Political Punch

I am thankful that Barack's campaign put out a mailer that called attention to some significant differences between the two candidate's health care proposals. I found it very troubling that Clinton included individual mandates in her plan and when pressed on how she was going to enforce individual mandates during the first debate, between the two remaining Dems In LA, she said she would impose fines and garnish the wages of those who didn't buy it. Until recently, I have always received insurance through my employers and listened to an increasing number of those employers complain about the rising cost of providing health care; and then watch them pass those cost on to their employees, through higher co-pays and/or higher premiums, but last year when our insurance agent went out of business, terminating my policy, I had to self-insure. As a result, I learned first hand how unaffordable purchasing health insurance can be and it only gets worse with age and sickness. Already, one year after I self insured, my premiums went up by $70 a month representing a 24% increase over last year's monthly premium costs. I am healthy and still young but I am just one person so my provider doesn't have to negotiate with me and will arbitrarily increase my premiums. Health insurance is simply no longer affordable and unless the health care industry is regulated and costs are controlled and reduced (take the profit out), administering mandates and assessing penalties and threatening to garnish wages will only hurt those most vulnerable. It's a mistake to put the burden on the individual because the individual is powerless when up against this absurd health care system. Barack is right - reduce the cost and make it affordable so that all who want it can have it.

As for the NAFTA mailer, as long as Bill Clinton is on the campaign trail for Hilary, promoting another Clinton Presidency by stating "We're Back", voters should consider his past failings, including his aggressive NAFTA policy.

Aaahhhh, remember when Hillary was leading the pack. Everything was soooo nice! Now she's pressed and the Democratic campaign turns downright nasty.

I'd just like to point out that Obama came from behind and Edwards left the race, both without needing to resort to Karl Rove tactics.

If the Democrats run Hillary, I'm voting for McCain.

I think it's wasted effort to compare details. Those plans have not come out of any committee to make it to a bill. At this stage we ought to be considering general directions. I think Obama's general direction is more fitting since he nails the problem bullseye. That, and there is something downright unAmerican forcing insurance on people. What about people who don't use conventional "white bread" healthcare? Are all means of alternative naturopathic or holistic medicine finally going to be embraced by the insurance industry now? And what of those who don't use healthcare for religious reasons? Oh well, you have to pay anyway?

did anyone ever think to ask how much it's going to cost to save the $2,250.00 you'd be getting with Obama's Healthcare plan?

Is it even grammatically correct to say, "... which of these people don't..."? I'm pretty sure it should be, "... which of these people doesn't..." because "which of" is singular. Am I wrong?

"As Edwards has said, you can't solve a problem you're a part of. It's not scare tactics, it's valid concern for how much control the government should have, and who REALLY profits from that"

Actually Edwards and Clinton's health care plans are almost the same.

I read the article in the New York times explaining the difference between Obama and Clinton on their health care plans. Hillary's plan is the only one that is universal. Obama will allow people to choose not to insure themselves. The problem with this is when these people who don't want health insurance become sick they simply sign on to the national plan and the rest of us end up paying for these slackers. Universal health care is no different that requiring people to carry car insurance. When you have an accident with someone and you have insurance and they don't it ends up coming out of your pocket in higher premiums. The article also said that Clintons plan will be cheaper than Obama's plan. I am reqired to have insurance in my state and I have never heard of anyone's wages being garnished. This is simply a scare tactic.

AN OPEN LETTER FROM A CANADIAN FRIEND:

I saw on the news up here in Canada where Hillary Clinton introduced her new health care plan; something similar to what we have in Canada. I also heard that Michael Moore was raving about the health care up here in Canada in his latest movie. As your friend and someone who lives with the Canada
health care plan, I thought I would give you some facts about this great medical plan that we have in Canada.

First of all:

1) The health care plan in Canada is NOT free. We pay a premium every month of $96 for Shirley and I to be covered. Sounds great, eh? What they don't tell you is how much we pay in taxes to keep the health care system
afloat. I am personally in the 55% tax bracket. Yes, 55% of my earnings go to taxes. A large portion of that, and I am not sure of the exact amount, goes directly to health care, our #1 expense.

