Obama: Those Listening and Asking Qs Reflect America More than Town Hall Ruckuses on TV

Obama has started bringing in busloads of campaign workers’ children to get a friendly audience. He’s a weird dude.

Loving the pseudoinformation passed on by people such as the first commenter here…just make stuff up..its FUN!
C’mon, at least he didn’t refer to a $30,000 amputation payment.

Obama must have been disappointed that he couldn’t use a child as a prop.
That would have been too obvious.
Safe to say that audience was full of kool-aid.

Obama is incapable of answering a question.

Strange how the Obama friendly crowd seems to get the first come first serve tickets at his townhalls.
There is no way Obama will ever face a hostile crowd–they have him in a bubble with his image protected.
The worse he will ever face is a few tough questions at a press conference.
He can’t handle it and his handlers know it.

It doesn’t matter whether he had plants in the audience.
Where does a president get off baldly stating that HIS audience “reflects America” but the other thousands we’ve seen on television don’t?!
Is he their president, too?

“People that don’t respect their own president should take a hike, and go back to the country their ancestors arrived from”
–> The United States before it seized Hawaii, you mean? :^)

“People that don’t respect their own president should take a hike,”
- Neil B | Aug 14, 2009 4:41:44 PM
Neil- Am I to believe you respected President Bush???

Don’t you love the fact that Dems now want “discussion” and “civilized debate”. Where was that idea when they were attempting to shove Obamacare down our throats before the congressional recess began?
Can you say “hypocrite”?

Statement from the American College of Surgeons Regarding
Recent Comments from President Obama
CHICAGO—The American College of Surgeons is deeply disturbed over the uninformed public comments President Obama continues to make about the high-quality care provided by surgeons in the United States. When the President makes statements that are incorrect or not based in fact, we think he does a disservice to the American people at a time when they want clear, understandable facts about health care reform. We want to set the record straight.
Yesterday during a town hall meeting, President Obama got his facts completely wrong. He stated that a surgeon gets paid $50,000 for a leg amputation when, in fact, Medicare pays a surgeon between $740 and $1,140 for a leg amputation. This payment also includes the evaluation of the patient on the day of the operation plus patient follow-up care that is provided for 90 days after the operation. Private insurers pay some variation of the Medicare reimbursement for this service.
Three weeks ago, the President suggested that a surgeon’s decision to remove a child’s tonsils is based on the desire to make a lot of money. That remark was ill-informed and dangerous, and we were dismayed by this characterization of the work surgeons do. Surgeons make decisions about recommending operations based on what’s right for the patient.
We agree with the President that the best thing for patients with diabetes is to manage the disease proactively to avoid the bad consequences that can occur, including blindness, stroke, and amputation. But as is the case for a person who has been treated for cancer and still needs to have a tumor removed, or a person who is in a terrible car crash and needs access to a trauma surgeon, there are times when even a perfectly managed diabetic patient needs a surgeon. The President’s remarks are truly alarming and run the risk of damaging the all-important trust between surgeons and their patients.
We assume that the President made these mistakes unintentionally, but we would urge him to have his facts correct before making another inflammatory and incorrect statement about surgeons and surgical care.
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and to improve the care of the surgical patient. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has more than 74,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world.

Speaking of using a child as a prop, when will Sarah Palin identify the paragraphs of section 1233 that will allow for killing off little Trig?
Posted by: Good for the Goose | Aug 14, 2009 4:50:30 PM
========================================
Better yet, how about you explain to me why the Senate removed their version of the ‘edn-of-life” issue because the wording was too ambiguous and left too many loop holes to assume Euthanasia was acceptable.
She must not have been that far off huh?

Sorry for the incomplete post.
It was my cat’s fault.

Better yet, how about you explain to me why the Senate removed their version of the ‘edn-of-life” issue because the wording was too ambiguous and left too many loop holes to assume Euthanasia was acceptable.
She must not have been that far off huh?
Posted by: KMDay | Aug 14, 2009 4:58:20 PM
…because they (the Senate) caved to right-wing paranoia and scare tactics in some confused effort to be bi-partisan.
But remember, Palin was for “death panels” before she was against them.

jpt quotes Der Won:
“That reflects America a lot more than what we’ve seen covered on television for the last few days.”
–> Are we upset yet?
Is this all-purpose totalitarian know-it-all now presuming to act — on donated “news” air-time — as the arbiter of how opposition to His fatuous flim-flam is covered BY television news? (In addition to His taxing surgical second-guessing, His car-sales scam, and all those extremely expensive robo-wars in the mideast … )
What does “reflect America” even bleeping MEAN? Anyone?

Will the PLAN destroy private health insurance?
Here is what it requires, for businesses with payrolls greater than $400,000 per year. (The bill uses “contribution” to refer to mandatory payments to the government plan.) Pages 149-150, SEC. 313, EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS IN LIEU OF COVERAGE
(a) IN GENERAL.—A contribution is made in accordance with this section with respect to an employee if such contribution is equal to an amount equal to 8 percent of the average wages paid by the employer during the period of enrollment (determined by taking into account all employees of the employer and in such manner as the Commissioner provides, including rules providing for the appropriate aggregation of related employers). Any such contribution—
(1) shall be paid to the Health Choices Commissioner for deposit into the Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund, and
(2) shall not be applied against the premium of the employee under the Exchange-participating health benefits plan in which the employee is enrolled.
(The bill then includes a sliding scale of payments for business with less than $400,000 in annual payroll.)
The Bill also reserves, for the government, the power to determine an acceptable benefits plan: page 24, SEC. 115. ENSURING ADEQUACY OF PROVIDER NETWORKS.
5 (a) IN GENERAL.—A qualified health benefits plan that uses a provider network for items and services shall meet such standards respecting provider networks as the Commissioner may establish to assure the adequacy of such
networks in ensuring enrollee access to such items and services and transparency in the cost-sharing differentials between in-network coverage and out-of-network coverage.
EVALUATION OF THE PASSAGES:
1. The bill does not prohibit a person from buying private insurance.
2. Small businesses—with say 8-10 employees—will either have to provide insurance to federal standards, or pay an 8% payroll tax. Business costs for health care are higher than this, especially considering administrative costs. Any competitive business that tries to stay with a private plan will face a payroll disadvantage against competitors who go with the government “option.”
3. The pressure for business owners to terminate the private plans will be enormous.
4. With employers ending plans, millions of Americans will lose their private coverage, and fewer companies will offer it.
5. The Commissioner (meaning, always, the bureaucrats) will determine whether a particular network of physicians, hospitals and insurance is acceptable.
6. With private insurance starved, many people enrolled in the government “option” will have no place else to go.

“There are a whole lot of big ifs surrounding trying to keep your insurance and or doctor. You probably won’t be able to in time anyhow.”
–> Lots of doctors ALREADY don’t take insurance at all — and MOST of them (outside the government’s non-profit pill-pill clinics that use pain pills and psycho-meds to kill off the unwell poor as fast and cheaply as possible) don’t take Medicaid.
By the time Oblabla’s p’d off a few zillion MORE doctors, they’ll ALL be not taking insurance. Then EVERYbody can get Paxil for cancer, and methadone for heart trouble. It’ll be fun.

“(The bill uses “contribution” to refer to mandatory payments to the government plan.)”
–> Of COURSE it does — it’s the Chicago Way.
By the time Fatha Flim-Flam signs it, it’ll probably say “free-will offering”.

