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White House to Democrats: ‘Punch back twice as hard’ – Carrie Budoff Brown – POLITICO.com — None of this would have happened if the lazy Congress decided not to take a month vacation, would it?
Top White House aides gave Senate Democrats a recess battle plan on Thursday, arming the lawmakers with tips for avoiding disastrous town hall meetings while showing them polling on popular aspects of the reform effort.
Senior White House adviser David Axelrod and deputy chief of staff Jim Messina told senators to focus on the insured and how they would benefit from “consumer protections” in the overhaul, such as ending the practice of denying insurance
based on preexisting conditions and ensuring the continuity of coverage between jobs.They showed video clips of the confrontational town halls that have dominated the media coverage, and told senators to do more prep work than usual for their public meetings by making sure their own supporters turn out, senators and aides said.
And they screened TV ads and reviewed the various campaigns by critics of the Democratic plan.
“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,” Messina said, according to an official who attended the meeting.
Meanwhile this is getting ugly. When you have a real unemplyment rate of perhaps 16-percent or higher, you don’t want this sort of thing to develop. At the end of the day, it’s something to do and fun for a lot of people. Bigger and bigger riots will happen. The vacation month just started.
You wanna know how you do it? Here’s how, they pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way…..
Malone – Sean Connery – Untouchables 1987
Man that sure sounds like the Obomba Chicago way.
Worthless pieces of shit can’t take a little heat. Our gutless Senator won’t even hold a town hall meeting because he is afraid there won’t be a bunch of Obomba boot lickers (similar to Dallas but I wouldn’t want to insult boot lickers in general).
I agree with Bobbo – VOTE ALL INCUMBENTS OUT OF OFFICE
“focus on the insured and how they would benefit from “consumer protections” in the overhaul”
Um, why do I worry whenever the government says the are out to protect me?
I was once in hope that we could really do this for ourselves and our future generations, but because of the greed of the mighty, I believe what ever we end up with will be less than what any normal american deserves, the greedy and rich will still continue to get their share, and the people who cook your meals and clean your houses, watch your children, and do everthing else that YOU dont want to do will still be left behind… Shame on the Repubs and Shame on America… Insurance coverage is normally a benefit (or offering) to an employee with full time employment. Employers will start keeping workers at 35 hours a week, just to avoid the higher cost of offering coverage… the system is Broken…and looks Doomed… By virtue of being born in America or Being Born in Canada or Europe will determine if you may be catasrophically reuined financially if you need any major medical attention. Americans are good at wanting to help others,and fly all over the world to Help the needy or ask for donations for any cause… buts its about we helped ourselves.. I for one have all but given up on any chance to see this in my life time. The world now knows one of Americas dirty secrets.. we cant even take care of our own… or is that we dont want to take care of our own? The decision makers are once again in a position to make decisions that they are not effectd by. They are covered…
Take note America, Canada is Kicking our Ass.. the cost of doing business in America is too High and this is a major reason Why.
Apologies for the rantings….
I find it interesting that Dems are saying that the Repubs have offered no reform alternatives whatsoever. How about all the Republican sponsored tort reform bills?
What about the greed of trial attorneys? Why doesn’t anyone report on this? How many lawyers are millionaires as a result of medical lawsuits? Anyone who has ever gone to a doctor has paid money directly into their pockets.
That is the Dems sacred third rail of medical reform. They stand for the the blood sucking trial lawyers that have caused our medical expenses to exponentially increase.
Why not discuss reducing medical lawsuits as a way to reduce medical costs? Nah, let’s just let Congress control 1/7 of the U.S. economy and spend us into bankruptcy.
Nobody gives a shit about the people that need this health care bill. They don’t have any money!
Tasers where invented for rabble like this.
#5 and #8
You miss the problem.
The problem is a lot of people have now read part or or of the bill and have at least a clue how it will impact them and their families.
No amount of verbiage is going to change what the bill says and if the voters don’t like what the bill says these guys are at war with their voters and that’s a war I don’t think they can win.