2) I would not classify what we have as a health care plan; it is more like a health diagnosis system. You can get into to see a doctor quick enough so he can tell you "yes, indeed, you are sick, or you need an operation, but now the challenge becomes getting treated or operated on." We have waiting lists out the ying yang; some as much as 2 years down the road!

3) Rather than fix what is wrong with you, the usual tactic in Canada is to prescribe drugs. Have a pain? Here is a drug to take - don't find out what is causing the pain and why; no time for checking you out because it is
more important to move as many patients through as possible each hour for
Government reimbursement.

4) Many Canadians DO NOT have a family Doctor.

5) DO NOT try to get emergency treatment since you may spend hours in the
emergency room waiting for treatment.

6) Shirley's dad cut his hand on a power saw a few weeks back, and it required that his hand be put in a splint. To our surprise, we had to pay $125 for a splint because it is not covered under health care, plus we have
to pay $60 per visit for him to get it checked out each week.

7) Shirley's cousin was diagnosed with a heart blockage - put on a waiting list. He died before he could get treatment.

8) The Government allots only so many operations per year. When that is done, no
more operations unless you go to your local newspaper and plead your case and embarrass the government; then money suddenly appears.

9) The Government takes great pride in telling us how much more they are increasing the funding for health care, but waiting lists never get shorter. Government just keeps throwing money at the problem, but it never goes away. But they are good at finding new ways to tax us. By the way, they don't call it a tax anymore; it is now a user fee.

10) A friend needs an operation for a blockage in her leg, but because she is a smoker they will not do it, despite paying into the health care system all these years. My friend is 65 years old. Now there is talk that maybe we should not treat fat and obese people either because they are a drain on the health care system. Let me see now..... what we want in Canada is a health care system for healthy people only. That should reduce our health
care costs!

11) Forget about getting a second opinion; what you see is what you get.

12) I can spend what money I have left after taxes on booze, cigarettes, junk food and anything else that could kill me, but I
am not allowed, by law, to spend my money on getting an operation I need because that would be "jumping the queue." I must wait my turn except if I am a hockey player or athlete; then I can get looked at right away. Go
figure. Where else in the world can you spend money to kill yourself, but are not allowed to spend money to get healthy?

13) Oh! Did I mention that immigrants are covered automatically at tax-payer expense, having never contributed a dollar to the system and paying no premiums?

14) Oh, yeah, we now give free needles to drug users to try and keep them healthy. Wouldn't want a sickly druggie breaking into your house and stealing your things. People with diabetes, who pay into the health care
system, have to pay for their needles because it is not covered by the health care system.

I send this out not looking for sympathy, but as the election looms in the States, you will be hearing more and more about universal health care down there, and the advocates will be pointing to Canada. I just want to make
sure that you hear the truth about health care up here, and have some food for thought and informed questions to ask when broached with this subject.

Step wisely, and DON'T make the same mistakes we have.

Several years ago, I went to Deaconness Hospital in Cincinnati to visit with Lewis Foster, an esteemed professor of The Cincinnati Bible Seminary (Now Cincinnati Christian University). He had just returned from an extended visit in England. While there, he had what the doctors thought was
probably a heart attack. I was talking with Betty, his wife, and she said they went to a doctor who thought he probably had a heart attack, but couldn't be totally sure as he did not have an EKG machine in his office.

The doctor explained that there was a 3-month wait to get into a hospital, regardless of your problem. They asked if the doctor thought he could make it back to the States. The doctor "supposed" he could, and they arranged a
flight as soon as possible. Betty said he had a rough time of it, and they had an ambulance waiting at the greater Cincinnati Airport to bring him straight to Deaconness Hospital. He did recover. Betty went on to explain that there was no incentive for a doctor to buy any expensive equipment as it would put nothing more in his pocket to do so. That certainly opened my eyes to the "lackings and failures" of a socialized medical system.

Someone once said, "If you think medical treatment is expensive now, you should see what it costs when it's free."

Has anyone lived in a country were there is Universal Health Insurance. Sounds great until you need a liver transplant and you are put on a 3 year waiting list and your changes of dying before is your turn are 100%. Take Canada for example. If you need a any type of surgery or procedure you are put on a waiting list doesn't matter that you have the money to pay for it. That is way they come here and pay for it and get the medical attention they need. I've always paid for medical insurance and yes it is expensive but it is my choice. I don't want the goverment taking that away. They should work on making it more affordable for people that can't pay. But it is a very lucrative bussiness and she will never succeed....

