Re: politicians

Wise up. If health insurers were writing the legislation, why would it include a public option guaranteed to put them out of business? Stop listening to the propaganda and start thinking for yourself.

Re: politicians

Big One,

The Drug Companies wrote the last Medicare Drug Benifit law and it is working well--for them.

Re: politicians

You make some very good points. However, what we have here is the case of MONEY TALKS. THE FIX IS IN. Various big corproations & ideological zealots are taking over the circus. For many decades, it has been very lucrative for them. Having lived abroad for many years, I can just imagine the smiles, & jokes, about some US citizens, & the "power brokers" in our society.

Re: Slight omission

Fox is the only broadcast news outlet that's giving voice to Americans honestly concerned about the direction of the health care plan and the country in general, instead of trying to marginalize therm. That's why their viewership is increasing while the rest are losing viwers. Maybe Obama can get some advice from Hugo Chavez on how to deal with a pesky media voice like Fox news.

Re: Slight omission

What does Fox News have to do with it? They're so obviously biased and lying to all of us...nobody watches it. Now, that said, it doesn't explain why CNN languishes far behind in the ratings, or why the others, like the NBC news channels combined, can't equal the Fox News audiences any way one measures them.

Fly...Does it ever, EVER enter your mind that maybe the "propaganda" is presented by the traditional networks? Ever?

Re: Slight omission

We are being mislead by many in the liberal media. On today's mailing is another rant by Keith Olbermann of MSNBC. The man is mad or maybe so people will understand...crazy. I'm not protecting the rant at Sarah Palin...by that I mean Sarah Palin. I'm curious wny a network lets someone like him and his obese blond headed buddy carry on like they do??? They aren't doing anybody any good and certainly not this country. General Electric owns NBC/MSNBC and they just paid a fine to the Justice Dept. of millions for the crooked behavior of Jeffrey Immell their CEO. Yelling is not going to solve the problem but I watched Obama in N. Hampshire this morning and he intends to dump everyone he can into the same companies you people are now paying for insurance. Pre-existing conditions and the government paying for those that can't afford including the illegals that he will make legal prior to this law passing...if it does. I wonder what that will do to your premiums?

Re: Slight omission

Retired Fed - first you say nobody watches FOX. Then you turn around and tell us that CNN is far behind them and that NBC networks combined can't measure up to them in any way.

You're contradicting yourself in a huge way.

Re: Slight omission

I should have labelled my sarcasm...

Re: Slight omission

They (Fox News) are neither. Call it "barnyard residue". They are the proxy for the interests, & views, of Rupert Murdoch, big business, & the GOP. MSNBC does the other extreme.

Re: Slight omission

Retired Fed, I know liberals never let facts get in their way when forming opinions, but the fact is Fox has higher ratings than the leftist agenda MSM.

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

Another complainer forgot to take his brainwashing pill? Get real. The only brainwashing is being done by the radical right with all of their baloney about health care. They do not want businesses to be forced to give health care insurance to their workers. They want more tax cuts for the wealthy while giving the middle class crumbs and reducing government services. They use lies and deceit to do so.
An example of the deceit used by the radical right happened in 2004 during the election. They spread rumors about kerry's patriotism. Kerry served in Viet Nam. George Bush defended Texas. Bush was praised, Kerry was villified.
Give obama's program time to develop. Bush got 8 years and created a mess. Hopefully Obama can clean it up.

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

Engineer has it exactly correct. I just hope the long-overdue waking of the American people has been in time to stop further erosion of constitutional government.

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

to Worker - Fed

Get off your soapbox. . . both parties are to blame!

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

No, businesses should not be FORCED to give their employees health insurance. Employees have a choice about where they work. If employer-provided health care is what you want, find a company that offers it. If your company doesn't offer it, you have other options. Educate yourself on them. Take some responsibility for yourself. What ever happened to "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country"? Our forefathers would be so disappointed to see the state of our nation today.

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

worker - there are radical factions of the left and the right, both use deceit very effectively. It's not all on one side like you think.

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

Hey fed "worker", have you taken the time to read the health care reform bill that you're defending? I didn't think so. I have. There are some items in there that are so outrageously geared toward furthering the current administration's quest for total control of every aspect of America and her citizens - it makes my skin crawl. You have to be blind, deaf and dumb to accept what's happening to this once great country. It's unbelievable to me that after all that's been happening, there are still people out there that are so duped. Do you think it's ok for our senators and congressmen to be passing legislation without even READING WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON!!!!!!!!!!!? This country is so in debt WE CAN NEVER PAY IT BACK!!! China is more concerned about our national debt than our current administration is. Does that tell you anything? I'd say brainwashed is an apt title. WAKE UP! GET INFORMED! THINK FOR YOURSELF!

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

To administrative assistant
We agree that both sides use deceit. However, the radical right accuses those who do not agree with them.
It does go both ways, not just one way.
To analyst-Businesses of a certain size should be required to provide a minimum health insurance plan.
The precedent is social security.
The reason is that if they do not provide health insurance, then society must pick it up in the form of medicaid. Since medicaid pays poorly, hospitals and health professionals must pay for these people.
You talk about getting another job. This is very difficult or impossible during the depression we are in.