>> Mark T. said, on August 7th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
>> I find it interesting that Dems are saying that the Repubs have offered no reform alternatives whatsoever. How about all the Republican sponsored tort reform bills?
Tort reform isn’t a serious proposal, and you know it. It _might_ save 5% if you are lucky. http://tinyurl.com/folq3
Meanwhile the insurance companies are jacking up our rates more-than-that EVERY YEAR. http://tinyurl.com/nzc2n
Worse, you give the insurance companies THOUSANDS of your dollars and they dump you if you get seriously sick — making you lose ALL YOUR MONEY!
Yet, for some bizarro reason, you conservatives love the system that screws us.
I want to have the health care plan and retirement plan the Senate has!
OR
I’m all for a universal health care plan IF Congress has to go on it as well…
“To hell with them if they cant pay or we cant extract one more penny from the working man….,
….said the RepubliCANT’S
I would be interesting if the people opposed to the Obama plan were to be truthful and state their personal situation with regard to health care… I am sure most have it paid for by a corporation or they are a retired govt employee anyway…
I was once denied coverage, because of the timezone I was in when I required the insurance… the system is broken… sad but true.
Anyone notice the protesters are all white people? No blacks, Hispanics, Asians, etc whatsoever in these screaming groups of loonies. Only whites, with Nazi or other racist signs. This is a dead giveaway to what this “movement” is all about and the REAL reasons behind it. The Repubs should be very wary of these associations, as the rest of the country is watching, the people who elected Obama, the MAJORITY of people in this country. I have voted Republican in the past, but don’t think I want to be associated with white supremacist racist mobs and the party that purports to represent these types of people any more.
Uncle Patso
“Some of the regulations you suggest sound like good ideas — but isn’t that also more government encroachment?”
Good! This is called Discourse/Discussion/Debate.
It seems the Obama Administration doesn’t want any of this and are trying to force their plan down our throats.
We need to slow down, take a deep breath, and consider that the regular citizenry on a blog can come up with alternative proposals which may be far better than the Government Option.
yeah, it does seem like the ‘solution’ has been presented, and the Dem’s are wondering why we arent’ standing up and applauding…
I wonder whey they’re suprised.
Everyone needs to Chill Out (Obama’s peeps included) and talk things through.
#49, Thinker,
Everyone needs to Chill Out (Obama’s peeps included) and talk things through.
Talk what through?
Getting a similar system to what the rest of the industrialized world has?
Getting quality health care to those currently uninsured and under-insured?
Reducing health care costs in America?
Channeling health care dollars from the CEOs paychecks to those that need it?
Cease funding unnecessary testing and procedures in Doctor owned hospitals where the referring doctor is paid a portion of those useless tests and procedures?
Have an emergency room do more than put a band-aid on a broken leg of an uninsured person beause no one will pay them for the service?
You know, I don’t know what there is to talk about. The health insurance industry has had years to talk about these things and hasn’t. Instead they continued to raise prices and drop people that suddenly needed their services.
The best they can come up with is “tort reform”. Limit the damages someone who had the wrong leg cut off and life ruined can be awarded. Leave that guy put in a wheelchair through negligence penniless too. Yup, it was the lawyer’s fault the surgeon left the clamp inside the patient. Tort reform.
The best system for America is the single payer used in all other countries. If you want extra or private insurance then go for it. Anything less is still enriching those already rich.
#50
> The best system
> for America is the
> single payer used in
> all other countries.
Fine. Let one or more of the States implement it and let’s see how well it works. If it works as well as you claim, people will want to move to those States in droves and the other States will follow suit. Forcing a Federal solution down the throats of the taxpayers is the wrong solution.
#52, Thomas,
Eff you. The majority of Americans realize the health care system in this country is broken. They want change. If you don’t want to partake of the democratic process then go find yourself some country where the government doesn’t interfere.
I heard Somalia is just ripe for people like you. No infrastructure, carry your full automatic in open sight, no taxes, no beggars outside your door after you shoot them, pay for your own health care and no one else, no welfare for couch potatoes, and a host of other things that any Liebertarian will find to their liking.
