friday
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2007
- Messages
- 801
- Reaction score
- 196
- Location
- Florida
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Very Conservative
Obama’s milky smooth voice poured forth ideas such as tort reform and limiting the Public Option to high risk areas during his speech before a joint session of the Congress. At other times he appeared angry as he swore that his health plan would not cover abortions, would not encourage seniors to forgo expensive health care, and would not harm private insurance. In town hall fashion someone from the crowd called out that Obama was lying. I suppose that’s a fair charge, since Obama basically accused half the country of lying and making up those things. I suppose we will have to see the final bill.
Obama’s idea of a government non-profit public option that is self-sustaining through the premiums it receives is somewhat interesting. But here is my question: if this is such a moral imperative that we have a public option and it will be self sustaining and so on, why don’t Americans get together and start one? In fact, they have. The big difference between private co-ops and Obama’s idea of a public option is that private co-ops are not unconstitutional. Obama spent a great deal of time in his speech talking about how people are scared of big government and government overstepping its bounds. Do you think that might have anything to do with Obama’s healthcare plan overstepping its constitutional bounds?
In fact, our government is going to fine us if we don’t buy health insurance. Our government is going to fine our employers if they don’t buy our health insurance for us. Our government is going to fine insurance companies who offer high price plans. So much for finding the fine line between too much government and too little.
Obama said that we need a public option to provide competition. He cited how in some states, like Alabama, the majority of healthcare is covered by just a couple insurance companies. That is a perfect argument for letting people buy health insurance across state lines, not for a public option designed to undercut private insurance companies. I’m all for competition, but we can do it without billing the American people for it.
I like the idea of an exchange where people can easily compare insurance plans, costs, and benefits. The Auto Insurance industry somehow manages to do that without the government. In fact, Progressive.com will give you quotes from other car insurance companies. It seems like we could have something like this without paying the government to run it.
Obama offered some hope when he said his bill will not fund abortion. When Obama says that federal dollars will not be used to fund abortion, I wonder if he thinks that because he doesn’t think federal dollars will be paying for the public option? My prediction is that Republicans will offer another amendment saying that the public option will not cover abortions and the amendment will be voted down just like all the others. I am also skeptical on the tort reform…suggestion. I wouldn’t exactly call Obama’s tort comments a promise.
Perhaps the biggest issue with this unicorn of a bill that Obama is selling is the credibility issue. Obama continues to insist that he can offer this healthcare bill, cover everyone, increase spending by $900 billion, but not increase the deficit. I’m not sure if he realizes that we are out of money already and every new dollar of spending is an increase to the deficit.
He also said that much of the bill would be paid for by cutting billions in waste from Medicare. Mr. President, I hate to break it to you, but Medicare is going to be broke by the end of your administration. If he cuts billions of dollars in waste from Medicare, which is certainly a good idea, he just might be able to make Medicare sustainable. He is dreaming if he actually thinks he will have anything left over to fund a government subsidized healthcare industry.
Once again, we will need to see the final bill. Judging from what Obama said tonight, HR3200 is not it.
Obama’s idea of a government non-profit public option that is self-sustaining through the premiums it receives is somewhat interesting. But here is my question: if this is such a moral imperative that we have a public option and it will be self sustaining and so on, why don’t Americans get together and start one? In fact, they have. The big difference between private co-ops and Obama’s idea of a public option is that private co-ops are not unconstitutional. Obama spent a great deal of time in his speech talking about how people are scared of big government and government overstepping its bounds. Do you think that might have anything to do with Obama’s healthcare plan overstepping its constitutional bounds?
In fact, our government is going to fine us if we don’t buy health insurance. Our government is going to fine our employers if they don’t buy our health insurance for us. Our government is going to fine insurance companies who offer high price plans. So much for finding the fine line between too much government and too little.
Obama said that we need a public option to provide competition. He cited how in some states, like Alabama, the majority of healthcare is covered by just a couple insurance companies. That is a perfect argument for letting people buy health insurance across state lines, not for a public option designed to undercut private insurance companies. I’m all for competition, but we can do it without billing the American people for it.
I like the idea of an exchange where people can easily compare insurance plans, costs, and benefits. The Auto Insurance industry somehow manages to do that without the government. In fact, Progressive.com will give you quotes from other car insurance companies. It seems like we could have something like this without paying the government to run it.
Obama offered some hope when he said his bill will not fund abortion. When Obama says that federal dollars will not be used to fund abortion, I wonder if he thinks that because he doesn’t think federal dollars will be paying for the public option? My prediction is that Republicans will offer another amendment saying that the public option will not cover abortions and the amendment will be voted down just like all the others. I am also skeptical on the tort reform…suggestion. I wouldn’t exactly call Obama’s tort comments a promise.
Perhaps the biggest issue with this unicorn of a bill that Obama is selling is the credibility issue. Obama continues to insist that he can offer this healthcare bill, cover everyone, increase spending by $900 billion, but not increase the deficit. I’m not sure if he realizes that we are out of money already and every new dollar of spending is an increase to the deficit.
He also said that much of the bill would be paid for by cutting billions in waste from Medicare. Mr. President, I hate to break it to you, but Medicare is going to be broke by the end of your administration. If he cuts billions of dollars in waste from Medicare, which is certainly a good idea, he just might be able to make Medicare sustainable. He is dreaming if he actually thinks he will have anything left over to fund a government subsidized healthcare industry.
Once again, we will need to see the final bill. Judging from what Obama said tonight, HR3200 is not it.
