Lieberman Moving Toward Support of Health Reform, Not Swaying Republican Collins

Could ABC spare us the Lieberman closeups? It’s starting to freak me out!

Mr Pendulame.

While Congress has been debating the various options to their abysmally poor health care legislation, the free market capitalist system has been making significant improvements. Once again, free market economics is shown to be vastly superior to anything any government can come up with.
From ‘The Kiplinger Letter’
General Mills has its cafeterias offer smaller portions at lower prices and print nutritional information on food receipts.From 2005 to 2008, the percentage of workers with two or more health risks declined from 68% to 29%.
Johnson & Johnson provides up to $500 in incentives for each worker to participate in its wellness programs, boosting participation to 90%.
Baptist Health South Florida offers free personal health counseling. Costs of medical claims for 500 workers who received one on one counseling for three straight years dropped 30% in the third year, saving $1.0 million.
IBM lets employess choose from among five cash incentives…a maximum of $300 per year…to improve their health by dieting, quitting smoking, etc. Nearly 25% of workers enrolled in the smoke-free program ditched the unhealthy habit.
Big government is not the answer to our problems, big government is the problem.

Joe is a self serving lier. He and his wife are in with the drug and insurance companies and have been for years. 60% of the people in his state want a public option. He is not representing the people of his state, he is not representing the Democratic party he is representing the insurance company that funded his campaign for the Senate. He knows this is his last go round in the Senate, he knows he has a fat cat job with the insurance company he is representing, so he doesn’t care about all the people that actually have to pay for their health care. He cares about Joe and thats it.

We, the America people, are responsible for putting these people in office who are going to take out our health care, increase our taxes and lower our standard of living. For those who wanted to punish Bush and the GOP- we now will paid the price.

Myze, He should represent the people of his state that want the public option. He should not be stopping this for political reasons. 60% of the poeple in his state want a public option. It is all about him and the spotlight. He is a selfish jerk.

Even Dynamite wouldn’t help move Republicans on any issue.
Of course, “Little Joe” will get his in the afterlife.
Joe, be sure to pack your asbestos suit when you get ready to leave this life.

Linda | Dec 15, 2009 2:22:00 PM
….James Jones and his koolade drinkers.

Charles | Dec 15, 2009 2:51:42 PM….There are many of us that feel the same.

marco: The fact that you believe that this man has any ethics, at all, shows how little you know or care know. The facts are, that this man put forth the Medicare age change around three months ago and now he chooses to go against it. This was the man who in the mid-90′s fought to get rid of the filibuster and now has used it in the worst of ways. His wife works for the very insurance companies that are fighting better health coverage for Americans because of pure greed. This is a man who is voting for the insurance companies and not for the electorate who in his district, overwhelmingly support the public options and the Medicare changes. You are a fool to not support these needed changes and even a greater fool to support Lieberman on anything. Lieberman is going to run with his ill-gotten money the first chance he gets. He knows he is out this next election. It is only a matter of time when the people remove him from office permanently. I only wish it were sooner.

wheresmymoney |Keep you dirty money and keep your attitude of “all about you” and your non-Christian attitude that you have no concern about the needs of others. We can and will do this without your sick attitude about the rest of humanity. I am more than sick and tired of people like yourself who only care about themselves and no one else. No matter how much you might try to claim that you do things for others, your post here says far more. May the judgment of your life here on Earth be gentle upon you heartless soul ….

To all in ocngress who say they oppose any public option, aAs Congressman Joe Wilson said so boldly – YOU LIE! Why not give all americans the same benefit those in congress have in the OAP (Office of Attending Physician)? This office was founded in 1929 and provides complete primary and extended care to all members of congress. It also provides specialists, as needed. The cost to the congressman? A mere $503 PER YEAR. The OAP’s budget is included in the budget for the dept of the navy – in other words it is paid for by the american taxpayer – a true PUBLIC OPTION.

