dollars a year), it is also possible to have a mac, a mercedes, everything... and in addition to that, we have a public health system that covers not only EU citizens but also emigrants (legal or not) and tourists.
It costs 3000$ per capita. As far as I know, health costs 6000$ per capita in the US.
Posted by: alan_mco | December 9, 2009 7:02 PM | Report abuse
nteresting to note.WAPO is allowing no reader comments on today's story about Washington gate crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahiagree .Nor has WAPO allowed reader comments about Amanda Knox,the rich murderer who laughed thoughout her trial,and was was convicted in Italy.
Posted by: hyroller56 | December 9, 2009 6:55 PM | Report abuse
It is the middle class curse. No public option. No affordable decent insurance if you are under 55, and the only jobs that Obama will make available to you rgardless of your education and skills involves a caulking gun.
Let them eat Caulk, Mr. President. They will never vote for you again.
What a perfect slogan for the way our "leaders" feel about us.
Posted by: dboz1970 | December 9, 2009 6:48 PM | Report abuse
I must say as some who spent their whole life as a Democrat until 2005 AM I GLAD I WOKE UP.. what a bunch of mindless politicians they are.. they can't read, write or do math.. they have NO common sense, lack the ability to use logical problem solving skills and are totally useless.. has anyone out there figured out how much money these DEALS will cost the taxpayers? lets see Louisiana got 300 Million wasn't it?
All you whiners of how the conservatives are the evil people.. Let me ask this WHO pays for your congress person and your senators healthcare? YOU DO..What kind of plan do THEY HAVE? THE BEST OF THE BEST.. and your petty enough to worry about how much a DOCTOR who spend 8 years in school and is STILL paying back student loans makes or how much they have but not the person who IS SUPPOSE TO WORK FOR YOU.. are you all that dumb or are you to lazy to think? 44% of our CONGRESSPEOPLE ARE MILLIONAIRES.. and the service they supply is worthless but someone saving lives isn't suppose to make money? It is reality that IF the Democrats pass healthcare and cap and trade they WILL BE THROWN OUT.. well lets lie THE DEMOCRATS are out regardless.. and as a lifelong Democrat until 2005 when I woke up all I have to say is THANK GOD.. I thought that BUSH and company was a bad but he looks good compared to Obama and company.. By the way you want to cut cost in healthcare, cut the amount they are making at hospitals, and big pharm..
Posted by: lcky9 | December 9, 2009 6:46 PM | Report abuse
Obama is desperate for something . . . anything. He'd praise free Band-Aids for roller derby participants if it was all he could get. The one that must be watched closely is dingy Harry as slithers in and out of closed door meetings.
Posted by: rplat | December 9, 2009 6:45 PM | Report abuse
Obama is desperate for something . . . anything. He'd praise free Band-Aids for roller derby participants if it was all he could get. The one that must be watched closely is dingy Harry as slithers in and out of closed door meetings.
Posted by: rplat | December 9, 2009 6:45 PM | Report abuse
It is the middle class curse. No public option. No affordable decent insurance if you are under 55, and the only jobs that Obama will make available to you rgardless of your education and skills involves a caulking gun.
Let them eat Caulk, Mr. President. They will never vote for you again.
Posted by: Single_Payer | December 9, 2009 6:37 PM | Report abuse
Leiberwocky should be censured by the US Senate and sent away...So should Ben Nelson of Dakota. Both need to be gone - now.
Posted by: rbaldwin2 | December 9, 2009 6:33 PM | Report abuse
I see..so, these pompous elitists think they can tell hard working Americans that they HAVE TO hand over 10% or more of their income to the insurance cartel?
I got news for both sides of the corporatist aisle...shove it up your bottom line. Pass this travesty at your collective political risk.
Posted by: pcw5150 | December 9, 2009 6:29 PM | Report abuse
I have been excited by the possibility of 55+ Medicare buy-in. That is a big concession to progressive notions, a very important step. People 55-65 are particularily screwed, companies don't want to hire them, private insurers have little interest in selling policies to them.
Then I read the last paragraph of this article, and it sounds like the Senators have already caved-in to the special interets. And I note gloomily that Obama made no mention of the Medicare buy-in.
Posted by: HuckFinn | December 9, 2009 6:25 PM | Report abuse
How fittingly humiliating for the Republicans. They are now officially irrelevant.
That's what you get for being the party of "no" when America is hurting.
Posted by: B2O2 | December 9, 2009 6:23 PM | Report abuse
Time to impeach George Bush lite (0bama), toss Reid, and the rest of the creepy crawlers masquerading as Democrats - Put lowlife GOPers in office as we expect to be screwed over by the likes of Lieberman and friends.
Obama and crowd are owned by the Insurance companies, the Finance Companies and the OIL companies -Next election cycle, all regesitered Democrats send them a Message - I did on November fourth - I voted a republican for Virginia Governor. - First time in Decades.
The health reform bill complete with public Option should have been passed early this year, But then it wouldn't have looked like the Democrats weren't actually fighting for Americans.
Obama is just a weaker version of Bush - The Democrat Politicians are protecting their wealth, which derives from Oil, Healt and Insurance stocks - It should be a LAW that all Politicians SELL every stock they own upon election, then when leaving their office, they can re-invest. As the system now works, Politicians get wealthy in office and screw over the people of this nation.
