Mixed Messages on the Public Plan

So the right wing has gone from ridiculing politicians legislating by poll to demanding it.

Posted by: Ryan C | Aug 17, 2009 7:58:43 PM
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Seriously? I've been here long enough to know you're in the tank, but it is the House of Representatives right? The point being that the members are supposed to represent the wishes of their district.

Interesting that you left out the most elitist portion of his comments:

MASSA: I will vote adamantly against the interests of my district if I actually think what I am doing is going to be helpful.

(inaudible participants' comments regarding the "interests" of the district statement from Mr. Massa)

Massa: I will vote against their opinion if I actually believe it will help them.

Pay no attention to the unwashed masses of your district. You're an elected official and know so much more about what they really need and want than they do. /sarcasm off

Bridget, I completely agree with you when you argue, "I'd really, really like to see the cost of catastrophic health insurance separated from the cost of what is essentially prepaid medical care and the two treated separately. The former being something we should strive to extend to everybody, the latter being something we should be free to choose if we or our employers want to pay for it."

One objection I have to the current plans being circulated is that they do not seem to consider HSA and high deductible insurance to be a "qualified plan." Republican efforts to amend the house bill, for example, so that it would explicitly state that HSAs and high deductibles would qualify were defeated in committee. So much for "if there's a good idea out there, I don't care what party it comes from."

Yes, catastrophic health insurance is a different matter than everyday health care expenses, and the two should be delinked. I agree that we need to make sure everyone is able to buy affordable catastrophic health insurance and that the government should subsidize premiums for those in danger of falling through the cracks-- not poor enough to qualify for medicaid, not rich enough to afford quality health coverage.

But I love the way Mackey handles HSAs at Whole Foods, as described in his superb op-ed in the WSJ. Whole Foods contributes up to 1800 a year into an employee's HSA. That is the employee's money to spend on health care as s/he wishes. Perhaps the government could set up HSAs for the uninsured and fund them to a certain level as well as subsidizing the purchase of a high deductible insurance premium.

There are plenty of ways to increase the level of coverage and to lower the cost of health insurance without a public option. Focusing on providing access to catastrophic health coverage rather than everything-but-the-kitchen-sink coverage is a good start.

"you shouldn't cheat the feet!"

--> Especially with the ObamEconomy so bad that avaricious surgeons supposedly, according to El Know-it-all, have been charging upwards of a hundred thousand dollars a set just to amputate em ... instead of selflessly prescribing, er, no-cal pretzels or whatever.

"MASSA: I will vote for the single payer bill.

PARTICIPANT: Even if it meant you were being voted out of office?"

The previous questions were asking if the town hall was split 60/40 against single payer or 80/20 against single payer.

So the right wing has gone from ridiculing politicians legislating by poll to demanding it.

-Emotionally tempered by the delighted relief of a scandal or two. (NOT Mrs. Obama's five-hundred-dollar sneakers.)-

Things like the unfolding disaster in Afghanistan and Pakistan come to mind. But as for expensive shoes, you shouldn't cheat the feet!

"That question is "ROFLMAO!"-level funny ... how?"

You taking a right wing talking point and running with it while claiming to be upset with Obama not being on the left enough.

That was hilarious.

"Get ready for further disappointment."

Emotionally tempered by the delighted relief of a scandal or two. (NOT Mrs. Obama's five-hundred-dollar sneakers.)

"After the "snitch line" drama, can you think of ANYbody dumb enough to tell an anonymous official-sounding telephone voice that he/she finds El Know-it-all "unlikeable"?"

--> That question is "ROFLMAO!"-level funny ... how? Especially when Der Ocean-healer has at His disposal the expanded surveillance capabilities of the western world . . .

Don't strain any brains here -- it was just a rhetorical question.

--If he isn't selling it, he isn't for it.

He has lost my vote.--

Get ready for further disappointment.

"Looks like more evidence that you are just lying."

Accusing someone of "lying" about matters of personal opinion is quite a stretch, logically speaking -- even for an Oblabla groupie.

"1. Do you personally know one single person who's EVER been polled on this crappola?"

Ah yes the anti intellectual right wing argument, if a poll upsets you questions the integrity of polling itself rather than objections to methodology.