Lieberman, once you VOTE for this bill; your CAREER is OVER! You will find your BUTT on the unemployment line, along with the other 3,000,000 people who are currently OUT OF WORK because of the Obama administration!

Without the public option, insurance companies will have free reign to deny benefits. The current health care plan proposed has no teeth, and will do little to help the 46 Million uninsured, who will either go to emergency rooms, and the taxpayers will pay for those extra costs; or will go without, thus decreasing the productivity of small businesses; or they’ll die. Why doesn’t it make sense to offer an incentive to small businesses to provide health insurance, so that their can be productive, have less sick time, and increase the bottom line of the business.

Where every working class Joe can afford health care coverage. Our policies are not aligned in this country. Minimum wage is what? 7.25 an hour – you certainly can not afford healthcare on 7.25 an hour.
interestings confidential. I don’t think the plan at hand makes anything affordable, it makes it cost more. But doctors want to make money for all the years in school so we have to cap that, drug companies have to acct for the billions average it takes to develop and market a drug, Insurance comapnies want to make some profit, the problem is thjis darn free market. Every person wants money for doing someting in healthcare.
So lets take the incentive out to make money, earns lots and do anything that might raise the cost. The govt will make it non-profit so no one can make (excessive profits). I wonder what the long term benefits of this will be to the overall Healthcare as we get these evil profit mongers out. The we will just have a pool of Healthcare providers that will only be doing it for the pure satisfaction of providing this to people witout that pesky profit issue!!!!!!!

To all you republicans.. I am a democrat who worked as a military contractor last year. Easiest job for the most money and least amount of work I ever had. I quit from boredom and the feeling that I was stealing taxpayer dollars. Let me tell you if you want cost cutting start with the military contractors sitting on their fat arses trying to figure or if they should order more chocolate or jelly donuts for the next tax payer funded meeting. You people are all sick and greedy leaches making your monies on the backs of the poor and uneducated. Like roaches when the lord comes back to this world you will all run and hide like roaches. Your money cannot protect you then. Jesus said whatever you did NOT do for the least of my people you did NOT do for me. Matthew 25:45.

WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD ASKED THEY WE NOT PAY FOR THEIR CADILLAC HEALTHCARE PLANS, AND LET THEM BE ON THEIR OWN TOO.

It is amazing how well the insurance industry’s propaganda has worked. They did extensive research and found that the term “government run” would scare the most people. Even though the government overseen aspect would only be an option intended to keep costs low. Who on earth is really against this? Insurance companies, who want to continue the spiraling healthcare costs that are bankrupting the country. And Republicans who even vote against their own amendments because they want reform to fail, and have determined that their election is more important than the public good.
My neighbor even went so far as to feel that doctors would suffer with reduced income — even though the AMA supports the reform. These marketing guys must be geniuses.

What kind of name is texaslaw, anyway? It is amazing how every single republican supporter and politician knows that the insurance companies rob every American of their money and they do not delivered when they need them. They also know that most countries provide basic care for people, yet the United States, the best country in the world does not. Amazingly, republicans start arguing about, free markets, and free speech. Yeah! we tried that in the Wild Wild West, remember. Why don’t we just hold duels? Let’s see who deserves health care and who does not. The socialist card is so old. How do you think we pay for cops, firefighters, Public education and free mail? Certainly, is not with the money insurance companies provide to the public. Stop defending a free market that promulgates monopolies and advance the prosperity of the already rich. Get Health Care Reform passed already.

Over 100,000 Americans die each year for lack of insurance. This is a HOLOCAUST led by JOE ‘THE JOKER’ LIEBERMAN.
He wont get re-elected by CT now anyway so just bypass this evil man and pass a real public option for the sake of Americans dying at home with serious illness such as cancer (like my wifes mother has 18 months to live).
I dont understand why 60 votes are needed anyway. 51 votes and be done with it. Democrats grow a spine will ya!