But leave the majority to forge their own country in the image they want, here.
Your ad hominem shows us what you think of the democratic process.
EVERYONE (Republicans, Democrats, anarchists, poor people in the street, wealthy, everyone) agrees that SOMETHING must be done to improve health care. That is not in dispute. However, there are many options that do not require tearing down the entirety of the health care insurance system that will help. The road the lemming Democrats are going down will make things much worse than they are now. Democrats in general seem to be completely ignorant of the concept of scarcity.
If you think a single payer system is so great, then have your State implement it. That is process of a Federated Republic. Why are so against that? If you think its great, then do it in your State and let’s see how it goes. Do you hate the people of your own State? If your State implements a great system, other States will want to mimic it and eventually we might take all the great ideas from all the States’ implementations, fix the bad ideas and put a consolidated approach in place.
I want the ***Federal*** government to do what it was original intended: facilitate interstate commerce and leave it to the States. It was **never** intended to be the all controlling behemoth that it is now. In fact, the original design of the country was to prevent just that. If you want an all controlling government having say over your health care, move to the UK or France or given your proclivities, North Korea, Cuba or China. I hear they are looking for people like you.
Mr Fusion
We disagree (surprise).
I recently purchased 100 pocket copies of the US Constitution so that I could pass them out to people to lazy to make the effort to buy their own. It may or may not help but I do it because I believe in the system, sort of. I don’t believe in the federal government the way it is today. It never should have been allowed to get to where it is today and if it had been kept in check when the progressives started hosing it we most likely wouldn’t be arguing like this today.
The PEOPLE then the STATES keep the power except what WE decide to grant to the feds.
So here we are. Who do you believe? Governments around the world that have single payer systems have to ration health care, there is no other way. In order to control costs they must dictate how much a doctor gets paid and how much a service costs.
You say that every other country in the world has single payer. I find that hard to believe but let’s say I take your world that the US is the only country in the world that doesn’t have SP. That doesn’t make the rest of the world correct.
I for one (and a boatload of others) do not want the feds controlling my health insurance. No one is turned away at an emergency room for service, I know I was uninsured while unemployed and need major surgery. I had it and had to pay it back which I did. that’s called personal responsibility. I have friends that had two children and had no health care for 15 years. It was their choice.
Now this administration wants to take it away from us (freedom of choice).
I have heard nothing good about the new healthcare plan, nothing except that it will cover people that don’t want insurance and illegal aliens.
So, those of us who do not want the feds screwing with us protest. While you might think I only protest democratic BS when it happens the reason for that is that it usually the democrats who want to take aware our freedoms by making us dependent on the government. Turning us into a nanny state.
I’d prefer to have the freedom of choice.
#52, Eff you.
There you go, thinking with your emotions again.
But leave the majority to forge their own country in the image they want, here.
This is a REPUBLIC. It is not supposed to be mob rule. That’s why there is a CONSTITUTION explaining that.
#54, Thomas,
However, there are many options that do not require tearing down the entirety of the health care insurance system that will help.
I notice you didn’t list one of those alternatives.
If you think a single payer system is so great, then have your State implement it.
Are you retarded? The current laws on health care forbid individual States from regulating health care. And, in case you don’t ever read the Constitution, this is a Federal matter.
#57, Idiotic Loser,
This is a REPUBLIC. It is not supposed to be mob rule. That’s why there is a CONSTITUTION explaining that.
This country is a Constitutional Democratic Republic.
Constitution.
The country has a Stated basis for all laws and the limits the government make take.
Democratic
The people elect representative to govern the country as to their wishes.
Republic
A form of government with an elected leader and a representative legislature.
The political leaders in this nation do not always do what is best or what the individual wants. BUT, that is the whole base of being a democracy. If we do not like what they do we can vote them out the next election. If their laws abridge the Constitution, the matter may be settled in a court of law according to what the Constitution allows.
There’s a lot in this bill besides healthcare. Maybe the healthcare system does need an overhaul, but this bill has had so much stuff added to it that this bill is about a *lot* more.