Obama's legacy will not reflect any great strides, as Roosevelt's did, Obama will be seen by history as just another politician out to feather his own nest - self serving, greedy and a lackey for big business interests.
I say toss the lot of em out!
Posted by: maxtor0 | December 9, 2009 6:23 PM | Report abuse
The President has evidently decided to sell out his base, sign what ever his corporate bosses tell him to and declare victory. It's sickening. He has confirmed that our country has ceased to be a democracy and is instead controlled by oligarchic mercenaries. As the Insurance companies gloat, the republicans cackle and the blue dogs smugly revel in their ability to manipulate a docile leadership, regular Americans need to stock up on the vaseline and work for change in 2012.
Posted by: dboz1970 | December 9, 2009 6:22 PM | Report abuse
Taxpayers will now fund the private health insurance companies profits. How can this benefit the people? It will be a budget busting bill.
Me thinks we have some Senators that are only interested in their own seat rather than the nation as a whole.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 6:20 PM | Report abuse
On a serious note - our President understood that congress needs to author this health care bill of rights - he set a simple framework and his assistants are helping to steer the legislation. The President does want the best bill possible and although the republicans won't admit it - they are being forced to contribute ideas many of which are influencing the final bill. When all is said and done this will be the single most important legislation passed in the history of our nation.
It will help to reduce the cost of health care, allow acces to affordable health care for all citizens, and improve the quality of health care be eliminating waste and fraud.
Those who are concerned about the deficit will see that our President is taking the necessary steps. By making military expenditures visible, insisting that health care reform be deficit neutral and beginning the difficult process of eliminating pork and reducing the self influence of lobbyists - deficit spending will be reduced over his term.
We can only hope he choses to run for a second term - given the ingratitude and ignorance he has been faced with.
Our President has humbled himself for winning a nobel peace prize - thanks to media hype and his enemies.
Yet in 11 months he has changed the world forever.
Supported by a broad spectrum of americans across our nation his real enemy is time.
His enemies have attacked him for not solving decdes old problems in 11 months and for not producing miracles overnight BUT those of us with clear vision and intelligence see and understand how much he has accomplished and how hard he has worked.
He is a man of both peace and power but most of all he is restoring what was once good about Americans and America and making us proud to be Americans once more.
Posted by: coralights | December 9, 2009 6:19 PM | Report abuse
agan the crooks are patting themselves on the back and the poor working class are taking the brunt force agan, if this is so good why aren't the politicians on it instead of exempting themselves from it
Posted by: ekirch | December 9, 2009 6:17 PM | Report abuse
agan the crooks are patting themselves on the back and the poor working class are taking the brunt force agan, if this is so good why aren't the politicians on it instead of exempting themselves from it
Posted by: ekirch | December 9, 2009 6:16 PM | Report abuse
"and this Administration is stealing our freedom in every direction. HELP US !!!!
Posted by: ReneesOpinion "
Care to substantiate your claims? or are you just going to throw out teabagger talking points?
Tell me, exactly what "freedoms" have been taken away from you?
Posted by: JRM2 | December 9, 2009 6:16 PM | Report abuse
"In less than a year, Pelosi, Reid, Obama and Move On money are painfully close to bankrupting our country, dismantling its value system and destroying its middle class.
Posted by: JAH3 | December 9, 2009 5:09 PM |"
Except that Bush beat them all to it.
Posted by: JRM2 | December 9, 2009 6:13 PM | Report abuse
Carprin: "What about the MILLIONS of people under the age of 55?"
It depends on what your problem is. If you get insurance through work, make decent middle class money and you think the amount that is deducted is too high, this won't really help you at all right now. You'll just have what you always had.
If you do NOT get it through work, then you know the awful individual market. The Exchange will DRAMATICALLY reduce your costs by getting you onto a group plan like people at big companies.
If you are not well off you will now get subsidies to help you finally be able to afford it.
If you are poor, you may now qualify for expanded Medicaid.
If you are well off, you will now pay a bit more in taxes.
If you want to not have it, you are going to lose some money in tax fines.
And if you don't get it because you are already sick and can't get coverage and have nowhere to turn, well that part of your nightmare is over, and I wish you good fortune with your health in the future.
Posted by: DougChristian | December 9, 2009 6:12 PM | Report abuse
Greetings from that evil den of socialism, Haight-Ashbury...
Anyway, Republicans only seem to whine about spending, when there's a Democrat in office. They never seemed to even blink at spending when Bush, Jr. was president.
Anyway, liberals/progressives, we're on the right track. Amazing! If Obama gets this bill passed, he will be up there with FDR.
Hope and Change are still alive!
Posted by: sslatten3 | December 9, 2009 6:07 PM | Report abuse
Kenya, Barry, Palin's human ancestors cavorting with dinosaurs: Rant on, you sorry, ignorant losers.
Posted by: jimsteinberg1 | December 9, 2009 6:04 PM | Report abuse
Although it's happening too slowly, if this plan is allowed to reach its logical conclusion, eventually everyone will be covered by a Medicare plan (single payer), and as in other civilized countries, the education of doctors will also be paid for by public money. Doctors may not make as much as some of them do now, but they won't have borrowed tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for their medical educations that they must then recoup by going into specialized fields in urban areas--maybe some of our poorly served areas will get medical care.