Re: The slippery slope is a cliff

To Na State,
Your comments are very idealistic. See quote:
worker, these people have Medicaid because the government gives it to them. I believe wholeheartedly in health care reform, but that needs to include abrogation of Medicare and Medicaid, creation of interstate health insurance policies, and repeal of subsidies for corn, etc. The government shouldn't be providing health insurance, not for the poor, the elderly, nor anyone else.
You are fortunate to be able to afford medical care. Show some humanity to those who cannot.

Someone has to pay for it. You're right. Let it be the person who uses the service.

The reason why thay are on medicaid is because they cannot pay for medical care. According to your comments they should not get medical care if they cannot aford it. According to your theory, if they get sick or injured, they should get sicker and/ or die because they cannot afford medical care.

Re: Town Halls

YOU ARE VERY NARROW MINDED.
Wake up, people have more of a brain then you give them credit for.
Gov't should not own car companies, nor healthcare.
It is not their business to bail either of them out.
it just makes a universal "welfare" state for citizens.
I dont want to be on welfare.

Re: Healthcare for all Americans

RETIRED BOP and other non-informeds:
"...Our on-the-books national debt is $11.6 trillion. But off-the-books federal debt, including Medicare and Social Security, is $107 trillion..."

And, within the next 2 months, congress will have to raise our debt ceiling 1-2 trillion more...does not include propsoed healthcare plan...

More people need to wake-up...

Re: Healthcare for all Americans

The readership on this site hardly strikes me as "mostly conservative." I've seen many a liberal rant on here in the comments sections.

But that aside, the greatest country on the planet (and I agree with you there) has no obligation to provide health care to its citizens. Health care is not an entitlement, it's something you get if you choose to and through your own means. It's not the government's duty to provide that to you, although this government clearly thinks it is.

Re: Healthcare for all Americans

And... Rush Rocks! He tells it the way it is, maybe a little dramatically, but he doesn't lie, or flip flop. It is what it is. If more people listened to him we wouldn't be in this mess.

Re: Healthcare for all Americans

To IT Specialist FLRA,
Your comments and the comments of related parties cause me to write the way I do. You accuse the left of ranting, but not the right. Admin assistant said it right. Both sides are to blame. Both sides have those that rant. Please be more truthful next time.
Actually, health care is a necessity and should be provided. The question is by whom. Should it be paid for by the health profession when the patient cannot afford it? Or should it be paid for by taxes (society)? or should it be paid for by the businesses employing these people? or do you let the patient get sick and die because he (she) cannot afford health care?

Re: Healthcare for all Americans

I pulled up behind a car the other day and saw a sticker on the back windshield that said: "Rush Babe on board." I'm trying to find one of those for my babe wife. She's pretty AND smart....and she listens to Rush too.

Re: Political interference

Yeh. You work for the government and have a relatively good health insurance policy. This reform will not affect you. It will affect those without insurance. It will affect those whose employers refuse to buy health insurance for their employees.
Some of the companies are going into bankruptcy. Some are not. We do not want the workers thrown out of work. This will aggravate the depression we are in. That should be the reason for the rescues.
The government may even make a profit from this action. Look at Chrysler in the early 80's as an example.

Re: Political interference

well put DOD, I agree whole heartedly.
Government can't ballance their own budget, so why should I be excited about them taking my healthcare into their grasp........makes me ill just to think about it.......wonder how long it will take to get an appointment under their plan.
Dctors are totally against it.....ask one.

Re: Political interference

It is at best naive to think that we as federal workers will not be affected by socialized medicine simply because we have such excellent health insurance now. Everybody will be affected. When you increase demand for a service that drastically (adding tens of millions of new people wanting the service) and do not increase the number of doctors providing the service (it may even decrease as doctors will undoubtedly have less incentive to keep practicing a profession so over-burdened with government regulation), you inevitably end up with rationing.

So guess what, that will affect all of us when we have to get onto waiting lists for our medical procedures. I say "no thanks" to this horrible government takeover of such a substantial part of our economy.

Re: Political interference

I would suggest that teh cost of private health insurance and the need to economize will eventually cause public employees into "the public option" if it comes to pass. You won't be fighting with insurance companies...you'll be dealing with GS-5s with scripts to fit every occasion. Why would anyone want the government involved in their own medical business...because it's cheaper? So everyone can get "healthcare"? Really, all you unionists and others who favor this bill...put the politics away for a moment...How does the House proposal, if adopted, improve your life, or those of your spouse and children, or "significant other"?

Re: Political interference

To IT Specialist FLRA,
This is not socialized medicine. Your federal plan remains the same. It will force certain employers to provide a health insurance plan for its employees. It will subsidize those who cannot afford health insurance.
The demand remains the same as these people have medicaid. The question is who pays for it.
Would you prefer that these people not have medical care?
To retired fed none
This bill will not help me. It is meant to help those who do not have medical insurance.
Not every law helps me. Examples are the 2 laws the stick it to the CSRS workers who could also get social security.

Re: Political interference

worker, these people have Medicaid because the government gives it to them. I believe wholeheartedly in health care reform, but that needs to include abrogation of Medicare and Medicaid, creation of interstate health insurance policies, and repeal of subsidies for corn, etc. The government shouldn't be providing health insurance, not for the poor, the elderly, nor anyone else.

Someone has to pay for it. You're right. Let it be the person who uses the service.

Re: Political interference

To NA State,
Again, the people who have medicaid cannot afford to pay for the service. According to your statements, they should not have medical care. Therefore, they get sicker and sicker until they die.
If my statement of your position is incorrect, please correct.