Don’t you love the fact that Dems now want “discussion” and “civilized debate”.
Posted by: wjlaine | Aug 14, 2009 4:54:57 PM
Or when they were throwing a pie in Ann Coulter’s face! (They did that right?) Or when they threw a shoe at… oh wait, we’re not sure that guy was a Democrat…

John Culberson, congressman from Texas was just interviewed on TV, and he seems really sharp, bringing up very pertinent issues regarding cost containment in healthcare. too bad the
jerk that was interviewing him wouldn’t let him talk. I listen to all the stations, but I prefer FOX, they actually let the people they’re interviewing talk.

They caved? LMAO….they have a SUPER Majority dear, they can put whatever they want in the bill and pass it pending no one in their own party disagrees. But, there are many within their own party that disagree with this bill, therefore you cannot push this on the Republicans dear.
So, she was for Euthanasia before she was against it? Being for having counseling sessions about living wills and having a government run health care plan that implements euthanasia with the government as a possible decider of such practice is not the same thing.
Posted by: KMDay | Aug 14, 2009 5:14:34 PM
I will not dispute the fact that there are both Democrat and Republican Senators who are in the pockets of the insurance industry…there goes the “super majority.”
And since you seem to be so familiar with the text of the bill, please cite the Euthansia provision and tell me how it is different from the living wills’ provisions that Palin supported in the past.

WHAT have the coward Republicans done to fix health insurance? NOTHING!!!!!

JUST what is the Republican plan? Insurance premiums DOUBLED in the last 10 years. WILL YOUR FAMILY BE OUT ON THE STREET when they double again?

I don’t get it. Who asked Obama to universalize health care? I thought he was elected to fix the economy and to end the Iraq war. Why doesn’t he just focus on messing those things up first. I mean the healthcare status quo is bad, but his version sounds worse.

WHAT have the coward Republicans done to fix health insurance? NOTHING!!!!!
Posted by: Walter | Aug 14, 2009 5:36:11 PM
What are you talking about? Congressmen have 283 individual private health care plans to choose from. It was truly a bipartisan effort!

If the ‘death panel’ liars lied once, what is to stop them from lying again?

The constant lies.
The staggering arrogance.
The dangerous narcissism.
That’s our President!

REPUBLICANS: “If you get cancer and have no insurance, you will just have to die”
VOTE for the PRO-DEATH REPUBLICANS!

To fix health care keep the government out of it. Pass some tort reform laws to stop slip and fall lawsuits. Also stop ambulance chasers like John ‘My babys daddy’ Edwards and bring down the price for malpractice insurance.

Q: WHAT IS THE REPUBLICAN ANSWER TO insurance companies cancelling people’s insurance when they get sick?
A: “Uhhhhhhh???”

Q: What is the Republican answer to a father, who doesn’t have insurance, who discovers he has cancer?
A: “You will just have to DIE.”

Dave:”Who asked Obama to universalize health care?”
It was a well known part of his platform when he won the Presidency by a large margin. And America does have a kinda majority-rules bent.

If the government were really focused on copetition among health insurance companies then they would do away with state restrictions to encourage competition among the 1300 insurance companies

Indy Pendant wrote: “Many people now regret voting for Obama”
Not according to the folks at Gallup. Obama’s approval rating is currently at 54%. Not bad considering 53% voted for him.

Scott, If you eliminate state regulation without imposing any federal regulation, you would leave the consumer completely unprotected. If you look at your credit card policy, you will find it includes ‘mandatory arbitration’. What this means is that if you have a dispute, the ‘judge’ will be a private arbitrator working for the credit card company. In other words, you have no rights in court. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE ELIMINATED STATE REGULATION ON CREDIT CARDS!

Austin, I am sorry that you are so utterly uninformed. Looking at the house bills, what they do is GUARANTEE that insurance companies can no longer refuse people for pre-existing conditions or cancel your insurance when you get cancer just because you forgot to report your acne when you filled out the application. IF YOU ACCEPT the Christian idea that it is immoral to refuse treatment for cancer or heart disease or diabetes just because you don’t have insurance (as is currently done in America), then it follows that everyone must have insurance. (This requirement is no more ornerous than requiring drivers to have auto insurance.) However, a lot of Americans cannot afford insurance for their families. Since we cannot morally refuse them treatment, and since they cannot afford insurance on their own, the bill makes money available to them in the form of tax deductions or credits.

This is the sharpest President I’ve seen yet.

THIS OBAMA TOWN HALL MEETING WAS JUST LIKE THE LAST TOWN HALL MEETING IT WAS STAGED OBAMA IS ONE BIG LIER ALL OF THIS FAILS BACK ON THE CRIMINALS BILL AND HILLARY CLINTON SAME THING IN 1994 IT DID NOT PASS IT TIME TO BRING THESE CRIMINALS TO JUSTIC AND PUT ALL OF THEM IN PRISON

WHY DON’T REPUBLICANS call for the cancellation of Medicare?
AREN’T THEY against government taking over health insurance?
Republican cowards.
If the ‘death panel’ liars lied once, what is to stop them from lying again?

The Health Program fight is over.
It is political suicide.
The folks in Montana were polite today to our President as they should be.
That does not mean they like what he was selling.

REPUBLICANS can’t stand the fact that when you give the tickets away with a random lottery system (as opposed to hardliners standing in line) that REAL Americans ask REAL QUESTIONS.
No one can hear the question, or the answer when you are screaming.

Millions of Americans want the public option for their families.
Republicans say: No way. You cannot choose for yourself. WE KNOW BETTER THAN YOU.

THE ILLEGAL AMNESTY DECISION MUST HAPPEN BEFORE OBAMACARE SO THAT THOSE 20,000,000 PEOPLE AND THEIR EXTENDED FAMILY ( SAY FIVE TIMES THAT NUMBER – 100,000,000 OR SO) CAN BE INCLUDED IN TRYING TO CALCULATE THE COST.
HOW CAN A GOVERNMENT ( US) PAY FOR ALL THIS? WE CAN NOT.

So now we have to behave for Mr. Obama? We can protest as long as it meets his standars. Don’t get angry or raise your voice to be heard as that is a distraction from Dear Leader’s plan for us all. Violence in these meetings is unacceptable and those that choose to engage in that level of dissent should be removed and arrested. At the same time we have our smarmy slick President giving us another “teachable moment” in how to behave.

Why don’t you guys just run for president? So much hating going on, why not all of you get together and try to make a positive difference and run? You guys all obviously have the answers for everything, if not, you wouldn’t be here. So just step up to the plate and quit hating and start doing something about it.

Obama continues to divide Americans with his ridiculous comments. Why doesn’t he tell us what he agreed to with the drug companies? Release the agreement? We have a right to know!!!

“Like-minded individuals always think the same.”
–> Sho’ nuff? Kids on the big bus call this a tautology.

Obama faced a crowd of people he never met before.
Chosen at random via a lottery.
In one of the most conservative counties in America.
And they had an intellegent discussion of the facts!

So Obama wants a town hall meeting where you shut up and he doesn’t have to listen to you… Boy, Somewhere W. is smiling! You can’t tie down a majority who wants you to do what you said, and has the right to be angry when you do not. Pure and simple. Obama is just another tyrant, just like BUSH…

Here is the dirty little secret!
The screamers have been from OUT OF STATE.
When Reps limit these events to locals, there aren’t any screamers.
Isn’t that a scream?