Posted by: jaec47 | December 9, 2009 6:02 PM | Report abuse
Contrary to not having the Public Option this is still a good bill...
Posted by: danders5000 | December 9, 2009 6:02 PM | Report abuse
The last time Obama approved of something every American lost their house, their jobs, and those that pay well, had credit lines turn into crap and close out.
If Obama said to abolish the whole credit score ideal, for 2 years and clean slate it, then he would have said something to help the people.
What a fraud!!!!
Posted by: dottydo | December 9, 2009 6:01 PM | Report abuse
The Four Rights of a Repubby Entitlement Brat:
1. War
2. Cheap Labor
3. Govt Bailout
4. Low Taxes
Posted by: 76yourfriend | December 9, 2009 5:59 PM | Report abuse
Hey, does anyone think this could have been a bait and switch all along? You roll out a barely defined "Public Option" and let the Republicans tear it down with lies. You say, "but please, this is all we want" in an innocent voice and watch as they take glee in crushing the hopes of the millions of Americans whom they despise. Then you say "Fine. You win. We'll give up the public option. Just give us this (slippery slope) expansion of Medicare (which we wanted all along) and we'll take the loss."
Ahahaha. It's downright foxy. Suckers!
Posted by: DougChristian | December 9, 2009 5:57 PM | Report abuse
Dear Foxolutionists,
it's over, done, finido!
Before the end of this next 4 years you can kiss your tea bags, townhall rants, guns, hatred and lies goodbye!
Truth and goodness wins out. The bad guys always lose.
PS Fox can always steal some film and make it look like your still around.
Posted by: coralights | December 9, 2009 5:55 PM | Report abuse
Beyond hating the President are the republicans, like, in favor of anything?
Posted by: orange3 | December 9, 2009 5:53 PM | Report abuse
"Hey libs, how about YOU pay for YOUR own healthcare? Now that would be CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!
Posted by: cschotta1"
You are a mongoloid. Your village is certainly lamenting the loss of an idiot like you. The plutocrats could not clone better slaves then you.
Posted by: garrafa10 | December 9, 2009 5:53 PM | Report abuse
@TRUTHTELLER: With such a moniker I would have expected a better comment. Illegal aliens will NOT be covered under the proposed legislation, and no senior will be denied coverage under Medicare as it is actually being EXPANDED. Might want to get your facts straight on this one... try reading the bill, then comment. Posted by: jdoyle1 | December 9, 2009 3:57 PM
12M - 20M illegal aliens will NOT be mandated to buy insurance policies like Americans.
Illegal aliens will CONTINUE to receive Free Health Care at Hospital Emergency Rooms - WITHOUT RECOURSE
Illegal aliens will NOT be reported as uninsured and fined (Democrats like to call it a tax) if, when they show up for health care, they are uninsured and can not pay for their care - like Americans
Because illegal aliens are NOT held to the same mandates as Americans, they benefit greatly from this Bill – as Congress intended.
Joe Wilson is the only one in Congress who is not lying as the rest trt to spin this lie to Americans that illegal aliens will not benefit from this Bill.
Millions of Americans would give their eye teeth to NOT BENEFIT like illegal aliens.
Posted by: asmith1 | December 9, 2009 5:53 PM | Report abuse
Boy the concern trolls and repiglicans are out in force today. It's not even a radical plan. only uninsured 55-65 can get into medicare and no subsidies right now. Anyone should be able to buy health insurance. There are plenty of protections to ensure no undocumented immigrants can get any subsidies. The undocumented don't want to go to anything that might expose them to discovery, so getting insurance is probably out of the question.
Posted by: srw3 | December 9, 2009 5:52 PM | Report abuse
BULL ! what about the MILLIONS of people under the age of 55?
If Not the Public Option where do they go for their coverage?
Medicare will be forced to take the older sicker more costly people and not the younger more healthy premioum paying less costly people.
How does this provide competition to the Insurers?
"We have been had we have been tooked we have been Bamboozeled.
This is nothing but a Sell Out to the Insurance Companies and should be rejected by the House.
Who are they representing?
Just remember WE VOTE and 2010 is just around the corner."
Amen, Carprin, I sense that Obama is willing to accept now any compromise that compromises the real health reform which will cover all American citizens, just to declare victory and claim credit. But, 2012 is only three years away and, as much as I hate the Republitards, I hate the Dems who betray their supporters by breaking their promises - starting with Obama. His popularity is below 50% now because he has alienated enough and growing number of his supporters. Health care reform, Afghanistan War, jobs recovery... all are not what his campaign platform of change was about!
Posted by: TalkingHead1 | December 9, 2009 5:49 PM | Report abuse
The right wing comments here fall under the categories of hate, fantasy & wishful thinking. Our President is doing a terrific job. He's hard working, honest, intelligent and most of all he cares about all the people and understands that we need to include everyone and eliminate selfishness and greed.
It's sad to read the comments of individuals who are either morally bankrupt, socially deprived, financially challenged or intellectually lacking.
Posted by: coralights | December 9, 2009 5:46 PM | Report abuse
If you are a Republican and think you've just won something, or if you are progressive and think you have been betrayed, you are very wrong.
This is exactly what progressives should be all about: not radical change, but slow, progressive movement along a path toward a goal. In this case, the goal is single payer, and FINALLY, for the first time all year, the Dems have found that path. A gradual and optional expansion of Medicare is exactly right.
