Democrats in Fantasyland on Health Care Reform
However, the Office of the Chief Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has assessed the bill’s effects, and it has concluded that the bill would bend the cost curve up – raising costs in relation to projections under current law and raising the percentage of the gross domestic product spent on health care from 17 percent today to 21 percent by the end of 2019. And while the CBO hasn’t assessed the bill’s impact on overall health costs, it has concluded that, by 2016, the average American family’s insurance premiums would rise by $2,100 per year in the individual market in relation to the costs that they pay today. Thus, under ObamaCare, Americans would get to pay higher taxes, higher premiums, and higher overall health costs — a sort of triple crown of health care expenditures.
The Democrats’ illusion that their proposed health care overhaul would somehow improve — or would even not exacerbate — the dire financial challenges posed by Medicare is a third area in which they are having serious trouble separating fact from fiction. On Fox News Sunday, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar said, “Medicare is going in the red by 2017. We had to get something done.” That “something” would be to siphon $1 trillion out of Medicare (and related programs) and spend it on ObamaCare. The notion that this would strengthen Medicare, which is about to confront the baby boomers’ retirement, is, of course, fantasy. The CBO highlights that ObamaCare could “reduce access to care or diminish the quality of care” for Medicare beneficiaries. In truth, Medicare is perhaps the last place in America to look for money to spend elsewhere, and looting from it to fund ObamaCare is the height of fiscal irresponsibility.
The Democrats’ claims about the effects of ObamaCare on deficits, health costs, and Medicare do not survive the analysis of the CBO, the assessment of the CMS Chief Actuary, or the exercise of common sense — but they are alive and well in Democratic circles. They likely would have suffered the same fate as Cinderella’s carriage at midnight, if only they had lasted beyond the stroke of noon. The Democrats are still determined to turn their pumpkin into law, but it will be the American people who will ultimately decide its fate — along with the fate of a president and a Congress who are determined to force the American people to bend to their will.
And that makes Tomorrowland sound like a much more attractive place.
This is an excellent piece. I have two quick comments, one broad and one specific:
First, the specific comment: How any senator could vote for a bill that scavanges funds from Medicare is truly mindboggling. Our projected longevity here in America has just been seriously undermined. Our lives will be cut short, pure and simple.
Second, what now must we do? This cannot stand.
Brilliant video on health care reform. 2+ min and says it all! (Well, at least lots of it.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RON09jbubM
it will be the American people who will ultimately decide its fate — along with the fate of a president and a Congress who are determined to force the American people to bend to their will.
So let’s get hellraisin’. I’ve got the address of my Congressional “representative”‘s headquarters, and I intend to give her a visit.
Is this not a great country or what?
Medicare, Medicaid, and the VA Government hospitals are broke.
But now Obamacare and the Democrats have found a way to take your good insurance plan premiums (Cadillac) – Employee benefits, and tax you more-
40% more on health premiums so that you younger generation Democrats that voted for Obama can pay for my health care.
I didn’t vote for Obama but if he can get this Ponzie scheme going I will vote for him in 2012.
Thank you so much for your tax monies and support.
There is one more aspect that the Democrats are living in fantasyland about.
You can only kick a dog in the face when he’s down so many times, before the dog gets up and bites you.
I have vivid memories of what it was like living through the racial violence that took place in the 1950s and 1960s. The same goes for the Vietnam war era both here in the USA and while serving in the military overseas.
But, those times pale in comparison to the civil anger and unrest that I see boiling with rage just underneath the surface across our nation because of the way Barrack Hussein Obama and the 111th Congress are spitting into the faces of everyone; regardless of the issues or the citizens involved.
The blazing bright red warning signs are everywhere. Americans are at the breaking point. Harry Reid using Christmas to force healthcare reform down everyones throat might well be the straw that breaks the camels back.