She failed once already with her big promise of health insurance for everybody, and her husband was president! So now, what is it going to be the difference? Has she learned her lesson form her previous mistake? Of course not, she keeps being adamant and arrogant about it. This time it will succeed, she says. I don't believe it. Please, step aside and give Americans the chance to start clean!

Does it surprise anyone what Clinton is doing the slash and burn? Certainly not me. She has contempt for everyone. Like when she said in the fall when she was so far ahead, "If you don't like my vote on Iraq, there are others in the race." That's contempt.

And for her to claim anything on health care after her and Bill promised it 16 years ago is incredulous. Yeah, they ran into some stumbling blocks but Hillary has been in the senate for 7 years now - only five more then Barack but Barack spent over a decade in the Illinoise legislature passing health care legislation. It was almost like Clinton was waiting to run for president before she would introduce her one ploy she wants.

Then her vote for the war. Yesterday I found an old camera from 2005 when I went to Iraq. I had it developed my good friend Mike was sitting with me with our families and kids. Mike and 4 others of our company never returned. And Clinton never appologized for her war vote. Said she didn't have time to read the NIE before her vote in 2002.

Thinking from a global prespective, most of the world consist of people of color. I believe, that Obama would be more successful in restoring the positive influence of America, globally. Hillary, a white female, could not have that influence because some cultures do not recognize females as people of power and influence. People in this country had better start thinking globally and stop with this limited minded thinking. This country is already being bought by the asians..with the foreclosure problem here, who do you think is buying up thes properties? Americans surely don't have the money. They are buying properties with the money that they have made from americans buying their products...WAKE UP PEOPLE FROM YOUR AMERICAN DREAM!!!!

I like Obama's plan better. We Americans do not like being told what to do. Some wealthy folks may prefer to "self-insure" and pay cash for healthcare. What Obama is doing is providing a way for regular families like mine to save $2500 per year on premiums and broadening our choices when it comes to insurance. NO more automatic denial due to preexisting conditions, no more loss of coverage when you change jobs. A National Health exchange to make sure insurance companies are adhering to the standards offered by the plan that Congress gets. Better community health and preventive care, better record-keeping, fewer medical mistakes and duplicate tests. A score card for hospitals with data to help patients reward excellence. Mental health parity. Most importantly, I think Obama's plan has a chance to pass Congress. The present course is unsustainable and must be changed. We are paying more for healthcare than anyone else in the World and getting poorer outcomes than some developing countries. The Republican answer of doing the same thing we've been doing and hoping it works out better simply won't work. A public/private partnership like the one Obama proposes will appeal to most Americans, even the most Libertarian among us will be able to choose how they pay for healthcare. Those who need healthcare coverage and cannot now afford it will finally have access to preventive care, saving us billions of dollars each year that we are currently spending on uncompensated emergency care.

First of all Hillary wants there to be universal health insurance. Flat out. Her opponent doesn't seem to find it as important. Neither plan will go in to effect the way it is currently written. Please. There will obviously be steps involved to get universal health care up and running. I think the terms "garnish wage" and "force" were the wrong terms for her to use in an election and I question why she used those terms because now people seem scared. It's more like how we are required to purchase car insurance. If you don't purchase car insurance you get into trouble. Why shouldn't our health be as important as car insurance? And neither candidate is trying to break anyone's personal bank or finances. The key term is "affordable." People like to leave that part out when criticizing Hillary. I'm not afraid to pay for health insurance. I've been doing it for years now. It's expensive and the price keeps rising. If it continues to rise even my family will not be able to afford it. I've been lucky I work for a government agency. But I know folks who work for places where insurance is just way too ridiculous and they go without insurance because of it. The studies have also shown that people who have the option to buy insurance, they won't do it. That's why Hillary wants it mandated. And it should be mandated so we are all covered equally and all can be taken care of the way we should be taken care of living in America. Health insurance in its current state is ridiculous. I'd rather everyone be mandated to pay for it then some people be left out whether it's on purpose or inadvertently. Hillary has been around for years, she knows what she's talking about and I think she needs to do what she needs to do to get her point across. If that means including critizing the All Mighty Obama, then that's what it means and he needs to get over it. Sometimes we have to fight for what we believe in and she believes in her plan. So get over it. She's a tough person and Barack Obama is not going to change Washington, they will toss his ass right out for crying and whining the way he does. I'm so not impressed with him that it's ridiculous. GO HILLARY. GET IT BACK GIRL, KEEP IT UP!!