“Obama faced a crowd of people he never met before.
Chosen at random via a lottery.
In one of the most conservative counties in America.
And they had an intellegent discussion of the facts!”
No, it was a hand-picked, staged fictional play, and an act of deception.

Walter, do you think that if you had the public option, no one in the government would be doing the same thing that the physician was complaining went on with insurance companies?
Do you think the government would just rubber stamp every bill that comes in from every doctor without ever raising any questions? If that’s true, we really are in trouble because the potential for fraud is unlimited.
If that’s not true, what’s the point of exchanging government bureaucrats for private insurance bureaucrats? Yes, there is a lot of paperwork involved, because we are a big country with huge numbers of insurance claims filed every day. I have a distant relative who used to be a claims adjuster. She always said that the “professional” insurance fraud crooks usually targeted the government because it was so much easier to get away with defrauding Medicaid than it was a private insurer, who has a vested interest in rooting out fraud.
Sorry, I don’t see where a public option is going to make a big positive difference here.

Jim,
The public option is THE ONLY option (pun intended) on the table that actually reduces the house on fire rate of medical inflation.
Insurance premiums doubled during the last 10 years. If nothing is done and they double again, a lot of people are going to be without insurance!
Will it happen, that depends entirely on the courage of some people in the House and Senate.
Maybe they should ask themselves if they are there for a purpose other than collecting a pay check.

Walter,
Obama himself said Fed Ex and UPS do a much better job than the U.S Postal Service in mail/package delivery. Guess what, Fed Ex and UPS are private companies and the U.S Postal service is a government agency. How in the hell do you expect a government agency to administer healthc are for 300 million people when the USPS has major problems.
Keep your hands off my private insurance. No to Public Healthcare!!!!

moderate,
You are certainly entitled to your own prediction, but logically, there are two possibilies:
If the public option insurance, which doesn’t have the profit/bonus incentives of private insurance companies may put their client’s premiums into ACTUAL HEALTH care and it will be 30% more efficient than private plans.
(Efficiency == money used on health care / money collected in premiums)
Or, the public option, which by the Schumer amendment must pay its expenses via premiums collected) will be inefficient and have higher premiums then private insurance companies.
You know which way I think that will go, but suppose I’m wrong. Then people will CHOOSE the private plan instead!
———————————
The only argument against the public option is that TOO MANY Americans will choose it for their families.
But that is like saying we should have canceled the elections in November because too many people might vote for Barack Obama!
Goodnight everyone, even Republicans who think it is just dandy for families to have their children (or the parents) uninsured.

I do not support neither the right wing nut jobs or Obama. This is not 21 AD. This is the 21st century and I believe that every person who is a citizen or resident of the US should get free medical and free education no matter if they are rich or poor. This is not socialism. This is Humanism. To have a great society you must take care of your youth, your sick, and your elderly. How do we pay for this. End these stupid money making wars for a hand full of thieves. Get rid of the DEA. The war on drugs is a joke. Legalize drugs and prostitution and tax the hell out of both of them. By doing these things our gov’t will have plenty of money to pay for free medical and education. But before we tackle medical care and education. We need to first take care of our immigration problem. We either send all illegals back to where ever they came from or we give them an opportunity to become a resident of the USA. Meanwhile if they are not a resident of the USA then they must pay for their medical care and education. If it is life threatening and they can’t afford to pay then common sense says as good citizens of the USA will take care of that particular situation. But if it is not life threatening then they must pay until they are granted residency. Again common sense is needed more than bullcrap from the right or the left.

Jim, I believe what Obama said was that the existance of the U.S. post office did not automatically spell the end of private carriers.
Proving that there is NO REASONED objection to a public plan (that requires expenditures to be paid for from the premiums.
WHAT GIVES YOU the right to decide MY family should not choose the public option? Republican think!

To have a great society you must take care of your youth, your sick, and your elderly. How do we pay for this. End these stupid money making wars for a hand full of thieves. Get rid of the DEA. The war on drugs is a joke. Legalize drugs and prostitution and tax the hell out of both of them. By doing these things our gov’t will have plenty of money to pay for free medical and education.
***
Fresh thinking! Won’t happen but that would certainly open some revenue:)

Conyoo7- That would all be wonderful but you know this is not going to happen in our lifetimes so if they do not do that they cannot pay for it! They will bankrupt this country and then we will be stuck with a 3rd world health system in which the quality down the tubes if the country is still in one piece even! No thank you! I am am currently uninsured and paying my way and I am not wealthy! I see a specialist every month for a health problem? I am not so selfish as to support the destruction of our country! We need to find another solution which works with what is already in place! Socialized medicine is not the answer! What we have must not be as bad as the extremists on the Left say it is because people from all over the world come here for treatment? They have coverage for everyone? Why come here if it is so bad?

“WHY DON’T REPUBLICANS call for the cancellation of Medicare?
AREN’T THEY against government taking over health insurance?
Republican cowards.”
Medicare should be privatized but once there is such a huge bureaucracy is in place it’s almost impossible to get rid of it. Too many people depend on it. And even if it is a threat to our economic future, you can’t get rid of it…
Liberal answer: Create more dependence and more bureaucracy…
How many departments, czars, and programs can we have?
Liberal answer: Until we run out of money and reduce our country to a third world country.

Way to go, Montana. Nice to know Americans are interested in civil, intelligent discussion of this important issue. I think most of us can respect that we all won’t agree on every aspect of what needs to happen, but we recognize that our health care system isn’t right as it is. I thank President Obama and all of our legislators for having the courage to finally truly address this perennial set of problems in a substantive way. I strongly support a national public plan, but I hope that whatever they end up implementing is a real and substantial step in the right direction, to take health care back from the insurance and pharmaceutical companies whose appalling, conscience-less and unchecked profit games have devastating effects on American families, American businesses and American employees. I hope this is a sign of the way future debate will be conducted, with reason and respect, not vitriol and irrational, propaganda-stoked fear.

My concern about the entire situation with Obama and Congress is that they seem to have no concern, or awareness, of how deeply in debt the country is going. Also, the Obamaites have really missed the point on the town hall meetings and the so-called “ruckus” we are seeing. These people are made up of true Americans who find it onerous to be labeled “un-American”, or “radical” because of their concern about our government and the way things are going. One reason for the shouting and yelling that goes on is that the people leading the town hall meetings just don’t seem to get it! It most certainly takes that disturbing nature of the town halls is that we need to get the attention of the decision makers who are leading us down the “yellow brick road”. I fear that if a change from the direction we are headed is not forthcoming there will be a much more fearful outbreak of concerned Americans.

whatever happened to abc reporting news, it now reads like the enquirer

Alyson-PDFilekiller- It is better to die standing then to live on your knees-Emiliano Zapata. I lived all my life standing. I will not kneel to no one. It is time that we USONIANS come together and use our common sense to get things done and not turn to politics or selling out to the highest bidder. I have never taken a drug or even slept with a prostitute and I don’t judge anyone who has done one or the other, but I do believe that drugs and prostitution should be legalized to help save our country. People are going to do these things any way so better that the country also benefits from the profits of these two industries.

For the folks saying the UK system works well….Maybe, but google largest employers in the world and what do you find? The UK health system on any given day is the 3rd-5th largest employer in the world. The UK is about as close to bankrupt you can get. I’ll pass thanks.