Make no mistake. The big insurance companies and the Republicans will continue to fight against health care reform, and spend billions to “make it their own”. And some of these Democrats will lose their seats for supporting this bill. They will pay a price for their leadership and courage. However, it is now safe to say that the old do nothing congress is history, replaced by the do something congress. And those that continually complain that America should be spending money to help their own, instead of trying to change and save the rest of the world…finally have a victory. As with social security and medicare, I think some republicans will break ranks and support these vital reforms and help to make it work. After all, it is not in their best interest, long term, to continue to be on the wrong side of history. As for the Democrats, they can pat themelves on the back for now, but they will have to keep their fingers crossed that this program works when it takes full effect in a few years. The special interests finally lost one…and the people won this..and most will applaud that. God Bless Democracy !
It’s a fantasy to think the purposely dumbed down indolent American public (including illegals) will “rise up”.
It IS way too late!
I’ve been around a long time and since the 1950s I’ve suffered the smug and sneering American public’s derisions of the jeremiads of groups of good citizens and of individual good citizens, including myself, telling in clear and terrible terms of the calamities it was breeeding.
By “American public” I include so-called Republicans and Conservatives.
As America what looks like this hemisphere’s 70 year desert of Sovietism I’ve moved from Libertarianism to Anarchism, and I relish seeing the excrement you’ve pulled down over your heads. It’s deserved.
“the Democrats retreat into a fairyland and pretend all is well.”
Republicans pretend everything is bad and wrong . . .
Good people have confidence in the future. 1776. 1849. 1914. 1945. 2009.
I’m working the ‘poison pill’ route. I sent my Senator an E-mail requesting that he earmark 1,000 $US per citizen of the State of Tennessee to pay for the health care vigorish. That will add about 12 billion to the Health care bill. If California and Texas do the same, as well as Florida, New York and a couple of dozen other states, then it will add billions to the health care bill. Right up front.
Make it so expensive that the economy will collapse. Not even the Usurper will sign it.
My state will pass a 10th amendment law removing us from this mess. That is one way to kill this thing, at least for those states whose citizens don’t want it. It’s constitutional and has been done before. Look at the states that legalized pot. The Feds don’t like it but that’s just to bad for them.
I’m hoping the bleed over from the States using the 10th amendment to kill Socialized Medicine will lead to a Constitutional Convention. Then we can have a legal revolution and a civil war waged with ballots, not bullets. A civilized civil war.
Where are the Barack Suckers? Where are the trolls?
Excellent article. I love the Disneyland analogy that you used because it is so appropriate for this Obamacare mess that the Democrats are shoving down our throats. Not only are the Democrats living in a Fantasyland, but also CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC and PBS News because their obvious bias helps keep the Fantasy going.
I’m mad as Hell. Every single Democrat needs to be forced out of office, even to the point of forcing recall elections on people like Ben Nelson of Nebraska. None of these people deserve to be in office.
And in 1967, the Dems projected Medicare would cost $10 billion in 1990. Actual costs $110 Billion! These Dems make the purported “robber barons” of the 30′s look like alter boys.
WAKE UP AMERICANS!!!!!!!
If this plan is so da_ _ good,I dare each & everyone of you that reads this, to immediately call & ask your elected ones IF they also are going to be forced (included) on this plan??????????
From north of the border, you have no idea of what you are getting yourself into, none. When the government and unions control the health care system you have no one left to turn too. From what I have seen you can double the numbers given within 5 years, or less.
Like Canada, your health care will be fed upon by the politicians for votes and raped by the unions for money, control and security. End it, do anything, but end it.
Will the health bill process drag into the early part of February? If that is indeed the case—it will probably be defeated. The polls clearly show that the majority of the likely voters in the 2010 elections oppose this madness. A large number of these legislators naively believe that their constituents will cut them slack as long as they bring home some bacon. They must be disabused of this notion! Receiving a few pennies worth of bribes will not even begin to compensate for the inevitable financial devastation.
10. baal:
It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood,
A beautiful day for a neighbor.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?…
It’s a neighborly day in this beauty wood,
A neighborly day for a beauty.
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?…
I’ve always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.
So, let’s make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we’re together we might as well say:
Would you be mine?
Could you be mine?