If all the people are covered by Universal Health care, the cost of health care is lower. The insurance companies cannot charge more ,to cover the uninsured. As long as there are uninsured in America, the insured people pay one way or another. Same with drugs, if the government states they have to negotiate the cost of drugs, then as Americans will will pay less.

Joy, actually Sen. Obama's universal health care plan will eventually do the same as Sen. Clinton's plan: mandates, mandates, mandates. Sen. Obama wraps his plan with prettier wrapping paper. But in the end it is the SAME Liberal wing of the Democratic Party that will offer the legislation. They want the federal government to take full control of the country's health care system. Look at how John Edwards constantly blasted the insurance companies and Corporate Amercia in general. Sen. Obama blasts the wealthy! It's the same argument! They all want wealth redistribution to pay for their plans.

Wake up America! It's Corporate America and small businesses that create jobs! Do your homework! Find out what their definition of "wealthy" is. For some it is any individual who makes more than $100,000, or a couple who makes $200,000, annually. For many "wealthy" is $75,000+ and $150,000+, respectively.

If you have a $400,000+ mortgage, two to four children and trying to save enough money to send them to college, would you consider making $150,000-$200,000 between yourself and your spouse "wealthy?" If not, then why in the world would you vote for someone whose campaign promises are dependent upon raising your taxes? Vote for the party that is calling for additional tax cuts across the board! Vote for the party that wants to make the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent. Vote for the party that wants to give you MORE choices, not less choices, in how you live your own life.

Did you cover Obama's mailer that used the same imagery that the health insurance used to discredit her? How about Michelle's race baiting comments? How about the race baiting memo the Obama campaign was caught with red-handed in their attempt to make people think Hilary and Bill are actually racists? The fuel driving Obama and the media is very simple: hatred and fear of powerful and competent women. The camouflage for this nastiness: they convince themselves that they can do anything they like provided they're voting for a black candidate.

Are you off your medication? Since when does the government have the right to not only tell me I HAVE to buy insurance, but at unregulated premiums?? Let's not forget who's helped finance her campaign (special interest groups, pharm companies included). As Edwards has said, you can't solve a problem you're a part of. It's not scare tactics, it's valid concern for how much control the government should have, and who REALLY profits from that. Besides, I don't see you on the news sites that speak favorably about Hillary...so who's the fan boy now?

QUOTE: "That tactic of scaring people by telling them that will “have to pay” for health insurance is a good one. Can you scare folks into believing that we don’t need car insurance either?"

You are going to garnish my wages to help you get elected on a universal health care promise? No. I don't think you need to be in the white house. Sorry.

Do you know what you call a campaign that isn't misleading?

Dead in the water.

Bait and switch is what Hillary and Barak are all about. "Don't worry we will raise taxes on the rich and get you a welfare check." There is no plan to get your job back, but they will get you some food stamps. Sorry, that may be ok with Hillary, Bill and Barak, but that ain't me. I can't live like that.

The rich aren't going to stick around for the rise of the nanny state and the rise of their capital gains taxes. Lower taxes are a click away for them. Capital flight will be a huge miscalculation that will doom the nanny state.

[Insert Huckabee joke here]

Thanks for giving us the heads up on their misleading mailer.

I THINK CLINTON IS SIMPLY ENSURING THAT THE PHARMACETICAL LOBBYISTS WHO SPONSORED HER CAMPAIGN RIP THEIR PROFITS SOONER THAN LATTER. WHOEVER SAID BULLYING PEOPLE INTO BUYING HEALTHCARE AT WHATEVER COST IS MORE UNIVERSAL THAN MAKING IT AFFORDABLE FOR ALL.

