Obama: Bipartisan health deal may not be possible

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

and what's the US population versus those other nations. How many of them combined would it take to equal the US? Hmmmmmm.

Does the phrase per capita mean anything to you, you right-wing imbecile?

[Ali G. 37]

Now if they would change there policies and stop being liberal cunts who refuse to debate and ban anyone who dares to think differently than their robotic nature, I will withdraw that statement.

That sounds like my early days on VJ. The long gone resident libs attacked me for simply saying hey. I'd log on and it was automatically a case of "get him fellas!!!!"

Edited February 26, 2010 by Booyah

[Ali G. 37]

and what's the US population versus those other nations. How many of them combined would it take to equal the US? Hmmmmmm.

It does make a difference and if we weren't so 'corporate' driven today and were more manufacturing driven, it'd probably be a lot lower...

Granted, as I've said, there are too many factors when it comes to breaking down the cost of health care. #1 cause of costs isn't business though, it's government policy/over-regulation.

I think you will find that the majority of countries concentrated in one area are first world countries. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel or doing nothing, does it not make sense to analyze what they are doing and learn from the best ideas?

When you look at the US out there on our own, you honestly have to say to yourself, are we dumb or what.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Booyah

[scandal 951]

You're entitled to your opinion

It's a slow night. Danno and JAS and Joseph&Ana aren't playing, so we've got a minor leaguer filling in.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It's a slow night. Danno and JAS and Joseph&Ana aren't playing, so we've got a minor leaguer filling in.

He'll consider liberals credible when they stop being liberals

[Obama 2012 1,714]

He'll consider liberals credible when they stop being liberals

I don't consider a site that think they're the be-all-end-all to be credible.

I'm quite liberal in most of my thinking (except on spending), but the DailyKos takes the cake on brainwashed jackasses who can't stand anyone who would dare not to agree with them on every little issue.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I don't consider a site that think they're the be-all-end-all to be credible.

I'm quite liberal in most of my thinking (except on spending), but the DailyKos takes the cake on brainwashed jackasses who can't stand anyone who would dare not to agree with them on every little issue.

If you were familiar with the site, you'd know there is quite a bit of internecine warfare that occurs there on a daily basis.

[scandal 951]

If you were familiar with the site, you'd know there is quite a bit of internecine warfare that occurs there on a daily basis.

That's ok. He doesn't need to actually read anything there. He's got WorldNetDaily to tell him what it's all about.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

That's ok. He doesn't need to actually read anything there. He's got WorldNetDaily to tell him what it's all about.

This coming from a guy who has the one of the worst presidents in our history in his signature? Please...

Very well aware of the DailyKos and have had my experiences there and used to read it quite often. Until I learned how closed minded those people were and had no real understanding of the real world.

[scandal 951]

Pooky, I have read many of your posts on the subject. And in general I applaud your tenacity in demanding more, rather than less, reform. If I understand your position you'd like to see the US move aggressively to a single payer model. Me too. Ideally, we'd remove the inefficiencies and waste and countless hours spent filing and approving and appealing preapprovals, claims, and denials. Just think of all the postage and paper saved merely by not needing to send out all the damned EOB statements! I think the difference between your position and mine (and, I suspect, most Democrats involved in crafting the present legislation) is a recognition of the political process in this country. Half a loaf is better than no loaf. I know you disagree, and apparently would prefer no loaf at all until a perfect bill can be passed. If I thought we had any hope at all of such a thing in my lifetime I might agree with you. Meanwhile we're wasting money for unacceptable healthcare results and millions uninsured and terrified of a pre-existing condition or a job loss tossing them out of the system altogether. Better half loaf than none at all, I say.

Our disagreement lies in the fact that you think the Bill(s) out there are half a loaf. I see them more like the couple of slices on the end of a packaged loaf laced with 101 different ingredients, 95 of which have nothing to do with making the bread itself.

I thought I'd add one more comment to this. I do think that the Senate bill had a reasonable blend of initiatives for universal coverage, as well as a way to pay for them through the 'excise tax' on cadillac plans. However the proposal Obama put out a few days ago has apparently gutted that, in order to try to get something that the House can pass. As a result we have an unfunded new entitlement program which I don't like the looks of at all. David Brooks summed it up really well on the Newshour tonight:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/ja...0/sb_02-26.html

And then, to me, and for those of us who care about the substance, in order to pass something, they're gutting what I think is some of the most important parts of the legislation.

Earlier in the week, the president announced his package. And that package basically guts this thing called the excise tax, the tax on the so-called Cadillac plans, the high-cost plans. And that is tremendously important. What they are going to do is push that back until 2018, and then water it down.

That's important, because this tax was the single biggest cost-cutting, bending-the-curve procedure in the whole bill. Second, it is a long-term revenue source to pay for all this. In the second decade, it would raise $954 billion.

That is at least extremely watered down, probably gutted, because a Congress in 2018 is not to going to exceed to a tax hike that this Congress doesn't have the guts to pass right now.

And, so, to me, you have just sucked the guts out of parts of the bill that -- the revenue and bending the cost curve, all in an effort to get something, anything passed.

In that sense Pooky, you make a valid point that this is not just a half loaf, but potentially something worse than nothing at all. We'll have to see what comes out of the legislative process in the next few weeks. It's pretty clear they're going to go for reconciliation, or no bill at all.