Won’t you be my neighbor?
Won’t you please,
Won’t you please?
Please won’t you be my neighbor?
I should add something else to my previous post. The Democrats have a good chance of passing the health care bill—because of personal bribes to the legislators. Those who jump on board not only receive a few goodies for their districts. They are also getting numerous promises of financial benefits of one sort or another for themselves and their relatives. There is little doubt that a red state legislator has been guaranteed a well paying job if they lose their election in 2010. Some may become a lobbyist and earn significantly more than their present salary. This especially true of Harry Reid. He already taken it for granted that he is through in Nevada.
We must remember another important point: these legislators have exempted themselves from participating in the national health care program! If this stuff is so wonderful—why do they insist on keeping their own program?
Now and Then, this is no time for you to advertise your erotic compulsions. If you must, please e mail them to Chuck Schumer, or depending on your versatility, Barbara Mikulski.
http://biggovernment.com/2009/12/22/transvestites-mao-and-obama-decorate-white-house-christmas-tree/#more-50890
Take a look at the ornaments on Pres. Obamas Christmas tree.
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi remind me of little elves running around doing errands for the big man.
“Now and Then, this is no time for you to advertise your erotic compulsions.”
The odds are that Now and Then is being paid for their efforts. George Soros and his buddies have employed a large number of activists to harass center-right blogs and media outlets. Now and Then may not even be a single person. They could be a collection of individuals who interchangeably work on different days and hours.
18 johnt:
Why so bitter? You seem angry? Are you angry? Are you mad, Johnt. It’s Christmas Eve, the day before the dayest day of all days. Be happy. Rejoice! For God so loved us that he gave us 60 senators who voted for advancing healthcare reform. To wallow in resentment at such an auspicious moment would be nothing short to of blasphemy.
Now, once you have reconciled (I love that word) your bitterness, you can move on to your other more cardinal obsessions, you know, the “erotic compulsions” you mention. I’m curious as to the source of your interpretation of the Mister Rodgers “Neighbor” song as erotic. Tell me, does this harken back to thoughts you had as a boy? Perhaps a sweater fetish? No matter. I’m sure that with patience and counseling and a loving family environment you can overcome this demon and come to enjoy life as god intended.
Good luck. And Holly Merry Christ.
20. David Thomson:
No, no, no, we are not . . . OOPS! . . . I mean I . . . I am not that. But I give you points. Most people here embrace free-floating paranoia. You, on the other hand, channel it into a wonderfully entertaining mosaic of fear, conspiracy and good old American idiocy. Well done! I applaud your ever-shifting morality. Now, if you are to remain in good stead with your fellow paranoids here, you must now complete the trinity and offer a sct reference to add emphasis to your ramblings. i suggest you stick with the conservative favorite – turd.
Oh, Hossanah.
Hail Rush, Go Sarah!
#1 you get it. By limiting your lifespan they get SS under control also.
# 17 David T.
“We must remember another important point: these legislators have exempted themselves from participating in the national health care program! If this stuff is so wonderful—why do they insist on keeping their own program?”
If they(government) want to keep their program because it’s so great, why do we have to have such a disastrous 2 thousand+ page bill. Let us INSIST WE have their Health Care plan,simple & solved.
17. David Thomson:
” Those who jump on board not only receive a few goodies for their districts.”
Outrageous! I have never heard of such a thing! If only the Republicans were in power we wouldn’t have to worry about these shenanigans.
“They are also getting numerous promises of financial benefits of one sort or another for themselves and their relatives.”
Really? Who? Don’t keep this kind of volatile info to yourself, fellow patriot. I say step forward with specifics and let’s hunt down the evil scum. Release the hounds!
Media Matters is just one of the activist groups funded by John Soros and his buddies. Please take a look at their website: http://mediamatters.org/
Media Matters reportedly employs seventy people! Five of these employees supposedly earn six figure incomes. What in hell do these folks do all day? It most assuredly does not take that many to accomplish the work seen on their website.