Way to go Democrats! I won't say I knew you could do it, because I didn't, but I'm pleasantly surprised!
Posted by: DougChristian | December 9, 2009 5:44 PM | Report abuse
The Republicans are playing this brilliantly. They are contributing nothing but opposition to this legislation. Not one of the Republican senators will vote for it. And the media will blame the Democrats for that.
Posted by: johnc_80 | December 9, 2009 5:43 PM | Report abuse
At least the republicans generally sell out the nation equally- Democrats sell out their own constituents. They deserve to lose everything in 2012. They will.
Posted by: ihatelogins
nah, that won't happen.
Posted by: HumanSimpleton | December 9, 2009 5:41 PM | Report abuse
Against this sham? Jam Capitol Hill and White House switchboards.
Posted by: JAH3 | December 9, 2009 5:41 PM | Report abuse
How can the American people stop this? There has to be a way.
Posted by: JAH3
By getting enough people who want to stop this elected to office. Duh!
Of course, that assumes that American people want to stop this.
They do not.
Goobers like you might, but you do not represents the American people.
Good thing, too.
Posted by: HumanSimpleton | December 9, 2009 5:40 PM | Report abuse
Git 'er done ! We will lower medicare to 40 next go around and up CHIP to college age and we will have half our loaf. The repuglicans need a Waterloo (toilet water) to follow-up their Waterloo they drank this time last year. let's make it an annual ritual.
Posted by: angriestdogintheworld | December 9, 2009 5:35 PM | Report abuse
wndsauls: "[re: Medicare fraud] Just cleaning this up could eliminate the need to reduce the Medicare funding."
Man, you are thick. The "reduced Medicare funding" IS fraud reduction. No benefits are being cut.
Posted by: DougChristian | December 9, 2009 5:34 PM | Report abuse
The right wingNUTS say they support the military - send the troops what are you waiting for they shout loudly!!
The military says our President did the right thing and as a result we have a much better plan. The military supports our President. Now what lies do they come up with?
The public option will either cost too much or put the insurance companies out of business (not sure why any of the obviously lower class right wingNUTS posting here - should care)
Now what do they say if the public option is replaced and medicare is expanded rather than being reduced as they've been LOUDLY ranting - they simply will get a new set of talking points from FOX!
It must hurt bad to be so wrong & so irrelevant - what we have here is a bunch of right wing Rumpelstiltskin's jumping up and down and screaming to be heard.
Posted by: coralights | December 9, 2009 5:33 PM | Report abuse
At least the republicans generally sell out the nation equally- Democrats sell out their own constituents. They deserve to lose everything in 2012. They will.
Posted by: ihatelogins | December 9, 2009 5:32 PM | Report abuse
This is actually an excellent solution to the standoff. The extra "Medicare Option" will do the same thing a public option would do in terms of competing with private plans without setting up a new agency which was bothering conservatives. When you consider that we were getting down to triggered, opt-in, watered down public options, this should actually be much stronger.
Additionally they will be expanding Medicaid which will really help the most vulnerable people. But listen up liberals cause you're missing the genius of it. Medicare is a single payer system. This offers the path to a single payer system. For the first time Medicare will be competing directly with the private market for people between 55 and 65. And if this goes well, we can try reducing the age to 50, then 40 and eventually...viola!
Posted by: DougChristian | December 9, 2009 5:26 PM | Report abuse
Shakespeare had it right. "First kill all the liberals." Oh wait a minute that was "First Kill all the lawyers" wasn't it. Well, do both then perhaps we will survive this insanity.
Posted by: Hairless | December 9, 2009 5:23 PM | Report abuse
We do need to cover the illegals since it is American's that laid the ground work for them to come here, and we welcomed their cheap labor with open arms.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 5:19 PM | Report abuse
single payer folks approve a filibuster!
Posted by: ryan_heart | December 9, 2009 5:18 PM | Report abuse
These corrupt democrat slugs will do anything to give the incompetent dumbas$ in the White House something to crow about.
There isn't anything much left to destroy.
He has already undermined the private sector and our national security.
Next in line is health care.
When are the people going to wake up and see these irresponsible as$ holes for what they are?
Posted by: LarryG62 | December 9, 2009 5:16 PM | Report abuse
At least we are moving in the right direction to single-payer system. Only then will we be able to have a better health care system than the Cubans.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 5:15 PM | Report abuse
Joe Wilson was RIGHT!
Neither the Senate or the House Bill keeps illegals from recieving health-care benefits. Surprise! Surprise!
Posted by: pgr88 | December 9, 2009 5:13 PM | Report abuse
In less than a year, Pelosi, Reid, Obama and Move On money are painfully close to bankrupting our country, dismantling its value system and destroying its middle class.
Posted by: JAH3 | December 9, 2009 5:09 PM | Report abuse
This 'early' Medicare option opens more opportunity for fraud. With billions of dollars of fraud going on today, correct me if I am wrong....there has been NO mention of tightening this up. More participants, more lists to sell to the crooks to make more false claims to take more of our money. Just cleaning this up could eliminate the need to reduce the Medicare funding.
Posted by: wndsauls | December 9, 2009 5:08 PM | Report abuse
@ ztbc41:
"The plan is far from over, and no public option is what the people want. Or more to the point, they do NOT want the federal government to have yet another proven wasteful program."