This news item omits that the New Hampshire Town Hall was “fixed,” packed with supporters to the point where Obama himself had to beg for a skeptical or challenging question. And in what has become a pattern for the Obama administration’s staged media events, the president called on the young daughter of a supporter who has personally and through her law firm given thousands to Obama and met the first lady and the vice president (see Boston Globe for details). She wonders why people are “saying mean things” about Obamacare. Maybe when she grows up, she’ll understand that promising you can reduce the cost of care simply by shifting tens of millions of people to federally funded insurance (among a thousand other provisions aimed to place the federal government in greater nd ultimately complete control of healthcare insurance and delivery) gets some people a little hot under the collar. They don’t like be lied to by their public servants, especially one clever enough to have an army of special interests enlisted to squelch debate on the real cost and threats of Obamacare.

I live in the UK and I am astonished by this debate, which is a whole lot of ‘nasty’ and criticism of our NHS. Let me say this, I, almost died at birth, suffered from childhood bronchitis, had two bacterial infections, two broken ribs, one bad back, one twisted knee; I now have type 2 diabetes and leukaemia. I am still alive because of the NHS. I would be left to die in the USA, without medical insurance, without hope and without a future. I am proud to be British because of the NHS and I would fight with my last breath to save it.
Universal, health care is a right not just for the rich but also for the poor. What is wrong with you?

You could tell the Montana townhall was stacked with BO supporters.
It was in Montana and only a few people applauded for the guy that brought up the NRA?
Once again Obama did not have to face critics of Obamacare.
I hope he keeps up the staged events.
Let America see who he is.

I would love to debate the bogus replies if anyone does but have to run… hope someone keeps it real for me while i’m gone.

There’s only one reason end of life couseling was dropped from Obamacare.
The spotlight was on the creepy radical beliefs of Zeke Emanuel.
And the next question is why did Obama appoint him as an adviser.

Stickman,……….should we then privatise our Armed Forces and let some private company manage our 15K Thermo-Nuclear Warheads? That can wipe out our planet earth 50 times over and over and over….. How about our police, Firefighers and Teachers?

Yes only the tightly screened handpicked fawning happy zombies that are allowed into Obama’s event REALLY reflect America. Yes only those lap dogs that don’t ask any substantive questions are actually REAL Americans. Unbelievable, once again the President is denigrating all of the average Americans that went to the boisterous town halls. They aren’t REAL Americans, they don’t represent America. Obama is showing his true feelings for those who dissent his decrees. Liberal + Democrat = Socialism + Saul Alinsky + Rev. Wright = Fascism + Audacity = Obama.

It was obvious that this meeting was “by invitation only”. Just as the last one where most picketers were left outside and only the “believers were let in to see “his holiness”. Those that voted for him would say otherwise, of course, i would disappointed if they didn’t. Baa, baaa.

Countries with Universal Healthcare like France, UK, Germany, Italy, Greece, Spain, Belgium, Canada,Australia and many more are all suffering, they just don’t know it yet. The solution to their healthcare crisis is to let the private insurance companies take over their healthcare, then they will have tens of millions of their people share the same fate of Americans that have to file for Bankruptcies and sell everything they have to pay their medical bills…………….It’s unfair only Americans suffer like this.

More ABC News efforts to protect the failing Obama. Yawn.

Why did ABC News headline Obama Montana Town Hall with an image of rowdy protesting scene? I watched the Montana Town Hall live in CNN and didn’t see any such protest. People were orderly and respectful. Is ABC moving towards tabloid journalism. This supports President Obama’s point. One can’t trust what s/he sees or reads on TV and Internet as absolute truth. One needs to think critically.

I just got back from getting my prescriptions. My doctor faxed them in at 11am today. The health insurance company would not approve them because one of them was filled 28 days ago and not a month yet! I am leaving for South America on a trip and my doctor had not problem with it which is why she faxed the prescriptions. But, the health insurance company is going to try to override the doctor’s wishes. It took 1/2 hour on the phone for them to get it okayed in the computer. Just one of the things that needs to be fixed. Government running my health care, NO. The insurance company running my health care, NO. My doctor deciding YES.

I saw something today that was totally outrageous. I was one of the white, middle aged, disgruntled, un-American, potential domestic terrorists who went to the anti-health care rally outside the airport in Montana. It was set up by the Bozeman Tea Party group. They went to the Belgrade Airport Police and obtained a permit to have the rally. The airport police did an outstanding job by setting up areas for parking, demonstrating, and had the areas roped off to keep the factions apart. It was suppose to start at 11:00 am and I arrived at about 9:30 am so I would get a parking place.
I watched as three greyhound busses pulled in. One of them drove through the rope into the Tea Party area and unloaded the people inside. They had professional signs for health care. They had one man, with an Obama t-shirt, directing people and several others with megaphones yelling orders. They invaded the Tea Party area and then they refused to leave. The Obama people set in front of the Tea Party vehicle as they tried to pull it in and get set up for the rally.
The police came in and tried to move the invaders out and explained to them that this was an area set aside for this other group who had legally obtained a permit to demonstrate. The Obama t-shirted man told everyone to stay where they were and refuse to leave.
I am a retired police officer with 33 years in the Amarillo Texas Police Department. I have been in similar situations as these officers were in. The Obama Health Care crowd was trying to get arrested. They were pushy, would get into peoples faces, and even shoved people from the Tea Party group. I know. I was one of them that got pushed. They wanted to get arrested so they could get publicity. The officer, later identified as the Chief of the Airport Police, handled the situation in a very professional way. He monitored the situation and kept order.
If he had arrested them, they would win by getting publicity. If they got into fights, they would win by getting publicity. Now they did not get anything other than satisfaction of pushing people around.
Now for the outrageous part. During the meeting it rained and everyone got very wet. The signs got wet. The Obama Health Care group dropped their signs and got new ones. And after the rally, they dropped their signs, loaded onto their bus, and left. They did not pick up their trash, their wet signs, or anything. It looked like a pig pen. The Tea Party group picked all their trash up and put them in trash cans that the organizers brought with them.
Montana is a beautiful place. Every person I have met from here are very conscious about keeping it clean. It is obvious that these people were bussed in from someplace other than Montana.
It is a shame that we have people around like this. This Obama Health Care group showed their true colors. They do not want to work. They do not want to take care of things. They want someone else to clean up after them and provide them with things that every other American works for. If this is what is going on in other parts of the country, what is in it for them? Who is paying the bills for these busses? For the printing? For the organizers salary?
If this health care passes, who is going to profit? Will it be the same people who paid for the items above? If nothing else, it is food for thought.

I have been uninsured several times in my life and did get seriously life threateningly ill and ended up hospitalized for a month! I have also broken several bones at different times and had surgery sometimes insured and sometimes not? I was not left to die cause I was uninsured that is a blatant lie! Hell even the illegals are not left to die here? Ask all the ERs who are now shutdown in Cali because they treated so many nonpayers! Private insurance is not necessarily great but it has allowed us to not go bankrupt thus far! Yes we do need some insurance reform but it needs to be done intelligently! If we drive them out of business or bankrupt the country then neither is going to work for the US! We need to fix what we already have which would probably address many of the issues which have been brought up! Socialized medicine is not the answer! Can’t afford it period!