#6 Poor Citizen – You naive booby. Do you really believe the insurance companies caved in backdoor deals with Obama? “Oooh, don’t throw me into that briar patch of having to insure 30+ million people.” Plus no competition across state lines. In return, Democrats latch onto 30+ potential new voters to keep them in power forever. Not a bad trade if you’re a politician that wants power and control. Reid passes the Senate version; insurance company stocks soar on Wall Street! Get a clue! Oh, and Big Pharma was granted their wish, a ban importation of cheaper drugs into the US. Woo Hoo their stocks shot up as well. Let’s not forget those trial lawyers, no tort reform here. And the kicker, Congress is exempt from the plan; but if your young and twenty you’d better sign up under penalty of jail. Oh, how lovely!!!
16. Now and Then: Yes, come on over and checkout my new chainsaw;)
It used to be the worlds first relatively free country. Now, as the Republic dissolves before your eyes, what will the descendants of the brave and the free do? How many of you will accept another slave chain being thrown around your neck and the necks of your children. Will any of you rise up an exterminate the Marxist scum and their families before they enslave and kill yours? Will you all go quietly and meekly into the night, and condemn generations to come with the misery and abject poverty of mind and spirit that Marxist Socialism will usher in?
The Constitution is nothing unless men and women are willing to defend it, with their blood if necessary. The members of the military take an oath to the constitution, then run around the world killing men, women and children at the behest of self-serving scum. The usual refrain of “I was serving my country”, “I was defending freedom”, etc etc is just complete and utter mindlessly repetitive drivel. One can hardly blame them, they are the victims of a socialized conditioning system, instilled since birth. My wife and I, and my parents before me, were members of the military, we all operated from a position of stupidity and ignorance, and the belief that those in power, have the peoples and the countries best interest at heart. At least some of them. We now believe that to be complete false.
The most dangerous enemies to the American people are the self-serving perverted and faithless scum, their families and associates, in Washington DC. So I believe it will come down to either a complete clean out of the DC scum or it will mean American Civil War 2. It will all start in 2010 as the dollar collapses.
Who’s side will you be on? Hopefully your own and your families. Not your political parties side, not your countries side, but your own and your families, followed by your local community.
20. David Thomson:Now and Then is a 400lb woman. She’s a shut in. And yes, she works for Moveon.org…
It’s sad to say, but she may actually be too far gone. 400lbs is a lot of weight to lose, but at least it offers an explanation for her behavior.
29. At one point they did, and inasmuch as they send the military to fight Muslim barbarians, they still do. Should civil war come, many, dare I say most, of the troops will desert and join the rebels.
It’s not fantasyland, it’s totalitarian land.
They are successfully cracking the system that has kept America rich and free until now.
After that is done, it will be a continuous fall.
Poor people will suffer more than anyone else, because the communists will want them to fight for them, will want them crazy angry.
People keep thinking that this administration makes “mistakes”.
No mistakes: they hate America, they are going to pull down the system.
These guys are not freaks from the 60ities, this guys are at war against America and Freedom. And it is not matter of ONE individual, it is an organization, and it is an international organization.
The sooner we understand this point, the better.
The whole Country must be mobilized against this attack.
We need to win every future election for a long time, kick all the communists away from power, and we need to reconquer schools, universities and media.
it’s a long long road…
Repeat after me;
It’s about Liberty and Freedom Stupid!
If you directly tax me, or force me to do something that benefits you, your family or associates, and penalize me if I don’t comply, then I have no Liberty or Freedom, I am just a slave.
It’s about Liberty and Freedom Stupid!
Nigel R Steel
tired of being pissed on by others.
#6, You forgot medical malpractice lawyers. Harry Reid somehow forgot the special interest group called lawyers. They were preserved from the scalpel early on by the Prez and the other lawyers in the process. This IS a huge victory for some special interest groups.
Repeat after me;
It’s about Liberty and Freedom Stupid!
If you directly tax me, or force me to do something that benefits you, your family or associates, and penalize me if I don’t comply, then I have no Liberty or Freedom, I am just a slave.
It’s about Liberty and Freedom Stupid!