What doesn't Hillary understand about the word FREEDOM? I am not looking for the gov to do "for me," I would like the gov to offer me some tools so that I am better able to do for myself. I do not want to be made to do ANYTHING by the gov! Is that hard to understand? Should I write it slower? Obama has it right this time.

Gbo, you wrote: "...that is not universal health care...that is called 'no freedom of choice'..."

I have news for you! Womb-to-tomb universal health care fully run by the federal government will eliminate all choice. Under the guise of preventative health care, they will mandate a healthy lifesyle. They will tell you what you can eat, what you can drink, what products you can purchase. And if you don't comply, they will deny future medical treatment until you do comply. We are already seeing signs of this in the United Kingdom where some patients are being denied medical procedures because they smoke. And around the corner will be mandatory abortions (over population is unhealthy) and euthanasia (it costs too much to provide long term health care for the elderly and individuals with incurable diseases).

The thing that strikes me about the Clinton plan is that it mandates everyone to sign up regardless of their personal choice. Isn't that the same thing that got her Healthcare 1.0 plan eaten up and spit out by conservatives? If the plan has an absolute mandate, it will not pass. Senator Obama's plan preserves some freedom of choice and therefore has a better chance of passing.

I guess that's why your party is split
A House divided won't stand-(The Bible)
Tell that to the men and women who are in Iraq praying to come home. I am sure they will love to here that comment you just said.

Obama... All the whimpering you do over what Hillary is throwing at you is nothing compared to what McCain is going to throw at you. We need a real leader not someone who wants to talk about hurt feelings.

It is amazing that the weapons used are negative from Hilary and Defensive from Obama. It is sad that he is forced to respond to accusations that I truly feel are a ploy to involve him in a negative campaign that will tear down his positive attempts to campaign. Bill Clinton served two terms, Hillary is the Senator for New York and the best she can do while Bush is in office is attack a democrat. Bush is a wide open bulls- eye for anyone and Obama is the target. As a former athlete I like competition and have dealt with the cheating aspect etc. but please Bill and Hilary stop wining. If you are so experienced how did Obama catch and pass you. 35 years should have seen this coming. You are firing campaign managers left and right. Is your status in this campaign a result of anything you have done or is it completly just everyone else's fault. To win the whitehouse and loose all respect is a horrible trade off. Is the white house stance for the people or is it personally for the Clinton's like it was the Bush's. I truly cannot tell!!!!

Obama's plan leaves no one uninsured,
that wants insurance.

The 15 million figure ASSumes,
15 million Americans don't want any health insurance. Hillary Clinton is
plan is to punish those that pay the premiums. In Massachuests the premiums are so high that some people are willing to pay the penalty than pay the insurance.

Who wants to be forced into Hillary care and have there wages garnished?

How much is going to cost the average family?

How many Republicans in Congress does she predict will go along with the plan? Can't get it through without them.

Are illegal immigrants covered.
Wait a minute, "Hillary said there
is no such thing as an illegal immigrant women."

HILLARY 08...She is the best for America!

Observing, you wrote: "Hillary's health care plan is nothing more than a huge windfall for the insurance companies."

Actually it is just a short term windfall. In their last debate, Sen. Clinton said that those individuals who like their current health insurance plan can stay with that plan..."FOR NOW." Clearly, her intent is for the federal government to eventually completely control and administer our health care system and eliminate private health insurance.

How do you mandate healthcare coverage on the homeless ?

Hillary covers everyone ? lol

Next she will be telling everyone she can walk on water !

what i want to know is WHY DOESN'T ANYONE ADDRESS HILLARY'S CLAIM THAT HER PLAN "PROVIDES" INSURANCE TO EVERYONE????

This drives me CRAZY!!!
Talk about misleading!

Hillary doesn't intend to "provide" insurance.

The BIGGEST difference in health care PLANS is that Clinton STARTED working to RESOLVE the this monster problem many, many, years ago and the other person just started recently.

I am just apalled that Clinton has suggested that to force people to get health care she would garnish our wages!

This is classic liberal "I know what is best for you, so shut up and sit down" thinking.

Americans should join Europe in creating single-payer health care, and end private health insurance.