Um, that's utter crap. All public opinion polls show over 70% popular support for a public option.
Posted by: Voodoo_Idol | December 9, 2009 5:04 PM | Report abuse
THIS IS SUCH A JOKE. The way this is set up, there will be a trigger that will activate the Public Option. That is why Obama is endorsing it. They think we are SOOO stupid, and many people are. I am an African American and my thoughts and comments have nothing to do with racial prejudice. It has to do with absolute freedom and this Administration is stealing our freedom in every direction. HELP US !!!!
Posted by: ReneesOpinion | December 9, 2009 5:00 PM | Report abuse
First off, the comments on these reader responses are ignorant and prejudicial. Why isn't WP removing these statements and blocking the users? This is a lawsuit waiting to happen.
I am from an American generation when you did not speak this way about your President, especially when you could not offer an educated response. There is no reason to believe these comments are perpetuated from any personality other than a racist one.
As for the bill's proposals, the deletion of the government option is a prayer answered; no one wants Washington to be their insurer. However, no adequate plan has been presented to cover the gap in Medicare that will be created when lowering the eligibility rate.
Likewise, Medicare Advantage is still taking a direct hit from this reform bill, as it remains the primary revenue source to finance universal coverage. Is it the opinion of these lawmakers that both traditional Medicare and its partner program can assume the hits it will take? Medicare Advantage remains the primary program for prescription and dental coverage for America's seniors -who will now be 55 or older? These beans don't add up.
Also, a return to the original observation -if you are not acdemically qualified to comment on the stories, then please stick to Craigslist Rant and Raves.
Thank you.
Posted by: joneshn | December 9, 2009 4:56 PM | Report abuse
BULL ! what about the MILLIONS of people under the age of 55?
If Not the Public Option where do they go for their coverage?
Medicare will be forced to take the older sicker more costly people and not the younger more healthy premioum paying less costly people.
How does this provide competition to the Insurers?
We have been had we have been tooked we have been Bamboozeled.
This is nothing but a Sell Out to the Insurance Companies and should be rejected by the House.
Who are they representing?
Just remember WE VOTE and 2010 is just around the corner.
Posted by: Carprin | December 9, 2009 4:56 PM | Report abuse
There they go again. And they keep on hammering. The inept Democrat Senators and Representatives have been at the same bone for 12 months now and they won't let go. Why because they are all going to fill up their pockets with all the pay offs. They is the Historic most Unscrupulous Administration we have ever had! This is not a Democratic Government anymore. It's a Dictatorship lead by a Socialist-Communist Civilian that has taken over and will take completely over the USA Government and there won't be anymore elections here. He is setting things up to do this and we are let this inept guy take over. What a disgrace!!! This jerk and mimic of a president only cares about himself and how rich he is becoming. Just like Gore and Clinton with all their lies and Cons.
Posted by: amapola11 | December 9, 2009 4:53 PM | Report abuse
I cannot believe Obama has actually jumped off the precipice and capitulated on the Public Plan. He can kiss off his Presidency. The rest of the Democrats in Congress will go the same way in spite of the majority they hold.
There is a privileged group of around 100 million already getting Government-sponsored Health Care in America: Medicare, Medicaid, all members of Congress, the Military, the VA, Federal employees and the CHIPS program. Congress stubbornly refuses to give the same care to the other 200 million paying for this.
And our President is absolutely terrified to defy Congress or even his own rogue Blue Dogs that were elected on this Public Plan expectation. It will be a Presidency so short it will seem like he just crashed a Party in the White House and nothing more. Here today and gone toomorow. What a letdown for me and all of the hope for change population of America-two worthless bills, just for a campaign promise.
Posted by: lionelroger | December 9, 2009 4:51 PM | Report abuse
My mother struggled with Medical expenses..
With Soc.Secr. being her only income..I had to help..our she would have been in the streets...as for the care..the only reason she lived for as long as she did is I found a doctor that cared..The ones she did have damaged her to a point of not return..she was from the old school of trusting..a lot of good it did her.
At the end she relized just how much she was taken for over the years and showing nothing for it nor able to help grandkids..That hurt worse..so THANKS GREAT GOV. politics...THANKS for nothing..THANKS for messing up this country..and thanks for stepping on the rights of the people..Remember 1776 ... I think it is about time again...
Posted by: rw62827 | December 9, 2009 4:51 PM | Report abuse
Boys and girls, can you say "SELLOUT"?
Posted by: nan_lynn | December 9, 2009 4:51 PM | Report abuse
Single Payer: works fine everywhere except the USA? - i guess its some kinda geographical phenomena?
Posted by: ryan_heart | December 9, 2009 4:48 PM | Report abuse
How can the American people stop this? There has to be a way.
Posted by: JAH3 | December 9, 2009 4:47 PM | Report abuse
Let's face it America. Our Senate and Congressional Leaders are hired hands. Bought, Paid and Controlled by private insurance groups. We don't have a voice for the common people in America. We will not have a voice until campaign finance reform requires non lobby interest group funding. (Public funding only). As long as the dollars are influencing the moral conscious of our leaders in this country, We The People are doomed. This bill stinks. What ever happened to teaching our children to shoot for the stars, Never settle for less, demmand what is morally right. Or are we the country of "any old something is better than nothing."