Nigel R Steel
“or it will mean American Civil War 2″
We should not take it for granted that many younger people have a clear understanding about the first American Civil War. Jeffrey H. Anderson is the director of the Benjamin Rush Society. I bet that he rarely, if ever, encounters anyone under the age of forty who has ever heard of Benjamin Rush! Ross Douthat says “It’s worth noting that the history department didn’t offer a single class on the American Revolution during my four years at Harvard.”
Poor Citizen: “Make no mistake. The big insurance companies and the Republicans will continue to fight against health care reform, and spend billions to “make it their own”.”
Poor Citizen is delusional – millions, billions, trillions – it’s Greek to him. The perfect product of American union-run schools.
Nigel, I’m with you. Term limits and transparency du jure for all federal elected officials and federal judges, and a slaughter of federal agencies and presidential cabinets. If the “health” “care” “reform” “bill” passes before November 2010, a vow to work for its repeal will be the litmus test for my vote.
You forget that none of this “health care reform” legislation–higher costs for reduced services– will actually apply to the politicians that wrote the legislation. Indeed, they’ve made their legislation perpetual, preventing a future congress from deleting provisions of it. Presumably under our rule of lawyers, this legislative provision will be found unconstitutional in the Supreme Court. Right. None of these so called national health care cost savings have come at the expense of trial lawyers who are now going to belly up to the bar of principle?
Private sector employees must face this indisputable fact: public sector employees are trying to turn you into slaves! President Kennedy in 1962 regrettably signed into law permitting government employees to join unions. This single act has greatly damaged the country. In just 47 years, these unions have brought the nation to its knees. They have both intimidated and bribed politicians to do their bidding. The medical health bill would not have stood a chance without the support of the public unions.
In the words of the honorable (?) Harry Reid…anyone who supports this bill is either morally bankrupt or incredibly stupid. Who am I to dispute Harry.
“or it will mean American Civil War 2″
Man, I sure do hope so.
It’s become pretty clear that the only way to stop these “people” is an American variation on Stalin’s dictum, “no man, no problem”.
The Romans used to appoint temporary “dictators” for just this sort of occasion. After the job was done, things went back to normal.
Now and Then is a 400lb woman. She’s a shut in. And yes, she works for Moveon.org…
It’s sad to say, but she may actually be too far gone. 400lbs is a lot of weight to lose, but at least it offers an explanation for her behavior.
I guess that whole mens sana in corpore sano mentality is completely lost on her. Damn, what a disgusting turd of a woman. Her fat *ss will feed a lot of worms, though. Best thing for her and the country, really.
continue to be on the wrong side of history.
What does this even mean? Anyone with even a passing familiarity with history will know that, to paraphrase The Bible, “In the beginning, there was government”. The whole of the rest of history, culminating in the enshrinement of individual rights in the Constitution of the US, was the wrenching free of the individual from the clutches of the politically powerful.
Now, idiots like you want to throw us right back to the beginning. And, what’s ironic is that you retards don’t even realize what you’re doing. I swear, if I were a Greek god, this would be exactly the time I would quote remember the words Homer put into Zeus’ mouth in the Iliad, “Humans blame us for their misfortunes, when their own stupidity is really the cause”.
Good Lord, you people are stupid.
Now and Then, Try as you might you cannot hide your romantic inclinations, though I gather Mr Rogers was an intellectual tutor of sorts to you, time to move on.
Just where you see bitterness in my post eludes me, do not transfer your frustrations to normal people. Please for your own sake do your imitation of a man. A good place to start would be to review the odd formulations of your post, perhaps a mind out of control though I’m sure you have inventive if equally eccentric interpretations. I mean really; “Holly merry Christ”. and a loopy New Years to you.
But you have cause for rejoicing. The people who gave you the auto Clunkers program & the Stimulus package, plus trillion $ deficits as far as the eye can see,will now take over health care. What more could a brainy if odd fellow like yourself beg for, and I do mean beg.
