Comments on: Health Care: A Little Arm Twisting On The WH Menu This Morning?

By: hipparchia

hipparchia — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 06:43:00 +0000

that bastion of amazing health care delivery isn’t quite so amazing, it would seem:

As a result of low reimbursement rates, Mayo’s Arizona operations in 2007 stopped accepting new Medicare patients seeking primary care. About half of Mayo’s patients are on Medicare. Last year, Mayo said it lost about $840 million by treating Medicare patients, money it had to make up by treating privately insured patients.

By: PJEvans

PJEvans — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:34:30 +0000

Even if it’s defeated, it’s going to be clear to a lot of people that the GOP was against it from the start.
They’ve been standing there doing absolutely nothing for it, most of them speaking out against one or another provision (any of the ones that don’t benefit the insurance companies), and merely talking about their alleged substitute bill (which no one has seen and which probably doesn’t exist).
They’re also doing a good job of ignoring their own party members, a majority of whom would like to see better health care coverage. You think those people aren’t going to remember?

By: bobh

bobh — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:08:24 +0000

There is more to the health reform legislation politically than whether Obama has a great or just an above average Presidency; the fate of the Republicans probably rides on it. Unless reform is defeated, the Republicans will be finally viewed as a Party totally bereft of ideas, one that is incapable of bringing anything good to the country, and utterly disposable.

By: greenwarrior

greenwarrior — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:43:41 +0000

thanks, that’s good info.

By: WASanford

WASanford — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:35:33 +0000

Well, I had intended to respond to a commenter who questioned whether the president had the power to cancel the Senate’s upcoming vacation, but after signing up for an account and signing in, yes I’m new here, I can’t find his comment now to respond to it. The answer however, is yes. You’ll find it in Article Two, Section 3 of the Constitution. It says “he may, on extraordinary Occasions convene both Houses, or either of them, and with Respect to the Time of Adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time Time as he shall think proper;” In short, the Constitution makes Obama the boss! He needs to begin acting like one or his programs won’t get enacted. Comity and bipartisanship will only get you so far and becomes dangerous when dealing with enemies. If Obama believes in what he’s doing, he has to begin acting like it!

By: dcblogger

dcblogger — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:58:24 +0000

July 30 might be a good day for that as it is the anniversary of Medicare and there will be a major demonstration in Washington DC.

By: OldCoastie

OldCoastie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:56:19 +0000

I surely hope Obama invites the crew to lunch with Hillary… Obama’s rather passive approach has lost him a lot of credibility… Hillary retains her strength….

I hope she, if nothing else, shames them into action.

By: pastfedup

pastfedup — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Had to go back to the last thread (Bleu Texan post). Bonkers made some very good points in comment 56. If his(her) words about ‘feeling threatened, backed into a corner, and lashing out’ (I’m paraphrasing here) could be framed as talking points on Rachel, Olbermann, any MSM show with guests that aren’t bought and paid for by the health care industry or Big Pharma.

The words are attention-grabbers and could be used when talking about Repugs, Blue Dogs, health care execs, anyone who’s against the public option due to fear of losing those big campaign contributions, or fear of competition.

By: PJEvans

PJEvans — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:27:59 +0000

Doing much better thanks.
Wish it would cool off, though, the rhubarb and some of the grapes are having a hard time in this weather. (No grape crop for me this year, either: they’ve been baked on the vine, too early even to make decent raisins.)

By: PJEvans

PJEvans — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:25:59 +0000

Somehow, soaking my head in oatmeal doesn’t appeal to me.

I’d recommend it for the Blue Dogs, though. A nice long soak would do them good.