Posted by: nirvanna222 | December 9, 2009 4:46 PM | Report abuse
Neo-con Repubtard: An idiot that does not want to pay tax, but expects others to pay tax.
Posted by: Maddogg | December 9, 2009 4:44 PM | Report abuse
Once this is in play...grab your ankles ...
we are in for a ride ... and so are our kids ...
Posted by: rw62827 | December 9, 2009 4:44 PM | Report abuse
re: ztcb41
And yet you dont judge a man by his character but by the color of his skin.
Never before has so much exception to lying and misleading been overlooked simply because his skin my dictate him excuse.
The plan is far from over, and no public option is what the people want. Or more to the point, they do NOT want the federal government to have yet another proven wasteful program.
The plan might be scrapped as it does little or nothing at all, but still waste money for all the lobbyists that filled democrats pockets.
The plan does NOT allow for insurance companies to compete across state lines NOR does it have tort reform against crazy punitive damages. These 2 things are what the people want TO START yet these to things are being avoided by the democrats like the plague. WHY!?
Posted by: jabberwolff | December 9, 2009 4:44 PM | Report abuse
Politician....... another word for &^%#$@
Posted by: rw62827 | December 9, 2009 4:43 PM | Report abuse
Just a comment....you all know Sup.Ins. is going to be needed..guess whom is infavor of this..Ummmm AARP/BlueCross...and the others...and that is because it does not cover everything nor cover all the costs..been through this with mother on Medicare..like this is no Diff. and Medicare is still going to be CUT...
and we will have another Gov. run mess..
taking up more...MORE...tax dollars...wake up people...take note who votes for this and REMEMBER...them...
This could have been simple..but they have YET crossed the issue of basic COSTS...
My Ins. just went up again..and no extra coverage...JUST like Medicare and the rest..COST...COST...COST...
I can not afford to get sick...PERIOD...
Posted by: rw62827 | December 9, 2009 4:41 PM | Report abuse
earth to Obama's brain stem
we already pay 2x too much
don't throw 2 trillion more at the ceos
copy that?
over and out!
Posted by: ryan_heart | December 9, 2009 4:40 PM | Report abuse
I'm completely confident this is going to culminate in the same tremendous success as did "cash for clunkers", the auto bailout, the bank bailout, the housing recovery, the wall street bailout, the unemployment picture, the war strategy, and the handling of GITMO.
If Oboozo could only have the same success planning his vacations maybe he wouldn't find his way back.
Posted by: Bcamp55 | December 9, 2009 4:39 PM | Report abuse
I guess now they are using the words "cost savings" not in the sense that we will save money, but in the sense that it will cost less than their other more expensive plan.
This would really crack me up if I weren't positive that this will cost us all more while providing more rationed care.
I would have preferred ACTUAL health care reform to this. The kind that actually reforms the cost of health care, instead of protects the profits of the health care monopolies.
It's the COST, Stupid!
Posted by: postfan1 | December 9, 2009 4:35 PM | Report abuse
All of you crying about paying for other people's health care: if you have a group insurance policy (e.g. health care through your employer) you are already paying for the health care of everyone that has a policy under that group policy.
Will you PLEASE shut up about it now?
Posted by: Voodoo_Idol | December 9, 2009 4:35 PM | Report abuse
The real untold story here?
Obama reid pelosi is destroying
the US Tax Base.
Expect much much much higher taxes
next year, if you still have a job,
or a home.
Good Luck, Fellow Americans.
Posted by: simonsays1 | December 9, 2009 4:34 PM | Report abuse
Posted by: cschotta1
Hey libs, how about YOU pay for YOUR own healthcare? Now that would be CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!
As soon as YOU pay for YOUR wars and foreign occupations.
Posted by: lip111 | December 9, 2009 4:33 PM | Report abuse
Every Single Day,
there is the same headline,
Obama Praising Chinese
Obama Praising Palenstinians
Obama Praising Congress
Praising Praising Praising,
This Guys only talent is kissing butt.
Good God, We have elected the company
suck up!
Posted by: simonsays1 | December 9, 2009 4:32 PM | Report abuse
Hey libs, how about YOU pay for YOUR own healthcare? Now that would be CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!
Posted by: cschotta1 | December 9, 2009 4:28 PM | Report abuse
Start the impeachment proceedings.
Posted by: Bubbette1 | December 9, 2009 4:28 PM | Report abuse
Didn't we try non-profit years ago? Remember Blue Cross? You know what happened to Blue Cross...they turned private. Why? Because there was just WAYYYYYY to much money to be made going private. This isn't health reform, it's more money to the insurance companies and the same power they enjoy to gouge the crap out of us and deny coverage when we get sick. This is a win win for insurance companies. But what do I care, I'm moving to London now.
Posted by: kubrickstan | December 9, 2009 4:27 PM | Report abuse
Just another deal to keep the killer insurance companies in the money. With this deal, insurance companies have been given the go-ahead to continue to ration and deny necessary health care and raise premiums to the skies -- just as the pharmaceutical companies have been raising drug prices non-stop after the Medicare Modernization and Prescription Drug Act.
Posted by: ccs53 | December 9, 2009 4:25 PM | Report abuse
When congress gets "creative" you KNOW taxpayers are about to get the shaft.
Posted by: Tupac_Goldstein | December 9, 2009 4:25 PM | Report abuse
This is more movement in the right direction. More Medicare expansion and buy in and shoring up an already existing gov. program and not reinventing the wheel.