Healthcare should be a separate discussion from this bill. This bill needs to NOT pass…. google around, it is scary.
#58, ME
The current laws on health care forbid individual States from regulating health care.
This is incorrect.
Federal laws have supplanted State regulation for employer based health care. Since the vast majority of insured people are insured through their employer or Federal programs (Medicare, etc) the States have no authority over them. They do have regulatory power over self insured.
So that sentence above should have been:
The current laws on health care forbid individual States from regulating health carefor the vast majority of Americans.
#58
> I notice you didn’t list one
> of those alternatives.
Just streamlining the laws so that health insurance companies can insure anyone from any State would be a prime example of something that could be done in the short term that would reduce cost that would not require tearing down the current system.
> The current laws on health care
> forbid individual States from
> regulating health care
Then let’s fix THAT problem instead of throwing out the baby with the bath water.
> And, in case you don’t ever
> read the Constitution, this
> is a Federal matter.
Actually, I have read the Constitution quite thoroughly many times and there is absolutely NOTHING in the Constitution that says anything about granting the power to the Federal government to centralize all health care coverage.
#62
If Obama had mandated that the States find a way of providing “basic” health care coverage for all of its constituents, I’d be more on board with that than a Federal solution. In addition, we need to find a way of changing the target customer of health care coverage from the employer to the individual. If we did that, along with making it possible for any insurance company to insure any citizen in any State, that would go a long way towards reducing cost.
Looks like the “Haves” are working their hardest to ensure the have-nots have even less.
Their latest tactic is to brainwash have-nots into becoming unpaid astroturfers.
#60, This country is a Constitutional Democratic Republic.
Article IV – The States
Section 4 – Republican government
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.
The Constitution states this is a Republic, not a Constitutional Democratic Republic.
Apply all the modifiers you want, it doesn’t change the fact.
The reps are supposed to work WITHIN the Constitution, NOT try to circumvent it. And the Constitution clearly states that unless it is specially called for, the FG can’t do it.
However, I don’t blame you for misunderstanding that. The public school system consistently teaches that fallacy and the FG is constantly talking about “spreading democracy.” You just need to be de-brainwashed, that’s all.
Read the 10th Amendment again. And this time, please try to use an open mind. I know it doesn’t fit your worldview and probably makes you mad that I’m right, but that’s the way things are.
#64, Thomas,
Once again you demonstrate you only know Republican talking points.
. . . with making it possible for any insurance company to insure any citizen in any State, that would go a long way towards reducing cost.
That wouldn’t solve the problem of the insurance companies overcharging premiums, dropping coverage, allowing doctors to double dip, covering those who can’t afford coverage, CEOs being paid nine figure salaries, 30% of premiums going to overhead instead of health care, dropping or not covering pre-existing problems, or forcing doctors to spend hours on the phone trying to have a patient get a procedure.
All you want to do is remove even more regulation, what little there is.
#68
Again, your ad hominem shows that you really don’t want to understand the myriad of reasons for having a republic.
*Competition* would solve the problem of overcharging premiums, dropping coverage all else you mentioned. There is almost none right now and insurance companies completely cater to employers instead of individuals. Frankly, I could care less if a CEO is getting a billion dollars if the service his company provides to me is worth it AND I can go somewhere else if it does not. Do you care if the CEO of Coca-Cola gets millions of dollars when you buy a coke?
I never said we need to remove regulation. We need to *streamline* regulation so that any insurance company in any State can cover any individual. Further, we need legislation that forces the insurance companies to only sell to individuals and not employers. In other words, we need the Federal government to eliminate the barriers to competition. In CA, there is stiff regulation on coverage to small companies with less than 50 employees. Insurance companies are only allowed to charge 10% above or below their standard rate and they must post their rates to the Dept of Insurance. Something akin to that would work well IMO. Thus, to parrot the radical left tripe of “You Republicans just don’t want regulation” is nonsense. *Conservatives* want regulation that fosters fair competition in a way that maintains the authority of the States.