sara – You said “WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SHOULD ASKED THEY WE NOT PAY FOR THEIR CADILLAC HEALTHCARE PLANS, AND LET THEM BE ON THEIR OWN TOO.”
I love folks who appear not to have a clue.
Contrary to what many believe Congressmen do not have FREE health insurance. Their employer is the federal government and like many employers, through FEHB it provides him and all federal employees with access to an insurance plan from a private insurance company (AETNA, Blue Cross, Health Net, Kaiser, etc). The federal government pays approximately 2/3 of the premium and the Congressman is responsible for the remaining portion of the premium. This is in line with many private companies who offer health insurance to their employees as part of their benefit program. Congressmen have been required to get their health insurance in this manner since passage of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1983. The Congressman is responsible for any co-pays or deductable payments when service is provided by a healthcare provider.
The Congressman is also susceptible to the limits within the plan he chooses, none of the plans cover 100% of the costs the insured eventually reaches a point where he has to dig into his own pockets. The governments only other involvement with the FEHB is to negotiate rates and benefits for each plan once a year. If you want to view the plans and their limits, deductibles, and co-pays just Google “FEHB” and go to the site and see what the different plans are. The FEHB health plans are either nationwide (plan available anywhere within the country) or regional (plan available only in one state or a portion of a state).
FEHB allows the Congressman to change between plans once a year during what is referred to as an open season and he can switch with no lapse in coverage due to pre-existing conditions and if he changes jobs within the Federal Government he can take his current plan with him if the plan is available (he moved from one region to another) at his new position, if not he can switch with no problems. One of the differences in the plan costs is the level of benefits provided and the amount the patient pays (co-pays or deductable) when receiving healthcare.
Additionally Congressmen can take advantage of the Office of the Attending Physician which is staffed by Navy personnel while in Washington DC but would still have to have insurance through FEHB to cover any instances when health care would be required outside of the capital. The fee for a Congressman to utilize the Attending Physician is only $503 per year but the service area is only the capital.
Now for Social Security for Congressmen. You probably are also of the belief that members of Congress do not participate in Social Security. Once again you would be wrong, federal government employees hired after 1984 and ALL members of Congress no matter when they were first elected are required to participate in Social Security. These same people also participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) unless they were elected prior to 1984 in which case they use the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) which is where they receive their retirement benefits when they retire. Employees in the FERS program have Social Security (and Medicare) withheld from his check just like you do every pay period while those under CSRS only have Medicare withheld since they don’t get Social Security based on their federal employment. If a CSRS employee happened to work another job where he earned eligibility for Social Security then when he receives his Social Security payments his CSRS retirement is reduced.
Additionally they have an additional sum withheld which goes into the FERS retirement fund and if he chooses he can have an additional sum withheld and placed in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), The TSP operates similar to a 401k and has several funds which the employee can choose to have his money held in (many federal employees lost money when the economy collapsed as the TSP is mainly in stocks). The actual retirement for a Congressman is determined by a formula which looks at his salary for the highest three year period prior to retirement and then uses a formula which uses his age at retirement and number of years served. To achieve retirement the employee must have a minimum number of years (just like the rest of the world) and have a minimum number of years served (just like the rest of the world).
The starting retirement of a Congressman can be no greater than 80% of his salary at retirement and the level is increased relative to the CPI so it would take years to reach an amount equal to his final pay. In order for a Congressman to participation in the FEHB program when he leaves office he must first meet the requirement to retire which means age and service time come into play. According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.
Once again if you want to learn more Google FERS and TSP which should get you to the proper pages on the internet, none of this is hidden data it is there for anyone to read.
If we were to have term limits for Congressmen; 2 terms (12 years) for Senators and 3 terms (6 years) for the House then the retirement payouts would not be that great for retired Congressmen and most of them would not be eligible to continue in the FEHB program. Interesting enough a proposed Constitutional amendment on term limits has been proposed and is beginning its rounds in Congress, just Google “COE09E33” to see the simple two page bill.
Hope this has educated you on what you appear to believe.

Yep he is goofy lookin all right… WOWSERS…

Is Joe Lieberman a “plumber”?