Right on Kaytee. I make a decent salary, but I have bills and an ex-wife to support which causes me, after that, food, bills, etc. To barely scrape by enough for the kids which I have full custody of.

Mandating health-insurance may limit the amount of new school-clothes, the extra math tutoring, and the small allowance my children do get.

I couldn't afford buying it from my company without crimping close on the bottom line of my bank account. Since I make a 'higher-than-poverty-level-by-far' amount, I'm positive that any mandated health plan would hit me harder than my '20k-a-year' neighbor.

Let's just make it so that I am unable to buy the few small extras I can for my children, and totally move over to Ramen Noodles for dinner. Pleh.

So let me get this straight, Obama will allow adults to choose for themselves, mandate coverage for children and open a non-profit insurance plan for those that wish to enroll and Clinton will mandate that everyone buy insurance from for profit companies without any mandate on the service they provide. Um, freedom of choice or no freedom of choice, I'm going to go with freedom over government mandate. Thank you very much Sen. Obama.

We can pay for health care for all by using a combination of a dedicated national sales tax and national hospital lottery.

Hillary's health care plan is nothing more than a huge windfall for the insurance companies. 47 million uninsured Americans, and only about 16 million who currently would qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP, leaves 31 million Americans who, under current rules, would probably be determined by Hillary to be able to afford insurance. If each one only paid $1,000 per year per person (highly unlikely) for insurance, that's an extra $31 billion to the insurance industry. That's my conservative estimate.

I do not want the government mandating that I purchase anything. They did the same thing with liability insurance, and rates have gone UP since that law passed. Insurance companies will have no reason to lower rates, and with the government forcing them to take all comers, they will most likely jack up rates to offset the effect of having to pay for high cost patients.

Clinton's claim that her plan "provides" health care for everyone while Obama's plan "leaves out" 15 million Americans is extremely misleading. Her plan doesn't PROVIDE health care for the 15 million people in question. It forces them to pay for health insurance whether they can afford it or not. Obama's plan is to reduce costs so those people can afford health care and to take further action if that doesn't work.

Clinton also claims to have learned her lesson after failing miserably in her first attempt at health care reform. Her recent behavior suggests otherwise.

To Don Tuffs ,sorry to hear of your family health problems,but you should be thanking Sen Kennedy and Hatch who sponsored the Bill.The bill was opposed by the Clintons but they finally came around.Hillary promised 200,000 new jobs for upstate NY in 2000 ,so far just more jobs lost !Talk talk talk ,little action .

mccain alone wouldn't derail obama's national campaign......think of the 2008 version of swiftboatvets......THOSE WHO FORGET THE PAST ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT! (p.s. in the past, Senator Clinton has BEATEN conservative attacks (high national approval ratings).....that's the kind of past Americans want to repeat (A Democratic WINNER)

Hello!
Think beyond this catfight- Maybe democracy works because not everyone voted. Now everyone wants to vote thanks to Obama. Can democarcy work with all voting? You have a very dangerous 9,000 nukes...u have to be careful who is up there.

Illegals already have free health care. My daughter works in an emergency room. Hispanics come in and show no id and get free treatment and leave. They are not asked any question.

I think legal American should get the same.

Everything in the mailer is true. It's 100% fair game.

This is what Clinton does. If they are behind in poll, they use negatives and misleading information. There is no uplifting messages come out from Clinton camp.

Mr. Obama is a good man, an intelligent man, a man with a heart, a leader.
He is the true hope of the American People, and of the world. I am an older woman, and have nothing against Hillary Clinton. But I support Barack Obama wholeheartedly for all the above reasons and more. And I also look forward to seeing is elegant, eloquent wife Michelle in the White House.

Do you want to be forced to buy that health care "or else", while at the same time wasting billions of tax dollars on inefficient enforcement of that "or else" (The Hillary Plan) or have an affordable option that doesn't also waste a ton of money, and gets health care to everyone who wants it (the Obama plan)? Further, Hilary already had a national stage to reform health care and failed. Why would she succeed now?

I'm a Clinton supporter and I'm glad she dropped the negative mailer. I applaud Jake Tapper's improved, balanced reporting. I take back all the bad things I said about him identifying him as an Obama supporter. He's just trying to get people to read and think. Go Tapper, Go!