Back in Home Districts, Much-Wooed Blue Dogs Not Barking for Health Care Reform Legislation

Even though Congressman Bill Foster wants to portray himself as a “Blue Dog” Democrat, he has signed a letter along with Eliot Engel demanding a strong public option.
He is MIA in his home district (last held by Hastert) with no plans for a town hall. He is instead sending his staffers out to videotape the public’s concerns.
He is ducking and weaving and not answering to his constituents about health care other than through his website and a possible telephone conference call, no date set. Last we heard, he was in Israel.

It’s time to stop whining and come up with a plan. Look at the past, what has made America great? It was a free market and entrepreneurism . What has hampered that approach, the government with excessive taxes and over regulation.
The solution is the private sector. How about a new breed of doctors who are no so greedy that the want to get rich the first year. How about tax breaks to encourage such Americanism?
How about the government encouraging entrepreneurs to found new insurance companies that pay dividends if profits soar? How about no, or reduced taxes to encourage such endeavors.
The government has a poor track record with anything it controls and the government has yet to learn that a business cannot be taxed, it just passes it on.
If anyone believes in the free spirit of the American dream as opposed to an ever growing government and taxes pass this seed of an approach along to your representatives.

Jake
I’ve been (and very much am) a strong progressive democrat all the way, but for the life of me I cannot understand the “line in the sand” that is drawn at the public option by my fellow progressives. It seems like almost all of them would prefer to kill the reform than give up the public option. I’m afraid they are going the way of the GOP in that they are absolutely unwilling to consider the more moderate members views. We all know what happened to the GOP when they did that – lost the house senate and the presidency!!

All of those other industrialized countries are dependent on the US for development of new pharmaceuticals and advances in medical technology. Americans receive the finest health care in the world, period. Such flaws as there are in our market system are entirely traceable to government intervention, principal among them being the coupling of health insurance to employment through the tax code and wage and price controls. Government intervention precludes a national, interstate market in health insurance. Government mandates increase costs by forcing buyers to pay for coverage they do not want. These issues should be addressed by reducing government intervention, not adding to it.
Americans are not persuaded to adopt a policy by the fact that other nations do. If they were, we’d have adopted the British or Canadian model long ago, and thank God we didn’t.
Anybody who thinks that resistance to Obamacare is centered in or confined to “the South” has been smoking the draperies.
It’s all quite wonderful to behold.

jean17 wrote:
“I am trembling in my shoes. My knees are knocking. We have let an evil man with an agenda into the White House.”
Where were your trembles and knocking knees when Bush and Chaney were running things…into the ground?????

I don’t think i would be saying this to a news organization if I were a Blue Dog Dem
Tomorrow they will find the head of a horse and a note from Rahm emmanuel in their bed.. Que the music

Bush and Chaney were running things…into the ground?????
Posted by: MountainMan | Aug 19, 2009 1:09:21 PM
And Congress, Dodd, Franks, Waters and their “ilk” in positions of power had nothing to do with it? Libs rewriting history again.

“And Congress, Dodd, Franks, Waters and their “ilk” in positions of power had nothing to do with it? Libs rewriting history again.”
The Republicans controlled Congress for 6 of Bush’s 8 years.

The Republicans had control over all three branches of government for six years and during that time they added FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS to the national debt. The Democrats weren’t responsible for “Cost Plus No Bid Contracts” that allowed the neocon crooks to loot the treasury, it was the Republicans. How did everyone forget that?
It’s the conservatives who are trying to rewrite history.

Eighty percent of Americans are happy with their health csre. Very few of them are “rich.”
One-half of all new pharmaceuticals developed in 2008 were developed in the US.
The largest single deficit incurred in the eight years of the Bush presidency was $458 biilion, which came in his final year (with a Democratic congress). Obama’s very first budget carries a deficit of $1.84 Trillion.
A health insurance policy in New Hampshire costs roughly half of a policy in neighborong New York. In New York you cannot buy a policy that does not cover podiatry services or in vitro fertilization, even if you want to.
The truly poor in this country are eligible for Medicaid. American citizens who want insurance but cannot afford it comprise less than five percent of the population. There are many ways to assist them without ruining things for the rest of the country. What Obama proposes is not only ruinous, it is wholly unnecessary.
I confess that I do not understand what argument is being made about “insurance friendly” states. I live in California. My auto insurance company is in Texas. Why can’t I shop throughout the country for health insurance?