Ah, and the those inevitable tax increases, and the VAT that you all yearn for, the one Nancy has broached. Why for you Christmas will come every day, as you enjoy the power vicariously you were never man enough to earn for yourself.
Who given that cares for results? Just discard the ones you don’t like and make up or exaggerate the rest.
But do remember, Privacy and Choice used to be important to you, now it’s nothing. Is this because of certain robotic tendencies on your part,doing what you’re told? Or is it because you have no principles, other than what Mr Rogers left you.
I may stop back, just to see how bad it gets. If not, ” Holly Merry Christ”.
So. Liars tell really big lies. Everyone with any sense (and some 3rd grade math) knows they’re lying. But apparently there aren’t more than a handful of Congressmen (no more PC from me–that includes females) who have both common sense and third grade math who are willing to say, “You are lying.”
So the liars, who have a whole bunch of authority, produce the spawn of their lies and we pay for it. For the rest of our considerably shortened lives. Due to their lies.
And of course, when they come back to DC after the CHRISTmas break, they will fume about the unruliness in the country, as they begin the countdown to the Memorial of the Union Speech later in January.
So this is what it’s like to see national and personal death coming. I’m doing better than I had expected I would. How are you doing?
None of us are getting out of here alive no matter what. Let’s just make sure the time we have left, personally and nationally, is used very, very well. And Merry Christmas to all (advantage to Christians here–a “Merry Christmas” is not dependent on everything being good around us) God did Christmas, and I’m a guest at His table. So — Merry Christmas!
“continue to be on the wrong side of history.
What does this even mean?”
This Hegelian term is illogical. It simply has no meaning. Those who indulge in such gobbledygook are intellectually lazy and immature. Nothing is inevitable.
I should also add that private sector employees must somewhat begin perceiving public sector employees as their enemies. This include one’s own brother and sisters! These people consider themselves entitled to their goodies—and will do just about anything to protect their dishonestly gained goodies. We must campaign for a reversal of the 1962 Kennedy decision.
The Democrats live in an alternate reality built on promises & good intentions; however, their promises & good intentions often have disastrous consequences in the real world. The Democrats are going to be left befuddled & beside themselves when the 2010 shockwave happens in November, despite Obama’s ACORN goons. I fully expect the House to lose more seats to Republicans & the Senate to turn back to Republicans as well. Senator Harry Reid will be gone which will be a big blow for the Democrats to lose the Senate majority leader. Other prominent Dems will lose their long held seats as well.
ObamaCare is the firestorm which will remain one for some time. It does not help Obama he wants to push Crap & Tax along with Amnesty 2.0 before the 2010 elections; this will just make Democrats campaigning in their districts all the more difficult for them.
The problem with having this discussion, again, is that the democrats are LYING! (Pardon me while I pounded my head against the table a couple of times.) They know the plan doesn’t work but they are doing it so they can control your future. They have managed to cobble together their entire side to vote for something they all know is wrong! How can they do that?
Simple- read about Mao’s last cultural revolution. Read how in China politicians stood by willingly while he had his minions killed thousands upon thousands and dislocate millions of other “For the good of the state.” It is all about not wanting to be on the losing side and getting singled out. At least on the Republican side there was a healthy open debate, and in some cases recently, an outright revolt. Where are the revolts on the left? Where is the NY23 version? Lefties have always fallen in with groupthink easily. It is either that they are already wired that way, or that being on the “left” demands absolute submission.
For the last time, we aren’t debating healthcare here, if we were the outrage from left, the REAL outrage would be deafening. We hear some yada yada stuff, but it is all cover. They’ll vote for this monstrosity, even though it doesn’t answer the demands the left voiced, because it was never about the sick or the poor.
It is and will always be about power, money and control. The sooner we realize that we have reached the point in the nation’s history where the warning from our founding fathers that a corrupted government out of control must be resisted the better for all of us. At least we will quit making the wrong arguments and turn our attention to resetting the entire system, if possible.
The left admired Mao for his strident belief that a revolution never really stops. He was right in that the people should never rest, believing their “government” is always looking out for their own good. Vigilance, caution and a duty to our free will should be our shield, sword and axe. In a different time, we’d be building guillotines.