Socialization= greater lifespan, happier populations, longer vacations, available emergency leave, and free merit based (not monetary based) educational advancement. Taxation may carry a greater burden, but after you figure in what we pay here for student loan payments, health insurance costs, and lost vacation or leave, there is not actually that big of a difference. If money is ALL you value, then I can see why you would want to oppose it. Personally, I believe in real family and community values, not just hypocritical speak and Europhobia.

“Socialized medicine is not the answer!”
Who is saying that it is? Intentionally mislabeling this plan as socialized medicine only shows that those who do so have no answers.

If we dont change our healthcare system in this country now, in twenty years when the private insurance industry bankrupt the country, will all these people who are now negatively screaming insults at these town hall meetings come forward and admit that they were wrong and take responsibility for the country not moving forward on this issue. I doubt it. They will blame Obama for not having doing more to pass the new healthcare bill. I betcha…

“The simplistic thinking processes that somehow think that if we don’t agree with the president’s nor his administrations decisions or positions, we must be racists or anti-abortionists.”
-No more simplistic than thinking anybody who supports Obama is some kind of sheep.

A hand-picked audience does not represent the “truth” and is pure B.S. and Obama knows it…

I don’t have Europhobia, I just see what works and what doesn’t. There are plenty of socialist countries around the globe for you to pick and choose a residence. America’s greatness is in its freedom. I neither need nor want a nanny state. It doesn’t make me not compassionate. I am all for helping the helpless, mainly children, the elderly, and those with disabilities.
I don’t, however, want to enable some 23 year old, pot smoking, buy every new IPhone the day it comes out, PS3 playing, lazy, entitled brat who decides jobs are for suckers while I pay for his carpal tunnel surgery because his parents never taught him to earn his own keep.
The Obama reform or no reform is ridiculous. I see very few people arguing that there aren’t any improvements that need to be made. But riddle me this, campers, if this is such an all fire crisis mode situation, so much so that it needs to be shoved through Congress at warp speed, then why not cut out the controversial issues that aren’t critical and are just politics, and do something that will actually help the situation? Acting like it has to be all or nothing either means we’re being lied to about the extent of the crisis, or that proponents of the unnecessary reforms are willing to let the crisis turn into a meltdown if they don’t get everything their little hearts desire.

I thank that the smartest move that Obama could make now would be to bring GWB out of retirement and put him in charge of healthcare. The darn bill would probably get through congress within a month. People have an unwavering trust in GWB even though he nearly led this country to the abyss.

Unfortunately what we seem to have done is vote in a fast talking con man who is turning this country on its head with class wars.
It is so unfortunate that in times like these is turned into poor vs. rich, Democrat vs. Republican – you get the idea. I am 56 years old and have never seen such rampant anger and hatred as is being stirred up here.
Sorry, but I’ve got to call it like I see it: Obama started all of this when he started picking up on the taxation of the wealthy only, that the wealthy bankers fueled by corrupt Republicans got us into this mess, etc.
The reality is that we are all in the same boat, and we all got us here. We all were guilty of greed and excess over the past 30 years and now we are paying for it. By putting together a health care reform bill when we are soooooo broke – Obama is fueling the fire, as if he is to say “you could have all this if the wealthy and the Republicans hadn’t made such a mess of your country”.
That is just not true.

“What you haven’t seen on TV and what makes me proud are the many constructive meetings going on all over the country. Everywhere — everywhere across the country you’re seeing people who are coming together and having a civil, honest, often difficult conversation about how we can improve the system. That’s how democracy’s supposed to work.”
I guess the president is talking
about the staged meetings where all
of the Obama Zombies nod their heads
and say Yes Master!
His town halls are nothing more than
political commercials.
Democracy, Mr President, works when
the elected leaders of our country
listen to the Majority and don’t
dismiss their comments as Un American!
Democracy does not refer to a
president who asks citizens to inform
on(through e-mails)other citizens who
don’t support the president’s
healthcare proposals.
We the People know what Democracy is
President Obama. Do You?

the crazy part of this is there is no bill yet all that has been going on is talk a repub. Are run this country stright to hell. With lies question do you like social sec. or medicare this are socialist program now start crying about that one

The gop has started a grass roots campaign themselves. It is a campaign of smears,lies and hatred. So actually nothing has changed at all.

This isn’t the GOP.
My husband works at a university, a big top ten state university. Quite a few of the employees are liberal. One of them read the bill. This liberal, union member, middle class employee is not GOP. This person after reading the bill vehmenantly regrets voting for Obama, and insists that he will never vote Democrat again.
The middle class cannot afford this bill, the states cannot afford this bill, the federal government cannot afford this bill, employers cannot afford this bill, and all that adds up to the United States people do not want this bill.
This is one reason why:
Ms. Frost
Congressional Record July 20 2009
“Effective in 2013, assistance will be available for individuals and families that fall below the 133 percent to 400 percent of the Federal poverty level. Financial assistance will limit individual and family spending on premiums from a minimum of 1.5 percent of income for those with the lowest income and maxing out at 11 percent of income for those at 400 percent of poverty or more”

There are parts of the bill that are great and there are parts of the bill that suck. Everyone agrees that people shouldn’t lose or be denied health insurance because of an illness. Everyone agrees that a family that worked hard shouldn’t lose everything they worked for due to one catastrophic illness. Everyone agrees that there is a lot broken with our current system. Everyone agrees that there is a lot that works well with our current system. The Dems and Reps both have valid concerns, some good ideas, and some wild exaggerations. Why does the Dem plan have to be the only plan when others have good ideas too? For the good of all America – work with each other, you bunch of congressional Bozos!

You do realize that when you get your health care through your employer, you’re more like an indentured laborer, tied to your employer as if you were owned by the company, living in fear that you boss might CHOOSE to reduce your coverage/Drop your coverage/Increase your out of pocket/Decide you pose an health cost he/she can/won’t continue to cover.
That’s not a civilized way to live, for the citizens of this wealthy Western country, so why are we willing to bequeath this form of slavery to our children?

Once again, Democrats and moderate Republicans are leading our great country by tackling the issue of healthcare.
Unlike the vocal opponents of healthcare, many Americans like me have taken the time to understand why we need to address healthcare.
We are not fooled by the lies and distortions of Limbaughs, Palins and the far right who want to confuse and divide public opinion.
Our healthcare system has serious problems which require mindful and sober thinking and the not political based, anti-social and boorish tactics which we have seen from a demographic right, who are generally less educated, along with exhibiting poor social graces to promote their own self-serving political agendas during these town halls meetings.

Okay…..I have listend to those who advocate for this bill because we do not live as long as other countries and our infant morality rate is high. Here are some facts:
Between the US, Russia, Germany, France, Canada and Sweden–the life expectancy difference is 1-3 yrs minus Russian (their life expectancy is only 66yrs).
First: Infant mortality rates are determined from birth-to-1 year of age. This will include anything from health issues, to SIDS, to car accidents, to abuse and neglect and so forth–so, lets keep this in mind before we assume this is all health related, because it is not.
Also, The United States counts all births as live if they show any sign of life, regardless of prematurity or size. This includes what many other countries report as stillbirths.
In Austria and Germany, fetal weight must be at least 500 grams (1 pound) to count as a live birth; in other parts of Europe, such as Switzerland, the fetus must be at least 30 centimeters (12 inches) long.
In Belgium and France, births at less than 26 weeks of pregnancy are registered as lifeless.And some countries don’t reliably register babies who die within the first 24 hours of birth.
Thus, the United States is sure to report higher infant mortality rates. For this very reason, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which collects the European numbers, warns of head-to-head comparisons by country.”
Between the US, Russia, Germany, France, Sweden and Canada…….the US has the highest birth rates 13 per 1,000 and the lowest death rates 8 per 1000 aside Canada, whichs has 7/1000.
Again, to completly overhaul our health care industry based on, well obviously nothing drastic than other countries is absurd.