Let some means testing be available as well for the poor with support while eliminating Medicaid as it is so poorly paying. Add buy ups to 100% coverage and extras for drug coverage and you have competition and near 95% of humanily health coverage of US citizens.
Posted by: crrobin | December 9, 2009 4:23 PM | Report abuse
This bill now represents a foundation for future Medicare reforms that will convert the program from serving its over-65 and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) participants to a far greater single-payer entity that could serve the entire population by century's end.
I support single-payer, but in a nation of 300 million people and doctors and hospitals that run by the profit motive, you have to accept that going from our current system to a single-payer system that would not bankrupt the country can only be achieved slowly and gradually.
Posted by: Meepo | December 9, 2009 4:21 PM | Report abuse
Boycott Barack.
Posted by: Jerzy | December 9, 2009 4:15 PM | Report abuse
Anytime legislation gets the presidential blessing it is a big deal. Folks like Feingold will have tough decisions to make.
Posted by: parkerfl1 | December 9, 2009 4:04 PM | Report abuse
..."If the Democrats fail to insure all 50 Million American's they are THREW! If the Democrats cave in to 4 runaway conservative/Democrats in our party, which they have RUINED, then they are threw!
If the Democrats fail and compromise on a weak BILL, where compromise "MAKES FOR A LEAKY ROOF, THEN THEY ARE THREW!
As a registered Voter/Vet USAF, I am disgusted that their are 4 runaway conservative/Democrats in our party they need to be "BOOTED OUT" before they get my Party BOOTED OUT!
THey have compromised away the Public Option and I and millions of American's are very unhappy, and I hope the states where Nelson, Lincoln, Lieberman, and one more who shall remain nameless "SHOULD BE BOOTED OUT OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY!
These traitors have ruined my party and denied 50 Million American's Universal Health Insurance, because they are in the WRONG PARTY and ON THE WRONG SIDE!
...."A time comes when Silence is Betrayal." ---Martin L. King
...To my good friend United States Majority Leader Harry Reid, I say to you sir, "GET RID OF THESE TRAITORS IN OUR MISTS BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET RID OF YOU/Democrats!
We have the Majority and these traitors in our mists are ruining our party and our country and are traitors in our mists!
Posted by: ztcb41 | December 9, 2009 4:00 PM | Report abuse
This is not a "deal". This is just more democratic capitulation. The country really only has one political party: the corporate party. And Obama is a fraud too. His decisions and policies are indistinguishable from republicans'.
Posted by: lip111 | December 9, 2009 3:59 PM | Report abuse
"They do, however, find it perfectly moral to cut Medicare, the health insurance of the aged, the clinically sick, and the catastrophically ill by half a trillion dollars.
Posted by: TRUTHTELLER13"
So I take it that you are satisfied that they are going to expand medicare then?
Posted by: JRM2 | December 9, 2009 3:58 PM | Report abuse
Here's hoping that the parasites in the so-called insurance industry are happy!
Posted by: branfo4 | December 9, 2009 3:57 PM | Report abuse
With such a moniker I would have expected a better comment. Illegal aliens will NOT be covered under the proposed legislation, and no senior will be denied coverage under Medicare as it is actually being EXPANDED. Might want to get your facts straight on this one... try reading the bill, then comment.
Posted by: jdoyle1 | December 9, 2009 3:57 PM | Report abuse
My wife worked on a catering event for a local Doctor, he lived in a luxurious very large home in an affluent neighborhood. He had six fancy european cars and 5 high-performance motorcycles. The catering was for his 1 year old son's birthday and they spent 25k on the party. I videotaped it for them and they tried to stiff me on the fee.
The only things doctors like him will lose is their 7th luxury car and 6th motorcycle (if that)
I think doctors SHOULD make very good money but how many pairs of fine italian shoes are enough?, 150? 200?
Meanwhile some guy who has worked hard all his life loses everything because his health insurance wasn't sufficient.
I think
Posted by: JRM2 | December 9, 2009 3:56 PM | Report abuse
This is horribly disappointing, and contrasts starkly with Obama's own position on college loans in this country. Federal loans to college students are currently administered by private companies who obviously take a percentage of the loan as profit (via excess interest) for managing the payments. Obviously the costs are higher with the middle-man involved, so why is the same logic not being applied to health care? This REEKS of influence by special interests - the same ones Obama pledges to fight almost daily - yet here we are, left holding the shaft of yet another once promising piece of reform legislation that has been gutted by the wise old Senate. Typically I'm optimistic in these situations, but after seeing what the Senate has done to the Climate Change Act and Credit Card Reform Act this year, the power of K Street is as strong as ever...
Posted by: jdoyle1 | December 9, 2009 3:54 PM | Report abuse
The Democrats say it is immoral not to give free health insurance to illegal aliens.
They do, however, find it perfectly moral to cut Medicare, the health insurance of the aged, the clinically sick, and the catastrophically ill by half a trillion dollars.
Posted by: TRUTHTELLER13 | December 9, 2009 3:51 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.


text:
It's not easy for presidents to say 'I'm sorry'
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Nearly every president ends up saying he's sorry for something America has done -- from a bomb gone tragically astray to the locking up of Japanese-Americans during World War II. This time it's disrespectful disposal of Qurans. And again there are critics who see an apology as a sign of weakness or a failure of patriotism.