So Barack Obama dies and like all Presidents, goes to hell.
he is greeted by Satan as the elevator doors open
and Satan exclaims, “Barry! Old buddy! I’ve been your number one fan since you started turning tricks for that slumlord right out of college, I always knew you were going places!”
Obama says, “You know Satan, I’m not sure about this whole Eternal Damnation thing…is there anyway to talk my way out of this one?”
To this Satan replies, “Because your oratorial skills came directly from me, you will not be able to use them against me. But because you have been my favored for so long I’ll make an exception for you: You get to pick your own private hell.”
So Satan takes Barry to the hall of Presidential Damnation….
In the first room they visit GW Bush, whose private Hell is an eternal spelling bee where he is stung by bees every single time he misspells a word.
In the next room they find Bill Clinton whose Personal Hell is an eternal interrogation where he is electrocuted every single time he tells a fib.
In the third room we simply see Ronald Reagan tied to a bed naked getting serviced by Jane Wyman…
So Satan turns to Barry and says, “well Barry, you’ve seen your choices for eternal damnation, which do you think would be best for you?”
Barry stands and considers this set of choices with his considerable intellect then says, “Well Satan, I can’t actually spell worth a damn, as you must know… I didn’t actually write either of my books.”
To this Satan says, “Yes, but it was a fantastic ruse!”
Barry says, “And as you know, I have issues with objective fact and if I can’t talk my way out of anything here… the interrogation won’t work for me.”
Satan says, “Yes, you cannot use my gifts against me in my own domain.”
So Barry smiles and says, “Well,after much deliberation, I guess it’s going to have to be room number three.”
Satan smiles widely then laughs and says, “Jane, you may leave now.”
“They know the plan doesn’t work but…”
Not quite accurate. They will not be participants in the plan! The Democratic Party “elites” will have their own superior health services. They will be able to pull strings to get the best for themselves. None of the senators who voted for Harry Reid’s health care plan have any intention whatsoever to sign up for it. No, it is set up entire for the common folks—especially those employed in the small to mid size private sector. Your own flesh and blood is likely to be your enemy if they are government employees.
to Bob no 27 and Hyphenated no. 37
I have to admit that the sudden “this bill will actually cut spending” was a bit far fetched. However, make no mistake, this legislation was necessarry, though it is flawed. My parents suffered because they could not afford..nor eventually obtain health insurance because of pre existing conditions and some I know can no longer afford 30 percent increases in premiums every year even with no claims. Its that simple. And another thing…like with any unacceptable situation, national, professional or personal…to do nothing..is the worst thing of all. Hey, maybe this will elect some from the other party next year to fix it eh?…. this booby stands by what he says and believes. There will be no waffling…
“My parents suffered because they could not afford..nor eventually obtain health insurance because of pre existing conditions and some I know can no longer afford 30 percent increases in premiums every year even with no claims.”
You are blaming the free market for your parent’s troubles. By all rights, you should be enraged at governmental control of the industry. Insurance companies are unable to sell you policies to your liking! It is illegal in all states. There is absolutely no such thing as an insurance company being allowed to offer you a policy that fits your particular needs and desires. Also, nothing is being done to hinder the abusive practices of the legal profession. Last but not least, there are no attempts to require large deductibles. We do not expect auto insurers to take care of our oil changes and car washed. But many foolishly expect their insurance provider to pay for their eyeglasses and regular doctor visits.
47
This Hegelian term is illogical. It simply has no meaning. Those who indulge in such gobbledygook are intellectually lazy and immature. Nothing is inevitable.
Agreed. It is empirically (as I hinted at with my statement about early societies being collectivists and the struggle to free the individual from such collectivism) and philosophically (relying on a determinism that cannot be logically proven) empty.
I should also add that private sector employees must somewhat begin perceiving public sector employees as their enemies.