"2. After the "snitch line" drama, can you think of ANYbody dumb enough to tell an anonymous official-sounding telephone voice that he/she finds El Know-it-all "unlikeable"?"

ROFLMAO!

The right wing slip is showing!

"At this point, were Dean to so much as WHISPER, most of the Democratic Party outside DC (along with a hefty chunk of it IN DC) would toss Obama like the rotten apple He is."

Doubtful. Dean (like Obama) was never as liberal as the billing though he is certainly popular within the party.

Dean also does not think single payer is going to happen.

"Dr. Dean: President Obama's plan is realistic. Even in Britain, where medicine really is socialized [doctors offices and hospitals are publicly owned] 15% of health care dollars go to private insurance. Private insurance isn't going away. Americans should be the ones to choose. If they like their current, private insurance, they can keep it. If they aren't satisfied, they should be able to choose a public plan. Respect Americans' ability to decide."

"By 3012, Obamamania will be only a slightly-embarrassing memory,"

The United States may be just a memory at that point in time.

"a political footnote to "The Madness of Crowds" ... Obama will be kind of the "black" Gary Hart figure (was that the guy's name, the "Monkey Business" fellow) -- "smart" but annoying, a flash in the pan -- with a dash of Gerald Ford -- bumbling, boring -- thrown in."

Interesting that you extol Dean and trash Gary Hart considering that it was Hart who Dean credits with the DNC push to make in roads in the West.

Looks like more evidence that you are just lying.

"Yes because a question that asks: "Is your opinion of Barack Obama favorable or unfavorable or are you unsure" is totally skewed!"

1. Do you personally know one single person who's EVER been polled on this crappola?

2. After the "snitch line" drama, can you think of ANYbody dumb enough to tell an anonymous official-sounding telephone voice that he/she finds El Know-it-all "unlikeable"?

In any case, the feckless false-front hero has, like Humpty Dumpty, had a great fall -- and is fading, fading like the Cheshire Cat.

correction:
"By 3012"

Oops: it won't REALLY take a thousand years. "2012" was meant.

"count on Howard "The Hopeless" Dean to come out carping, and squawking."

--> At this point, were Dean to so much as WHISPER, most of the Democratic Party outside DC (along with a hefty chunk of it IN DC) would toss Obama like the rotten apple He is.

2012. Wait and see. Single Payer and Peace, with Dr. Dean.

By 3012, Obamamania will be only a slightly-embarrassing memory, a political footnote to "The Madness of Crowds" ... Obama will be kind of the "black" Gary Hart figure (was that the guy's name, the "Monkey Business" fellow) -- "smart" but annoying, a flash in the pan -- with a dash of Gerald Ford -- bumbling, boring -- thrown in.

"Only as a result of having been pushed like Cheez Whiz by CNN and MSNBC, whose collective ardor seems to be cooling."

ROFLMAO! The desperation when confronted with facts!

I see the right winger is peeking out from the left wing clothing.

"How many polls will continue to skew their questions to His supposed likeability doesn't really matter:"

Yes because a question that asks: "Is your opinion of Barack Obama favorable or unfavorable or are you unsure" is totally skewed!

Another right wing spambot caught having no idea what they are talking about.

If he isn't selling it, he isn't for it.

He has lost my vote.

"Obama's favorables (if you like him or not) are higher than his job approval by about 10 pts."

--> Only as a result of having been pushed like Cheez Whiz by CNN and MSNBC, whose collective ardor seems to be cooling.

Think O.J. Simpson :^|

As more people come to understand the circumstances and parameters of the secret PhRMA deal, the cutesy-poo factor -- and the novelty of His over-merchandised "black" schtick -- is gonna finish evaporating.

How many polls will continue to skew their questions to His supposed likeability doesn't really matter: He'll NEVER be believed on anything, or elected TO anything, again.

Howard Dean in 2012. Single Payer and Peace.

""Doctor" Dean, indeed. If he were a
decent and dedicated physician, he
would still be one today"

As opposed to Republican doctors like Frist and Coburn who assess a patient via television (See Terri Schiavo).

"He wants EVERYbody's adoration -- with the result that nobody even LIKES Him."

*chuckle*

Ahhhh more made up nonsense.

Obama's favorables (if you like him or not) are higher than his job approval by about 10 pts.

His job approval stands at 53.4% (RCP poll aggregate/avg)