Comments on: Healthcare And The Economy: Time To Put The Public Back In The Policy http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/ Dip your toe in the legal waters and change politics as you know it. http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:06:02 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: selise http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13536 selise Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:03:36 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13536 <p>welcome satgent03!</p> <p>i am so glad that you are here to tell your story.</p> welcome satgent03!

i am so glad that you are here to tell your story.

]]> By: satgent03 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13531 satgent03 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:01:52 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13531 <p>Hello folks, this is my first post after registering, and I love the topic. I had a liver transplant in 2002 and had to fight for my life and fight the insurance company that was determined to see me die so they would not have to pay for the transplant. If you want to educate yourself on all the talking points and facts to refute them go to the following web site and check out the FAQ section: <a href="http://www.pnhp.org/sitemap/" rel="nofollow">http://www.pnhp.org/sitemap/</a> It is a site that some Doctors have who are in favor of a public option and it is an awesome education site. I love this site too Christy so keep up the great work!</p> Hello folks, this is my first post after registering, and I love the topic. I had a liver transplant in 2002 and had to fight for my life and fight the insurance company that was determined to see me die so they would not have to pay for the transplant. If you want to educate yourself on all the talking points and facts to refute them go to the following web site and check out the FAQ section: http://www.pnhp.org/sitemap/ It is a site that some Doctors have who are in favor of a public option and it is an awesome education site. I love this site too Christy so keep up the great work!

]]> By: frederic http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13528 frederic Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:24:53 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13528 <p>And of course the dem’s had absolutely no hand in this… Carter was not to blame for any of it and neither were the house dems during the Reagan and Bsuh years…</p> <p>Lesson… Remember everyone, the President does NOT spend money with out the approval of Congress…</p> And of course the dem’s had absolutely no hand in this… Carter was not to blame for any of it and neither were the house dems during the Reagan and Bsuh years…

Lesson… Remember everyone, the President does NOT spend money with out the approval of Congress…

]]> By: darms http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13523 darms Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:57:41 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13523 <p>And isn’t it obvious that deficits only matter under democratic leadership? Been through this before, why should we once again be forced to do the ‘responsible’ hardships to get the ‘economic house in order’ only to have the next Reagan/Bush blow up the budget for their wealthy friends?</p> And isn’t it obvious that deficits only matter under democratic leadership? Been through this before, why should we once again be forced to do the ‘responsible’ hardships to get the ‘economic house in order’ only to have the next Reagan/Bush blow up the budget for their wealthy friends?

]]> By: bobh http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13522 bobh Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:38:25 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13522 <p>The portion of healthcare expenditures paid by insurance companies has been steadily shrinking- it is now down to 35-40%. So we already have a lot of experience with government paid for healthcare, and the customers are mostly happy.</p> <p>Why provide a gross, unaffordable subsidy to private plans so that they can hold onto the steadily shrinking share of the pie they still have left?</p> The portion of healthcare expenditures paid by insurance companies has been steadily shrinking- it is now down to 35-40%. So we already have a lot of experience with government paid for healthcare, and the customers are mostly happy.

Why provide a gross, unaffordable subsidy to private plans so that they can hold onto the steadily shrinking share of the pie they still have left?

]]> By: ekunin http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13520 ekunin Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:34:55 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13520 <p>On the contrary-I asked you along with everyone on this list. You are right about ideas. Every thing is ideas and perceptions. The issue is how to get people organized around an idea and how do you get a handle on the number of believers? The march in Washington which I just heard of here will not accomplish anything IMHO even if it attracts a million marchers which it probably won’t. I’m for Medicare for all as much as anyone, but I’m not about to make the six hour trip to DC to express my point of view. </p> <p>We habitually reset to hierarchical thinking. We look to leaders to pull our chestnuts out of the fire. The first step is deciding we are on our own. If it is to be done, we must do it. I don’t think we’re there yet.</p> On the contrary-I asked you along with everyone on this list. You are right about ideas. Every thing is ideas and perceptions. The issue is how to get people organized around an idea and how do you get a handle on the number of believers? The march in Washington which I just heard of here will not accomplish anything IMHO even if it attracts a million marchers which it probably won’t. I’m for Medicare for all as much as anyone, but I’m not about to make the six hour trip to DC to express my point of view.