Martin, when you say “over paid executives,” were you referring to Michelle Obama and her 300K job to perform patient dumping? You’re running out of excuses. Obama has out spent the last 4 presidents combined.
Pathetic

If only the Democrats could somehow seize control of the presidency and the House, and get a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, then they could pass whatever bill they wanted without bipartisan support.
Oh, wait a minute.

“The largest single deficit incurred in the eight years of the Bush presidency was $458 biilion, which came in his final year (with a Democratic congress)”
“President Bush will present a budget tomorrow that would slow the growth of Medicare and cut or eliminate an array of domestic programs but still anticipates a flood of new red ink that will rival the record deficits of his first term, administration officials said.
Bush’s fiscal 2009 budget would increase defense spending by 5 percent and put a modest amount of new money into favored initiatives such as veterans affairs, education and homeland security.
“But even in the unlikely event that he were to get his way, the budget deficit would jump sharply, from $163 billion in 2007 to about $400 billion in 2008 and 2009″

The Republicans had control over all three branches of government for six years and during that time they added FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS to the national debt. The Democrats weren’t responsible for “Cost Plus No Bid Contracts” that allowed the neocon crooks to loot the treasury, it was the Republicans. How did everyone forget that?
It’s the conservatives who are trying to rewrite history.
Posted by: Martin
Hey Martin,
You may want to ask Senators Dodd and Liebermann how they people in their disctricts who work for United Technologies and other defense contractors what they thought about that.
By the way, NO ONE is rewriting history. The facts are there and have been all along.
It is morons such as yourself who think its acceptable to crucify one President for big deficts and then herald another President for spending the country into oblivion.
You have ZERO credibility!

Martin, if you don’t like the way they compensate their executives, don’t buy their products. But don’t ask me to pay for whatever it is you want.
Very kind of someone to buttress my point by posting the Bush deficit figres, which seem rather quaint in retrospect. Bear in mind that Bush’s final budget was rejected by the congress, which passed it’s own with Obama voting “aye.” Since taking office he has added dramatically to the deficit, which this year will be $1.84 Trillion with a “T.”

Well let’s see 1 President hands out tax cuts to the rich then starts a unnecessary war.
The other President is trying to bail us out out of the economic meltdown created by the first guy.
Posted by: Ryan C | Aug 19, 2009 3:43:01 PM
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reminds us why Obama is not only staying in Afghanistan, but why he is increasing soldiers to the area? Why the heck are we in Afghanistan for again? Because this is a necessary war?
BTW…. “A majority of Americans now see the war in Afghanistan as not worth fighting and just a quarter say more U.S. troops should be sent to the country, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.”
Bail us out? You mean dig a deeper HOLE? You do not dig your way out of debt by spending more money-your own friggin bank account can teach you this much SIMPLICITY and common sense.
The Democrats have been in control of Congress for the past 2.5 yrs and yet where is your push to blame them? The President does not design and vote on bills, he merely signs them into law.
Let us not forget about the housing mess, which was one and still one of the MAJOR culprits to all of this. Good Ol Maxine Waters, Dodd and Frank saying there is nothing wrong with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, that the “cook the books” idiot Franklin Reins was doing an Excellent job…….I suppose the fact that Frank’s lover was an exec for them had nothing to do with anything either right?
That Dodd’s sweetheart deals with Countrywide were no big deal….btw, his ethics complaint was released on a technicality because The committee found that the senators’ loans were processed through a special, controversial program, but that they did not appear to profit financially from it. That is was the committees fault for not providing more guidance for what most people would consider the OBVIOUS!
But the committee also criticized the senators, telling them they “should have exercised more vigilance in your dealings with Countrywide in order to avoid the appearance that you were receiving preferential treatment based on your status as Senator.”
Of course, we still have the AIG bonus crap to deal with!
Shall we not forget Mr Charlie Rangle and his ongoing tax evasion scandal, who by the way has the audcaity to tell people they need to pay more taxes to help cover their programs…..
Outstanding!!
Hey Ryan, remind me why the air force was not allowed to acquire the jets that can fly under radar detection but good ol Pelosi could throw in 4 congressional jets @ a cost of $250 million oftax payers money?