Agreed here, too. If there was ever any truth to the idea that a person goes into public service to serve and gives up some of the potential material rewards which could be earned in the private sector, that truth has run its course. Of course, when the economy was generating reams of tax payments at all levels of government and it seemed like the good times would never end, taxpayers would “grin and bear it”. Now that that period of history is over and the bill for public pension plans is about to come due, expect tremendous fights over public sector employee compensation. As for the threat of a public sector employee strike, let ‘em try. The general public will then see how little they actually get for their money and be EVEN MORE willing to shrink the public sector employee count.
46. Meryl:
“So the liars, who have a whole bunch of authority, produce the spawn of their lies and we pay for it. For the rest of our considerably shortened lives. Due to their lies.”
Boy do I ever know what you mean. in fact, I believe the actual count of shortened American lives due to such lying is just over 5,000. Adn if you count the maimed . . . wow, off the charts.
Happy Holidays and Merry New Year!
Not all public sector employees are the enemy. My own father works as a portfolio manager for the State of New Jersey’s pension fund. He’s been sounding the alarm for years about this insanity, and besides that, without people like him, taxes would be even higher, for at least he and his fellow employees yield investment income for the State to defer pension costs. In truth, what he does is no different from a private sector money manager, except the pay is about 1/10 of what he could make in the private sector. Obviously some government is needed, and in any economy, there is a certain amount of inevitable dead weight- even without government regulation businesses need to hire a few people who don’t actually produce anything in order to maintain operations: recruiters, payroll specialists, and other human resource personnel as well as customer service produce no output for the company, but the business would shut down without them because without them it would have neither productive workers nor customers.
So what can we conclude from this? Not all government workers or bureaucrats of any stripe are the enemy, and we must show wisdom to discern friend from foe. People who lack discernment say such absurdities as “All academia is bad and should be shut down,” neglecting the fact that without universities we would have neither doctors nor engineers.
What if all the doctors, in a massive act of civil disobedience, went on strike? No doctors, no health care. What could the feds do? The doctors are all licensed by the states. If the doctors said collectively, that this plan stinks and we will not provide medical services unless you make the following changes, what would Dirty Harry and company do? Makes you wonder.
“Not all public sector employees are the enemy.”
There are exceptions. But most of them are now enemies. They have formed horrifyingly powerful unions that rip off the rest of the citizens. The government employees are literally destroying the country. States like California have already been brought down to their knees. Somehow President Kennedy’s 1962 decision has to be reversed—and that’s going to be much easier said than done. Your father was unable to do anything significant regarding the financial threats to the New Jersey pension fund because the government employee unions didn’t give a damn. And they had no hesitation in destroying anyone who got in their way.
“All academia is bad and should be shut down,”
The reality is that most universities have significantly lowered their soft science standards to the point of utter ridiculousness. A liberal arts degree is usually not worthy of respect. These schools should not completely disappear—but they do need to be radically reformed. The affirmative action policies instituted some forty years ago must be eliminated. They are primarily responsible for the inflated grades awarded to both racial minorities and the larger white student body.
#27, Bob In VA:
Remember, democracy works until the people discover they can vote themselves benefits.
We’re there.
58. I’m aware of that, but there is some overzealous rhetoric that believes it should all go, and we need to temper that. One poster on the tuition tax thread suggested shutting down Pitt and Mellon and putting all the students to work on city parks because otherwise they’d become the fourth generation of maleducated fools. That statement is wrong.
This presidency is effectively over.
Period…
The problem here is that the American people need to keep hearing things about this bill. They need to dribble out over time. It may be that few Democrats, those who are doing pot, will come back from fantasy land find their chones and submarine any final legislation in conference. I understand that many Democrats are fed up with Obama, it would certainly be nice to see a non saving rebellion against him. By non saving I mean one that would not necessarily save seats.
all of us who love freedom must understand that control is of the essence, otherwise we will contue to live in a fantasyland until it is unfixable.
This presidency is effectively over.
Period…–Jim Whittaker
Agreed. ObamaCare will consume the Obama Administration & continue to divide Democrats well into 2010, especially with the mid-term elections.