We habitually reset to hierarchical thinking. We look to leaders to pull our chestnuts out of the fire. The first step is deciding we are on our own. If it is to be done, we must do it. I don’t think we’re there yet.

]]> By: selise http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13519 selise Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:25:55 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13519 <p>you didn’t ask me, but i’ll answer anyway.</p> <p>imo, part of the fight is the at the level of the battle of ideas. this past year groups like hcan (which i HATE) have done a lot of damage in taking discussion of single payer solutions off the table… not with better ideas but by attempting to move it from the circle of progressive consensus to the circle of deviancy (see jay rosen)… right now, i’d be happy if we could even haul single payer solutions back into the circle of legitimate debate in the progressive blogosphere.</p> you didn’t ask me, but i’ll answer anyway.

imo, part of the fight is the at the level of the battle of ideas. this past year groups like hcan (which i HATE) have done a lot of damage in taking discussion of single payer solutions off the table… not with better ideas but by attempting to move it from the circle of progressive consensus to the circle of deviancy (see jay rosen)… right now, i’d be happy if we could even haul single payer solutions back into the circle of legitimate debate in the progressive blogosphere.

]]> By: redfish http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13518 redfish Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:22:07 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13518 <p>Thanks for that and I don’t disagree in concept. I think confusion is certainly a tactic that is used by both sides of the aisle and unfortunately it works. When things become so muddled no one is confident what the truth really is. We saw this on the stimulus/banking/wall street debate — ask someone to explain credit default swaps, etc. Of course the problem is that even if someone as you said, “ferrets out the real truth”. How will that truth be recognized as such and not just another sound eminating from the white noise.</p> <p>In this environment, more simplistic perspectives take hold and that is what we all have to deal with. It’s almost universally perceived that any kind of meaningful health care/reform would have a steep price tag attached to it. Truth or not — that’s a reality, especially for moderate and blue dog dems.</p> Thanks for that and I don’t disagree in concept. I think confusion is certainly a tactic that is used by both sides of the aisle and unfortunately it works. When things become so muddled no one is confident what the truth really is. We saw this on the stimulus/banking/wall street debate — ask someone to explain credit default swaps, etc. Of course the problem is that even if someone as you said, “ferrets out the real truth”. How will that truth be recognized as such and not just another sound eminating from the white noise.

In this environment, more simplistic perspectives take hold and that is what we all have to deal with. It’s almost universally perceived that any kind of meaningful health care/reform would have a steep price tag attached to it. Truth or not — that’s a reality, especially for moderate and blue dog dems.

]]> By: selise http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13517 selise Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:18:47 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13517 <p>i think we have to fight for single payer if we want to capture that wasted money and redirect it to health care. the so-called public option debate so far strikes me as a protection racket for protecting the private insurance industry instead of people.</p> i think we have to fight for single payer if we want to capture that wasted money and redirect it to health care. the so-called public option debate so far strikes me as a protection racket for protecting the private insurance industry instead of people.

]]> By: ekunin http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13516 ekunin Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:12:37 +0000 http://christyhardinsmith.firedoglake.com/2009/06/22/healthcare-and-the-economy-time-to-put-the-public-back-in-the-policy/#comment-13516 <blockquote><p>If we can’t organize strong, visible public support for this issue (which 75% of the country agrees with) we deserve whatever hosing we’ll eventually get.</p></blockquote> <p>Got any suggestions? If you think commenting on this blog is organizing strong, visible public support, I disagree. I don’t see us winning on meaningful health care reform any time soon, but we should start laying the groundwork for taking the country back. You must realize though that in a nation where an inordinate number of citizens expect to win the lottery, lots of fantasies stand in the way.</p>

If we can’t organize strong, visible public support for this issue (which 75% of the country agrees with) we deserve whatever hosing we’ll eventually get.

Got any suggestions? If you think commenting on this blog is organizing strong, visible public support, I disagree. I don’t see us winning on meaningful health care reform any time soon, but we should start laying the groundwork for taking the country back. You must realize though that in a nation where an inordinate number of citizens expect to win the lottery, lots of fantasies stand in the way.

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