Ferrari5858:”Stay posted for more info on how we are going to try and organize a nationwide strike against any employer who is considering dumping their employees into Obamacare. ”
Wow, that’s almost as scary as all those middle management folks threatening to ‘go Galt…’ Go for it. You could start early and strike WalMart, who is famous for having many employees have to rely on Medicaid coverage. Or is offering no healthcare at all (which many employers do now) better than Obamacare?

Why is it so difficult for Pres. Obama and Congress to believe that we conservatives have kept our mouth shut for too long. While so many liberals were protesting against Bush’s policies, whether right or wrong, we were at WORK!!!!! Well, we have taken time off of our jobs and are finally speaking out. They can’t handle that we are fighting back and not taking it anymore
Posted by: sarah | Aug 14, 2009 10:08:27 PM
So, let’s see, you conservatives kept your mouth shut while Bush let Bin Laden get away, lied us into an unnecessary war with Iraq, gave huge unfunded tax cuts to the wealthiest amongst us, took this country from a surplus to over a $1 trillion deficit, and darn near destroyed the economy in the process. But now, you have taken some time off of work to protest?!
And why? Because Obama wants to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable health care. Please go back to work!!

Hey Walter- Jesus threw liars and cheats out of the temple too.

So few doctors are on board with this program that Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) had a fake one appear at her townhall. Google Roxana Mayer, an Obama campaign volunteer and University of Houston graduate student, who stated she is a primary care physician and supports Obama’s plan. Talk about the lying left.

President Obama is wrong. I have never attended a tea party or a town hall because I can’t stand to be in a crowd of people, but I’ve been listening and watching, and I agree with the protesters. The president tried to push this thing through fast, that makes me suspicious. He also said he was for a public option and a single payer program, now he says he isn’t. Finally, not only Congress but federal employees would not have to go into the public option if one is offered. Why not? If it’s good enough for me, why isn’t it good enough for them?

I agree with President Obama that all these capricious doctors who cut off people’s feet and take out their tonsils so they can make thousands in fees are a big cause of high healthcare costs.
In the past few years America has witnessed an epidemic of innocent Americans robbed of their limbs just so their doctors can add room additions to their houses (God forbid your doctor owns a McMansion; you could lose an entire leg).
I see it more and more in my own neighborhood – one-legged people lining up at the deli section at Dierberg’s or hobbling to their seats at the local movie theatre. This is an outrage! I’m so glad that President Obama drew attention to this growing problem in our midst.
(And to those of you who say he’s throwing the medical profession under the bus, I have one thing to say to you – you’re a racist.)
Controlling these morally corrupt doctors is the first step in controlling costs.
The second step, and far more important, is convincing our elderly relatives that living a long, long life is really not all it’s cracked up to be.
I totally support President Obama in his efforts to spread the wealth, and to spread the health. If you don’t agree, you must be a racist.

I totally support President Obama in his efforts to spread the wealth, and to spread the health. If you don’t agree, you must be a racist.
Finally some one who can be honest and objective about the issues we face.
LOL
SECREG_756

“So few doctors are on board with this program that Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) had a fake one appear at her townhall.”
Well then all those opposing doctors should immediately withdraw from the American Medical Association because the AMA endorses HR 3200.

As an Independent who voted for Barack Obama, I am very disappointed in the way he’s handled healthcare. He’s right – we do need reform. But we don’t need to tear down the house and start over. Some renovation would do. How about some tort reform?
The primary reason I voted for Obama is that I really believed he had the capacity to work across the aisle with Republicans. I thought if he made a genuine offer of bi-partisanship, the Republicans wouldn’t dare turn their backs on him. Then some good things would get done.
But all he did was make a show of bi-partisanship. Inviting a few Republicans to the White House is not reaching across the aisle.
He made no real attempt to work with Republicans, and he’s governing like a far-left Democrat.
Not cool. I’m beginning to regret my vote.
I keep hoping he’ll move to the center, and really work across the aisle to get some healthcare legislation passed. I don’t think he will, but I keep hoping.

Holdger Horses:
The AMA does NOT represent US Doctors…less than 20% belong to the AMA and as someone who has worked with hundreds of MDs over my entire working life, I can assure you the large majority of physicians are dead set AGAINST this bill in any way, shape or form…

ObamaIsGod, thank you for bringing the problem of corrupt doctors to light. As an RN, I get furious when I see all these doctors cutting off feet and removing tonsils just so they can earn extra money. Thank God President Obama finally brought this crisis to light.

Kim, I LOVE freedom and liberty!
So let me CHOOSE a public plan. I don’t trust the private insurance companies further than I can throw them, I think the public plan is best for my family.
WHO ARE YOU to tell me we shouldn’t have the right to make this choice for OURSELVES.
Hypocrite!

Wants to defend the insurance companieslike the one that called Robin Beaton days before she was scheduled to have a historectomy for a particularly agressive cancer???
REPUBLICANS, that’s who!
Vote for the PRO-DEATH Republican party.

Contrary to what Walter thinks, Republicans do not want people with no insurance to die. They want reform, real reform that includes tort reform and the ability to purchase insurance outside a person’s own state.
Republicans have ideas on reform. They just don’t get reported by ABC or the rest of the state-run Obama media.
You should try tuning into Fox once in a while, like more and more people. Their ratings are through the roof. That’s because they aren’t in bed with Obama, like the ABC network.

Lydia – Big Pharma just worked a behind the scenes deal with the president to get their support in exchange for a market advantage. Who’s in bed with who?

Rationing, another insurance industry talking point parroted by the GOP. Rationing already happens! Insurance companies deny claims everyday and their motive is profit, pure and simple. But, if you prefer to have your health care rationed by your insurance company, then keep the insurance provider you have. No provision, under any bill being proposed, says that you cannot.
Posted by: Patx | Aug 14, 2009 11:08:16 PM
=======================================
You can leave your insurance company and find a better one or one that fits your needs, you cannot do that with the government plan.
The government will tax you 2.5% of your gross annual salary if you do NOT have “ACCEPTABLE” health care coverage. It does not read if you “DO NOT HAVE COVERAGE” it reads acceptable.
And the government decides what is acceptable. So, if I choose insurance T because it is a good fit for me but the government does not approve of it, they will tak my gross annual salary 2.5%.
Now, explain to me how that is not government control over my choice?

Kim, I LOVE freedom and liberty!
So let me CHOOSE a public plan. I don’t trust the private insurance companies further than I can throw them, I think the public plan is best for my family.
WHO ARE YOU to tell me we shouldn’t have the right to make this choice for OURSELVES.
Hypocrite!
Posted by: Walter | Aug 14, 2009 11:34:02 PM
======================================
Walter, if you want a government run plan then by all means have at it, but do not force it on the 250 million who have insurance and like what they have.
I mean, why should the government get to choose what an acceptable health care plan is? That is not leaving us with our choice because we have to make sure it the plan we choose is an approved one from the government or we risk a tax penalty.
Will the plan punish Americans who try to opt out?
What the bill says, pages 167-168, section 401, TAX ON INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT ACCEPTABLE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE:
‘‘(a) TAX IMPOSED.—In the case of any individual who does not meet the requirements of subsection (d) at any time during the taxable year, there is hereby imposed a tax equal to 2.5 percent of the excess of—
(1) the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year, over
(2) the amount of gross income specified in section 6012(a)(1) with respect to the taxpayer. . . .”
EVALUATION OF THE PASSAGE:
1. This section amends the Internal Revenue Code.
2. Anyone caught without acceptable coverage and not in the government plan will pay a special tax.
3. The IRS will be a major enforcement mechanism for the plan.
What constitutes “acceptable” coverage?