DBOGGAN you could not be more on target with your comments about lieberwhoreman.
Lieberman has a score to settle with Weiner, Schumer Et.Al. for backing a different candidate running against him in the 2006 primaries.
Lieberwhoreman is extracting his revenge at the price of 122 dead Americans each day. Lieberwhoreman a ultra conservative, god faring Jewish man. In reality he is a cretinesque taker of lives. He has blood on his hands. But, he won’t drive a car or turn lights off or on from Friday sundown. Until Saturday sundown. He preaches faith, love and kindness. then allows people to die and remain uninsured to settle petty scores. Lieberwhoreman is a hypocrit. That’s the nicest thing I can say about him.
SECREG_756

The liberals are showing their kinder gentler attitude once again on this blog. “Please take care of us government, we’re not capable of taking care of ourselves. And if you disagree with us we’ll call you names..nah nee nah nee

Sandcrab…. I don’t “act” as if I’m an expert, jerk. Point is … is that they receive the BEST of healthcare, AND they’re not paying based on pre-existing condition and their insurance companies are not dictating to their doctors “how and when” to treat them. And we as taxpayers are paying the majority of their plans!

When the public option was on the table, Joe said he favored the medicare buy-in for those over 55 instead. That was 3 months ago. Don’t let Joe ever tell you he’s “bipartisan” or “principled”. He is the most politically motivated figure around. It’s all about Joe and what power he can leverage. Regardless of what was offered on health care reform, Joe would have put himself in this position at the end where he was demanding something in return for not blocking the entire legislation, focusing the spotlight on his “clout”. The fact that he reversed his position from 3 months ago in order to do it shows the kind of man he is.

Senate rejected a plan, today, that would allow Americans to import low-cost prescriptions from abroad. As usual, LIEberman voted to protect the corporations.
He voted against the free-market by protecting corporate medical monopoly in the United States.

This may be the kiss of political death for old Lieb. Too many of us are very unhappy with him sticking his nose in and trying to mess up good things. My Connecticut family members all say he’s out now as far as they are concerned.They all wanted the public option.

Mr. Lieberman I lauaghed when CNN asked you if you would run as a republican next time,….everyone thought you were one already. You seem to have sided with them during the convention and ignored the Democratic one. Had a lot to say about the republican candidates and lately have sided in with them at every turn. When one acts like a republican, votes like a republican and talks like a republican….he is a republican. I seem to remember they did not want you before…now what is the attraction? I remember you begging the democrats not to take away your democratic caucus standing. When would you need it when you have never supported anything they did?

Joe Lieberman will not support any Health Care Reform Because Joe Lieberman got millions of dollars in political support from Private Insurance companies.
The Insurance Companies have the deepest pockets, and every Seantor Republican and Joe Lieberman all have their hands in those pockets.

What we witnessing in Washington by the Democrat’s is gangster politics. The concerns and needs of citizens are not being addressed, but rather bribes,mob threats and big time money pay offs to screw the American citizen. Look at the comments on this blog you democrat’s are all for these gangster’s of your democrat party.

A lot of problems with this country. Medical care is one of the leading ones. Broken government is right up there with it and caused the problem to begin with. We have people running this country who will never be forced to use the programs they set up for the people they serve, which is the taxpayer. I remember a story about when Bush “senior” retired from politics. He was amazed to find groceries being “price scanned” at his local supermarket. Amazing.

Understanding why there is even a debate about healthcare puzzles me. Why would anyone even try and justify Americans paying up to 10 times as much for precription drugs as citizens in other “leading nations”. The FDA? That’s a joke. They can’t even find a way to guarantee peanut butter is safe to use. Carry that same thought over to Insurance, Medical Associations, Hospitals etc..it really becomes clear what has happened.

I am not one of Lieberman’s constituants but I trust him more than most. On the news last night, it reported that 18,000 of the people in his district worked for the Insurance industry. That says a lot about it. They could throw him out but he will be back as a lobbyist. It’s kinda sad.