NO CO-OP’S! A Little History Lesson
Young People. America needs your help.
More than two thirds of the American people want a single payer health care system. And if they cant have a single payer system 76% of all Americans want a strong government-run public option on day one (85% of democrats, 71% of independents, and 60% republicans). Basically everyone.
Our last great economic catastrophe was called the Great Depression. Then as now it was caused by a reckless, and corrupt Republican administration and republican congress. FDR a Democrat, was then elected to save the nation and the American people from the unbridled GREED and profiteering, of the unregulated predatory self-interest of the banking industry and Wallstreet. Just like now.
FDR proposed a Government-run health insurance plan to go with Social Security. To assure all Americans high quality, easily accessible, affordable, National Healthcare security. Regardless of where you lived, worked, or your ability to pay. But the AMA riled against it. Using all manor of scare tactics, like Calling it SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!! :-0
So FDR established thousands of co-op’s around the country in rural America. And all of them failed. The biggest of these co-op organizations would become the grandfather of the predatory monster that all of you know today as the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT health insurance industry. And the DISGRACEFUL GREED DRIVEN PRIVATE FOR PROFIT healthcare industry.
This former co-op would grow so powerful that it would corrupt every aspect of healthcare delivery in America. Even corrupting the Government of the United States.
This former co-op’s name is BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD.
Do you see now why even the suggestion of co-op’s is ridiculous. It makes me so ANGRY! Co-op’s are not a substitute for a government-run public option.
They are trying to pull the wool over our eye’s again. Senator Conrad, if you don’t have the votes now, GET THEM! Or turn them over to us. WE WILL! DEAL WITH THEM. Why do you think we gave your party Control of the House, Control of the Senate, Control of the Whitehouse. The only option on the table that has any chance of fixing our healthcare crisis is a STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION.
An insurance mandate and subsidies without a strong government-run public option choice available on day one would be worse than the healthcare catastrophe we have now. The insurance, and healthcare industry have been very successful at exploiting the good hearts of the American people. But Congress and the president must not let that happen this time. House Progressives and members of the Tri-caucus must continue to hold firm on their demand for a strong Government-run public option.
A healthcare reform bill with mandates and subsidies but without a STRONG government-run public option choice on day one, would be much worse than NO healthcare reform at all. So you must be strong and KILL IT! if you have too. And let the chips fall where they may. You can do insurance reform without mandates, subsidies, or taxpayer expense. Healthcare reform should be 100% for the American people. Not another taxpayer bailout of the private for profit insurance industry, disguised as healthcare reform for the people.
God Bless You
Jacksmith — Working Class

I am convinced there needs to be meaningful health insurance reform, including a public option for health insurance. The private insurance companies are in it for profit and they stack the deck in their favor by excluding those who are a “poor risk”. Clearly they spend a lot of resources researching the potential risk factors, collecting data from individuals, and screening people for acceptance or rejection. In my experience, they also seem to spend a lot of time and postage initially denying coverage – even if the insured manages to persist, effectively argues, and eventually convinces them to cover a particular cost (I am sure it is worthwhile for them to gamble there aren’t many out there like me who will persevere…). Surely these private insurers can continue to profit by offering “designer” coverage for specialized and targeted populations, while public health insurance can offer a baseline, humane coverage for all of the people – including those the private insurers would rather not deal with any way. UPS and FedEx are successful alongside the US Post Office. Private schools thrive alongside Public schools. Certainly Private Health Insurance can be successful alongside Public Health Insurance.