To be honest, some Republicans, like John Stossel have specific ‘reform’ plans.
According to John Stossel, the problem *is* health insurance. People spend health dollars ‘unwisely’ (says Mr. Stossel from his golden throne) because is is not out of pocket.
I want to give John Stossel money so that he can share the Republican agenda to EVERYONE: Lose your health insurance!

Walter spends too much time watching the left-wing news media. He actually believes the garbage he sees on NBC, CBS and ABC. He buys into the liberal line hook, line and sinker.
Walter and Lydia need to get educated on the issues, and stop believing everything they read in the mainstream media.

Walter, John Stossel is NOT a Republican. He is a Libertarian. Most Republicans do not agree with his views.

“it’s a freedom and liberty thing.”
AMEN!

KMDay,
I am so glad you asked. In brief, all insurance plans will be required to eliminate any pre-existing exclusions.
The whole idea of insurance is shared risk pool.
Pre-existing exclusions are not only immoral (every human being should get treatment when hit by a bus, or cancer), they PUT EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN AT RISK:
I am perfectly healthy now and live a healthy lifestyle, but what if I discover I have cancer tomorrow? First the insurance company is going to try to retroactively cancel my insurance for a ‘pre-existing condition’ and thereby very likely deny me the ability to get treatment.
SECONDLY, even if I am lucky enough to get treatment and survive, I become uninsurable.
THIS IS THE REPUBLICAN ‘HEALTH PLAN’.
Hypocrites.

Janet, what is to stop the ‘death board’ liars from lying again?
What kind of sheple would believe a word of nutcases who equate living wills with ‘death boards’?

Janet, what is to stop the ‘death board’ liars from lying again?
What kind of sheple would believe a word of nutcases who equate living wills with ‘death boards’?
Posted by: Walter | Aug 15, 2009 12:08:07 AM
=======================================
walter, in fairness………the kind who read a bill and see all of the loop holes and or the ambiguous wording of a bill that leaves these possibilities open.
If you know how legislation works, then you understand that a mere shell of the bill is what gets voted on, then the bill goes to special committees who put in the tecnhnical wording-this is where things change.
This is also why you heard Max Baucus state the the public option can come off the table, its not like we cant put it back in there during committee hearingings.

I mean, why should the government get to choose what an acceptable health care plan is?
***
KMDay, my impression is that its a regulation thing so people don’t get ripped off or taken advantage of. I realize that doesn’t satisfy folks who don’t want a public option, but I confess it’s really difficult for me to fully grasp the concern. I would like a public option that doesn’t interfere with the choice you’re concerned about– and I’m hoping a good solution is reached. Maybe through non-profit state co-ops. It sounds like that will be an ongoing battle as the Senate bill is unlikely to have a public option, right? (That’s the latest I’ve heard.) Adding new competition to the current private sector landscape doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.

THIS IS THE REPUBLICAN ‘HEALTH PLAN’.
Hypocrites.
Posted by: Walter | Aug 15, 2009 12:02:09 AM
========================================
This is not a Republican health plan Walter, stop being so dramatic.
The Republicans want too little regulation over the insurance industry and the Democrats want too much control.

Ray, one internal memo doesn’t add up to a signed and sealed deal. The idea of a deal between Big Pharma and the W.H. is silly anyway because the White House isn’t writing the bills, that’s Congress and the Senate’s job.
If you can’t see what a huge drain higher health care insurance and health care costs are to the average family, and thus a drain on the economy, you just aren’t paying attention. If you can’t see that 45 million Americans and counting can’t afford health care insurance is a crying shame, you have lost any sense of empathy. If you can’t see the injustice of insurers being allowed to drop patients for pre-existing conditions, you don’t understand the whole idea of insurance in the first place, that is it is a shared risk pool. And if you think it is okay for more than a quarter of all bankruptcies to be for medical bills for people who had insurance, you don’t understand most of us are just a catastrophic illness away from bankruptcy.

I won’t claim to be an expert on these topics, this is just a quick summary of what I heard in this documentary.
Posted by: Walter | Aug 15, 2009 12:16:03 AM
======================================= Walter, the point is that this has no business in the health care bill number one. The fact that the government feels they can come into a home and tell a parent how to raise their child as though they can do a better job-does Nanny State really not resignate here?
Things like this in the bill is either pissing people off or scaring them, one or the other.
From my pointof view, who does the government think it is coming into peoples homes and telling them how to parent? Whose philosophy will be used or parenting skills be used to measure up against? Nancy Pelosi’s, good ol upstanding Ted Kennedy’s?
Do you honestly not see the problem with this section?

It sounds like that will be an ongoing battle as the Senate bill is unlikely to have a public option, right? (That’s the latest I’ve heard.) Adding new competition to the current private sector landscape doesn’t seem like a bad idea to me.
Posted by: Alyson | Aug 15, 2009 12:16:28 AM
========================================Right now it appears that the public option is what is breaking the bill from going through in the Senate. Republicans do not want it and most blue dogs do not either.
The problem is that if the public option is off the table the liberals have already said they will not vote yes and if the public option is on the table the conservatives said they will not vote yes.
Right now, it is a tug-of-war over the public option mud pit.

The question we have to be asking ourselves is why did Congress try to sneak this by us? Remember that they tried to get this passed prior to the August break – and with NO public debate. That one strategy speaks volumes.

Republicans want tort reform, to cap awards for “pain and suffering” that account for the huge expense of malpractice insurance that doctors and hospitals must carry, also account for the huge amount of extra and unneeded tests doctors order just to protect themselves. Why are dems so opposed? Trial lawyers own the Democratic Party.

Also, Republicans tried to add to the bill that e-verify would be used to test the legality of anyone applying for government health care. E-verify is accurate to almost 100% in identifying folks using fake SS numbers, yet the Dems voted that provision down, all opposed. Why don’t the Dems support verifying that our government health care will go to citizens only? Better yet, why has Obama twice opposed its use for Homeland Security? Amazing.

Why are dems so opposed?
***
I think part of the problem, besides trial lawyers, is that medical malpractice and patient safety gets taken out of the discussion and the focus is more on defensive medicine, malpractice insurance premiums and litigation costs. So I’d prefer that a comprehensive view is taken when reforms are discussed, as in the MEDiC bill Hillary offered up a couple years ago– but otherwise, I would think a bipartisan discussion would have to include medical malpractice.

The Constitution already contains Tort Reform in it. It’s called a Jury.
If Americans don’t want people to get large settlements, there is any easy way to stop it. Just don’t allow them.
I am sick of these “conservatives” always passing “mandatory minimum” sentence laws or putting limits on legal settlements… Judges and juries should be given MORE discretion, not less. If you are a strict “constitutionalist,” I don’t see how you can get so up in arms about tort reform… when the Founding Fathers actually provided for the best courts in the world.

