It's stupid. Republicans and Democrats are so wrapped up in rhetoric that we're ignoring the obvious...Obama has NO real agenda for health care besides advances in technology use. And for the "promise" of eventually saving families up to $2500 a year in health care costs after this system is in place which is projected over the next TEN years, this is outrageous.
Republicans are being moronic...they were voted out for fiscal IRRESPONSIBILITY, for SCAMMING the American people, for allowing BUSINESS to get their own beneficial legislation passed at the expense of the American people, for fraud, misstatements and distractions like the famous "MARRIAGE AMENDMENT" while we blew it with immigration (don't hear about illegals doing jobs that Americans wouldn't do now that unemployment is so high, do we?), with the IRAQ war (Mission accomplished, need we say more?) and with the subculture of secrecy and illegality that ultimately for many is the legacy of the Bush administration. Okay Republicans, you lost, get over it. Instead of trying to show why you should have won, get tough...get behind the President's "goals" and make them work in a Republican way. Here are a few tips:
1) Every Republican civil servant should OPT OUT OF GOVERNMENTAL BENEFITS PACKAGES that are far superior to the go it alone alternatives available to ordinary citizens and that in part are funded by US.
2) Stop singing the outdated song about free markets...we're onto you. The markets weren't free, legislation that benefited business was passed hand over fist. People hid millions off shore. Side deals that benefited the Haliburton's and the large banks, including non-enforcement of laws were rampant, the biggest sectors of growth during Bush's reign were government and health care, each supporting the other with taxpayer dollars.
3) President's don't care what happens to their pet projects after they're out of office. George Bush's Iraq project will be unraveled at tremendous cost and there will be missteps made. All the billions, all the lives, all the rhetoric about how the "democratic" elections pasted onto governments and peoples that have no infrastructure or knowledge of the same are forgotten and we're left with Hamas in charge of the Palestinians and a volatile and dangerous ruined Iraq. This is what Obama is doing with health care. So STOP the ten year horizon, demand year by year goals that must be met in order for the $634 billion to remain available for this pet project.
4) Stop trying to criticize government "spending"...you guys spent us to death on war, on corruption, on your own salaries. Instead, demand ACCOUNTABILITY IN SPENDING, you want this money you meet this goal within this period of time.
And now for the Democrats:
1) Are you kidding? You are catering to corrupt businesses, to mismanaged businesses and throwing money at businesses that typically employ illegals over citizens (construction and infrastructure contracts) without provision for strict oversight and penalties in the event of continued violations.
2) $634 billion for WHAT in health care? How do you give money before deciding what the goals are, it's idiotic and it will leave us worse off than before as people who are afraid of National Health care can update their chief example of its infeasability, formerly cited as Hillary Clinton's failure as Obama's failure. And don't delude yourself further ...it will fail as described to date.
3) Why on earth have you not suspended governmental handouts of superior benefits packages to governmental employees as compared to citizens? This token of good faith would not only save millions but would be leading by example. It would also provide a much needed "reality" check within one year's time as people in government EXPERIENCE reality instead of hypothesize about it.
4) Why on earth is there not an immediate proposal to subsidize volunteer worker health care and part time employee health care? These productive members of society are left out in the cold as you cater to insurance companies by giving them government dollars to insure the healthiest group among us, children, while ignoring their families.
5) Why is HIPAA still in the Federal budget at all? HIPAA has NEVER helped patient privacy through enforcement of its rules. HIPAA NEVER supports patient privacy regarding health insurance company invasions, justifying Health insurer access to all records (including notes of mental health professionals on their interpretations of tests of patients) in exchange for coverage.
6) Why are you projecting outwards five years, ten years instead of giving a year by year plan? The reason is because there is no plan. You are feeding the wallets of insurers and doctors by encouraging the use of technology because you like your Blackberry without noting that there are currently huge issues with privacy and the lack of any ideas regarding mandated passing on of "savings" to consumers.
7) Nationalized health is present ALL OVER THE WORLD, and the US leads neither in care nor in life expectancy. Instead of reinventing the wheel with saving enough to pay for (still unclear what we're paying for), why not come clean...people pay more to support a national health system and in exchange they are not bankrupted or left sick when their health fails, regardless of their personal habits such as eating burgers, smoking, drinking.
8)Why are there no proposals to expand our current nationalized health care system (Medicare) to cover students up to the age of 25 or 26. After that, coverage for the up and coming generation would be protected through subsidized health insurance for part time and volunteer WORKERS.
9) Legislative mandates MUST address cost controls in the health services field. Currently LESS THAN HALF of all premium dollars are spent on health services (according to the health insurance industry's own research).
10) Move preventive health services, or some of them to health departments. Finite costs of inoculations, checkups SHOULD NOT BE PAID FOR WITH PREMIUM DOLLARS that are paid to cover the RISK of the cost of ILLNESS.
Obama's making a big mistake. He is reciting the I word a lot (we Inherited the problem) and he's putting such a long horizon on examining policy for results that it's becoming unbelievable. Year by year NOT five years or ten years.