Should being president mean never having to say you're sorry?
Few would go that far, but there are plenty of advocates for keeping presidential regrets to a minimum.
It seems that the bigger the national blunder, the more controversial the apology.
So saying the U.S. is sorry for the mistaken bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia or the accidental sinking of a Japanese fishing boat is widely accepted. But apologizing for the moral catastrophe of slavery is so contentious that no president has done so.
John Murphy, a University of Illinois associate professor who studies presidential rhetoric, looks at it this way: Nations aren't that different from regular people.
"On a personal level, too, we're much more willing to apologize if everybody involved knows it was an accident," he said. "Oops, I did that, wasn't that stupid of me."
It's easier for a spouse to apologize for breaking an heirloom piece of china than to say "I'm sorry" for indulging in an illicit affair.
Murphy puts the burning of Qurans at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan in the category of an accident, although the results have been tragic. At least 20 people, including two U.S. soldiers, have been killed in violence that broke out in protest after Afghans learned that Qurans were among trash dumped into a pit for burning.
The U.S. military's policy is to handle the Muslim holy book with care and respect. In a letter of apology, Obama assured Afghan President Hamid Karzai that "the error was inadvertent" and he would make sure it didn't happen again. A top Pentagon official apologized again Friday at a big mosque in suburban Virginia.
Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich denounced Obama's apology. But he painted it as symptomatic of broader weakness in the Middle East. "This president has gone so far at appeasing radical Islamists that he is failing in his duty as commander in chief," Gingrich said while campaigning in Spokane, Wash.
Another GOP candidate, Mitt Romney, has repeatedly mocked Obama for what he sees as a series of apologies for America's historical misdeeds, "both real and imagined." Romney, who pointedly named his campaign book "No Apology," says Obama's critiques of America's faults are kindling to "anti-American fires burning all across the globe."
But in the speeches in the Europe and Middle East that Romney cites, Obama never said "I'm sorry."
For every critic of national apologies, there are countless people crying out that their suffering, or the mistreatment of their ancestors, hasn't been properly addressed -- advocates of reparations for slavery, for example.
The U.S. House and Senate approved resolutions apologizing for slavery -- more than a century after the Emancipation Proclamation -- but no chief executive has directly done so.
President Bill Clinton sparked controversy when he offered contrition short of a formal apology, telling Ugandan school children in 1998 that "European Americans received the fruits of the slave trade, and we were wrong in that."
Republican lawmakers complained that Clinton had lowered the dignity of his office. Tom DeLay, the House majority whip at the time, said he was offended to see a president "directly or indirectly attacking his own country in a foreign land."
But the next president, George W. Bush, a Republican, took on the national stain of slavery much more directly, calling it "one of the greatest crimes of history."
In a powerful speech in Senegal in 2003, Bush described the horrors of slavery and the injustices of segregation and said that only through centuries of struggle had America "learned that freedom is not the possession of one race."
But he didn't apologize.
The power of saying "I'm sorry" is supposed to be something everyone learns as a child. So why is it so hard for presidents?
"When a president does this kind of thing it has unusual force," Murphy said. "They are standing up there, representing us as a nation. That's why this gets to be so controversial."
Even a congressional resolution of apology doesn't carry the same emotional weight.
President Ronald Reagan was initially reluctant to apologize to Japanese-Americans who were imprisoned in camps during World War II. He did so after Congress issued its apology and provided for reparations.
George W. Bush apologized for abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib after the photographic evidence was seen around the world. He called it "a stain on our country's honor and our country's reputation"
After years of pressure by Native Americans, in 2009 Congress passed, and Obama signed, a resolution apologizing "on behalf of the people of the United States to all native peoples for many instances of violence, maltreatment and neglect."
At other times presidents have admitted things have gone wrong, giving the impression of an apology while stopping just short: Bush on his administration's flawed response to Hurricane Katrina, President Richard Nixon regretting the Watergate break-in, Reagan on the arms-for-hostages scandal.
Instead of a simple "I'm sorry," Reagan offered: "Mistakes were made."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Item #1265
Annual. Scarlet flax is a show-off in the garden. Each brilliant red flower lasts just a day, but in profusion they set the
garden ablaze with intense color.
Easy to grow, and low maintenance,
plants tolerate hot and dry conditions.
Allow plants to reseed, and you'll be
rewarded with months and years of
This is an ornamental flax, and not intended for consumption.
Seedling Image
Full Sun
12" - 18" tall
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 1 to 2 weeks before average last frost. Super easy to grow from seed; simply scatter seeds every 2 to 4 weeks for continual flowering through fall. In mild climates, sow in fall for winter bloom.
When to start inside: 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost; not recommended because can be difficult to transplant. Handle carefully, or sow in pulp pots that can be planted directly into the ground.
Artist: Carolyn Crawford
Item #1265
1.50 grams
What is Soil?
Soil is a diverse mix of substances, teeming with life and composed of minerals, decayed plant and animal matter, water, and air. It…More…
If you have a vacant lot, slope, field, or a large bare area you want to "naturalize", here are some suggestions. VARIETIES: Choose either prepared…More…
These are some simple techniques you can use to extend the life of your cut flowers from days, to over a week.
1) In the morning or early evening,…More…