Mon 18 Jan 2010
MONDAY MUSINGS
Posted by admin under politics
After a cold and foggy winter weekend here in McHenry County, Illinois, it is time once again for AWMD’s Monday Musings. There are plenty of news items to choose from today, but we will try to hit the most interesting ones. If any of my “Musings” interest you, let us know what you think.
First of all, I want to wish everyone a peaceful Martin Luther King Day. Rev. King was a man of peace and a man that would not sit still for injustice. While the day was filled with reviews of Rev. King’s works and words, the Republican National Chairperson Michael Steele tried to claim that Rev. King and the Republican party work hand in hand for the American people. “Today, our Party and the nation honors Dr. King’s dream by continuing his fight — the fight for all Americans to have an equal chance at the American Dream.”http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/18/mlk-healthcare/ I bet that Rev. King would roll in his grave if he read those words from the Chairperson of the party that attempted to derail his efforts at every step. As we have learned over the years, the Republicans are very good at ignoring history and science to get what they want. And what they want is anything and everything their corporate friends are demanding. Dr. King was also in favor of health care equity for all Americans. And the Republicans, they are for health care equity for all….right??? What do you think?
It seems that the Republican running for Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat is being bought and paid for by Wall Street. State Senator Scott Brown has every big Wall Street organization funding his campaign. I guess they are looking for his support in defeating the financial crisis responsibility fee that President Obama has proposed. “ The Wall Street front group FreedomWorks is mobilizing get out the vote efforts for Brown this weekend. FreedomWorks organized the very first tea party protests, and has used its extensive staff and resources to mobilize rallies and advocacy campaigns on behalf of corporate interests. Dick Armey, who as a corporate lobbyist represented AIG, Lehman Brothers, and Merrill Lynch during the bailout, is the leader of FreedomWorks. FreedomWorks is also funded and chaired by Steve Forbes and Frank Sands of Sands Capital Management. – The Wall Street front group Club for Growth is strongly “boosting” Brown and is expected to run ads in support for him. According to recent disclosures, the Club for Growth is funded by a $1.4 million dollar donation from investor Stephen Jacksons of Stephens Groups Inc, a $1.4 million dollar donation from broker Richard Gilder, and $210,000-$630,000 donations from at least 10 other investors and financial industry professionals. The Club is also supporting a slate of candidates to repeal health reform, while its other endorsed candidates have opposed a financial truth commission.” http://thinkprogress.org/2010/01/15/wallst-scott-brown/ Some things never change. The Republican Party as usual has been bought and sold by the very people and organizations that sent this country into financial turmoil. And they want some more of the same and they are putting a lot of money behind their bet to ensure that by bankrolling Scott Brown. Just think, if Brown gets elected, Wall Street is planning on even larger bonuses! If that is possible. What do you think of Brown and his financial partners?
What do you think? It is time for you to let us know what you think! Don’t be shy. I won’t bite! And if I do happen to bite, I don’t have enough teeth left to do too much damage! Just ask Qman, he’ll tell you that my bark is worse than my bite!
“My Dad”, the People have spoken!! Let the Kennedy’s and Obama’s liberal, socialist agenda rest in peace.
Qman,
I was wondering if you were going to respond. I think the news of the demise of health care reform is premature. I believe that this will actually force the Dems to grow a set and pass a health care reform bill that actually saves lives and money. We know the Republicans don’t want people to have affordable health care. They have too much in stake with their corporate partners. It will be fun to see how the Democrats react to this loss.
“My Dad”, this country’s corporations would love to offload their healthcare costs onto the Government. You need to find another bogey man.
The Dems will now have to consider common sense reforms such as letting insurance companies compete nationally as well as tort reform.
Qman,
It is good to hear from you again.
If the corporations really wanted to “offload” their health care costs, they would have endoresed the health care reform process. They did just the opposite. Just like their partners, the Republican Party. The National insurance company issue that you bring up is a red herring because even the less appreciated Senate bill provided for national exchanges. As to the often used claim by Republicans that Tort reform will bring down health care costs. Here is what the CBO said about that claim: “Malpractice costs amounted to an estimated $24 billion in 2002, but that figure represents less than 2 percent of overall health care spending.”http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=4968&type=0 Of course, the facts don’t stop Republicans from spreading that falacious claim. If the Republicans really want to reduce health care costs, why won’t they get on board and let Medicare and Medicaid actually bargain with the Drug companies to lower their prices? If the Republicans care so much about health care costs, why didn’t they do anything about them during the 8 years of the Bush regime and the 10 plus years that they controlled Congress? The only common sense reform that people want and will reduce costs is a Medicare for All program or a true public option that anyone can go to for true competition against the insurance companies. They won’t stop denying coverage or dropping people who are sick unless they are forced to.
“My Dad”, you really need to expand your reading beyond the leftists e-rags. A Massachusetts Medical Society study found that five out of six doctors admitted they order tests, procedures and referrals — amounting to about 25 percent of the total solely as protection from lawsuits. Defensive medicine wastes more than $200 billion a year. Just half that amount could provide a $5,000 health insurance grant — $20,000 for a family of four — to the uninsured.
http://www.massmed.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home6&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=27797
Also your version of competition involves private vs. government option. True competition would pit insurance companies against each other nationally across State lines. Judging by Tuesday’s results you are on the losing end of the argument
Qman,
You must have too much time on your hands. Twice in one night! Maybe you didn’t read the link that I gave you. The link was to a CBO report in 2002, not a liberal e-rag. That would be the Congressional Budget Office which is a non-partisan arm of Congress. They aren’t the first ones to state that malpractice awards represent a small portion of our health care costs. Secondly, your so-called insurance companies can compete now across state lines by creating subsidiary companies. Let’s not forget that these companies don’t want to compete because they can’t control the prices then. If they weren’t afraid of competition why is there only 1 or 2 major companies in many states? Another reason why the insurance companies want to be able to “compete” across state lines is that they could use the federal legislation to avoid the states that have significant restrictions on insurance companies. Besides, what happened to the Republican tenet that we must protect State’s rights??
Finally, the idea that the election in Mass. was a vote against health care reform ignores the facts several polls have provided. Most of the problem seems to be that the Dems had a poor candidate and that the Mass. voters already have a universal health care plan for state residents and they were concerned about “paying” for their state plan and the Fed plan. “When voters were asked if their vote was motivated by Obama’s overall policies and the direction he’s taking the country, only 38% said they were motivated by opposition. Meanwhile, 32% said they were motivated by support, and another 27% said his policies were not a factor — a total of 59% who were either for Obama’s policies or indifferent.”http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/exit-poll-only-38-said-opposition-to-obama-policies-drove-massachusetts-vote/ Don’t forget that the winning candidate actually voted for the Mass health care plan that is very similar to the Senate plan. http://www.brownforussenate.com/issues
Later.