If you are a strict “constitutionalist,” I don’t see how you can get so up in arms about tort reform… when the Founding Fathers actually provided for the best courts in the world.
Posted by: barfy | Aug 15, 2009 1:02:21 AM
***
Uh, if that was directed at me, I voted for Obama and I’m a left of center progressive– not a strict constitutionalist. I actually think there’s something to be said for comprehensive medical malpractice reform designed to reduce the rates of preventable patient injuries, promote open communication between physicians and patients, ensure patients access to fair compensation for legitimate medical injuries, and reduce liability insurance premiums for health care providers. I agree that capping malpractice payments alone isn’t acceptable as it would do nothing to prevent malpractive or unsafe practices or ensure the provision of fair compensation to injured patients.
As for insurance companies, I used to work for health insurance and managed care companies and I’ve complained about them in many, many posts and discussed the nightmares of detangling claims issues and provider issues and the inefficiencies and incompetency.

Also, Republicans tried to add to the bill that e-verify would be used to test the legality of anyone applying for government health care. E-verify is accurate to almost 100% in identifying folks using fake SS numbers, yet the Dems voted that provision down, all opposed. Why don’t the Dems support verifying that our government health care will go to citizens only? Better yet, why has Obama twice opposed its use for Homeland Security? Amazing.
Posted by: babs | Aug 15, 2009 12:45:58 AM
***
Well the irony of the e-verify thing is that one of the objections to it has been invasion of privacy, no? I say its ironic because of the brouhaha over Obama’s pushback on the chain emails and the WH’s “vault” of information on fishy folks. I gotta say I can’t figure out the conservatives’ general position on right to privacy– it seems to blow to where ever best suits them. But maybe that’s just me. The other objections, I believe, have centered on the inadequacy of the computerized program; the length and difficulty of the process; and the danger of false positives due to identity theft and errors. also believe delays were due to a lawsuit filed by the Chamber of Commerce, no? But Janet Napolitano supports using the program and the admin the Obama administration is making E-Verify mandatory for businesses working with the federal government as of September. I have very amixed feelings on it because of the objections mentioned.

Posted by: Concerned in OH | Aug 15, 2009 1:40:59 AM
If you really are concerned, check out Lydia’s post here at the poorly titled thread “Almost An Acknowledgment that They’re Losing the Argument.” You may also want to google the Managed Care Matters blog and look at the post titled “Swiftboating health reform.”

Mr. Obama stated, “Everywhere — everywhere across the country you’re seeing people who are coming together and having a civil, honest, often difficult conversation about how we can improve the system. That’s how democracy’s supposed to work.”
How does that square with his comments from last week regarding, “I don’t want everyone who made this mess to keep talking, I just want them to stop talking and get out of the way.”
So, if you’re agreeing with him, you’re engaged in a civil and honest discussion, but if you disagree you’re just talking and making noise and should just get out of the way.
Mr. President, I civilly and honestly disagree with you and your hypocritical rhetoric in the context of your strawmen arguments and gross mischaracterizations of your socialistic takeover of the medical system. Your vague and ill-informed positions, as well as dubious ethical standards, are honestly a good reason for us to have opposition to your reform plans and to submit reforms of our own liking. Continued mischaracterization of our reforms as “the status quo” is both dishonest and uncivil. Please take a page from your own recommendations, and reengage once you can live up to your own rules.

:The Constitution already contains Tort Reform in it. It’s called a Jury:
Star-struck juries let many celebrities off scot free, even for murder (Robert Blake, Orenthal James Simpson).
A Jury awarded $2.9 million (on appeal it was lowered to $480,000) to a woman who placed a paper cup of hot coffee between her own legs.
John Edwards channeled the words of an unborn baby girl before a jury.
“…Right now I feel her. I feel her presence. She’s inside me, and she’s talking to you.”
The jury came back with a $6.5 million verdict in the cerebral palsy case.
Today, twenty-six percent of deliveries are now Cesarian (major surgery) compared to six percent in 1970, because of unscrupulous lawyers like Edwards.
Juries can be part of the problem. Tort reform would give realistic guidelines to juries.

“How does that square with his comments from last week regarding, “I don’t want everyone who made this mess to keep talking, I just want them to stop talking and get out of the way.”
“So, if you’re agreeing with him, you’re engaged in a civil and honest discussion, but if you disagree you’re just talking and making noise and should just get out of the way.”
–> Meanwhile, if insurance companies are the bogey-man, why’s Der Won and the rest of the Democratic “leadership” doing in bed with them and PhRMA on this pig bill … when what the huge majority of the people want is Single Payer?

If anyone thinks Medicare is free to seniors, think again! Medicare is MANDATORY when you reach 65! You can no longer be on regular health insurance! Each month when you receive your Social Security check a deduction of $90 plus dollars each month! To provide additional coverage for items that Medicare does not pay you have to purchase another SENIOR policy from Blue Cross! There are different plans for Seniors starting at just under $100.00/month! In addition to that, most meds are not covered under Medicare even though there is a DRUG BENEFIT and so SENIORS have to pay out of pocket for expensive meds! Can you just imagine a scenario where a SENIOR does not have a huge IRA, savings or lost a lot of money in the market and cannot afford these meds let alone survive on a Social Security chcek!! My question to all of you who seem to be so smart and against anyone who disagrees with you is simply this…WHO WILL PAY THE INSURANCE FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD IT BECAUSE IT WILL STILL COST YOU SOMETHING JUST LIKE MEDICARE ALREADY DOES AND WHAT WILL THE COVERAGE REALLY BE? In my opinion, it would be cheaper to regulate insurance companies, increase the eligibility rates for medicaid by federal and state, and for those who do NOT want insurance withhold a percentage from their tax refunds or if they do not have a refund coming…add it to their tax burden at tax time!

OMG

As bad as they are, I would “trust” insurance company rationing over Obamacare rationing. The companies are driven by one motive: profit. You know what it is, it’s predictable. Government rationing is subject to abuse and corruption from the top to the bottom. You can pretty well trust that the motive is a do-gooder’s idea of how to “improve” and “perfect” the system even when the voters don’t know what’s good for them. It’s always, always, a recipe for disaster and unintended consequences.
Despite Americans being wonderful and extraordinary, there’s not one person in this country trustworthy enough, smart enough, or saintly enough to oversee government participation in my healthcare. The deficit is now a behemoth, unemployment is skyrocketing, consumers aren’t buying, banks aren’t lending, Afghans won’t fight, terrorists are coming to a town near you, Americans keep being captured and imprisoned around the world, and we’re all gonna die. We need to do healthcare right now like we need a hole in the head.

Norris Hall, I agree with you. It is extemely short-sighted to not provide affordable health care insurance for many reasons, some of which is the high cost of private insurance now is draining the economy and family’s finances, the public option will give private insurance true competition which will lower prices for everyone, the cost to society for every death and severe illness that would have been prevented if that uninsured person had access to their own doctor is huge, I could go on but I won’t.
I am always amazed by those who profess to be Christian but are objecting so strongly to a public health insurance option. We aren’t talking about a government run health care system, but simply about better regulation of insurance companies, some fair rules like no more denying insurance for pre-existing conditions, no lifetime limits and a public insurance option for those who can’t afford it otherwise.

The audience was hand-picked by the White House… goes to show why there wasn’t a “ruckus.”