[BartSimpson]

From the left wing http://www.examiner.com/x-19823-PostPar ... e-insurers

$1:

Need more proof that the health insurance lobby wrote the health care reform proposals with an assist from a compliant Obama White House and a completely corrupt and indifferent Congress?

The voluntary, optional government insurance plan is off the table due to the Obama administration’s craptacular messaging on the issue.

Such a plan would compete with predatory private insurance companies – also known as leeches.

It would keep them from price gouging, harming consumers, and effectively killing Americans with their crminal stewardship of health care.

You will not get that competitive option, however, because Obama is a too cool for school weakling who does not know how to fight and who does not inspire fear in Congressional Democrats.

On the table though, thanks to the fact that Obama has outsourced leadership on health care to over-the-hill Montana Democrat Max Baucus, is a $3,800 per family fine to be levied on families above the poverty line if they do not want to purchase insurance from the private insurance leeches.

For families below the poverty line sans families, the government will mercifully lower the fine – to $1,500. For individuals below the poverty line, that fine is $750.

Yes, thousand dollar health care fines in time of recession, mass unemployment, and wage depression. And for what? The same crappy private health insurance already claiming the lives of Americans on a daily basis.

This final outrage should kill Obamacare.

This should – finally – prove that the Democratic Party leaders have completed their transformation from Truman-style muscle men to wilting tools of the Wall Street-Washington oligarchy and the enemies of working people.

Max Baucus, chair of the Senate Finance Committee and thus the most important person in Congress when it comes to health care, is working hard on the issue, but like anyone who stays in D.C. too long he cannot help but be corporate hack.

Let’s not mince words: Baucus deserves to be tortured on the breaking wheel for proposing this travesty. This is nothing short of health care terrorism.

Obama, though, is not without blame – for it was his bright idea to farm out health care reform to the corporatists while he went on vacation and held beer summits instead of putting his butt to the grass to make the case for real reform to the American people.

We are not going to get progress on health care reform from the current leaders of the Democratic Party: whether by misguided intentions or rank complicity they are quite simply going to make Americans slaves to private insurance emperors, because they are too wimpy to stand up to the leeches.

[BartSimpson]

That's right, national health care will be so wonderful and great that they already know they'll have to FORCE us to buy it.

[Regina]

Just pay up and shut up.

[Akhenaten]

<shrugs> I'm not an American and that's not our health care so who cares? Do it or don't do it. Most of the planet couldn't possibly care less. I mean shit you're already 'forced' to pay insurance or don't get sick so whatever. Even with insurance it can cost you way more than that to get proper treatment. Further there's been so much lying so far about death panels etc., that a story comes out like this and one (assuming one is half-assed smart) is forced to take it with a grain of salt.

I know, I know Bart: The system as it is is perfect. No one ever goes bankrupt paying for medical services. Nothing going on here. Just move along.

[BartSimpson]

Digging down into this the current proposal requires seniors 60 and older to pay five times as much for insurance as would a 20 year old or they have to pay the $3,800 annual fine. How this will be some sort of wonderful program for people living just on the edge of poverty eludes me.

[Proculation]

In Quebec it's 'illegal' to not have a drugs insurance. If you don't have one, they take 750$ of taxes at the end of the year.

[Biblesmasher]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

<shrugs> I'm not an American and that's not our health care so who cares? Do it or don't do it. Most of the planet couldn't possibly care less. I mean shit you're already 'forced' to pay insurance or don't get sick so whatever. Even with insurance it can cost you way more than that to get proper treatment. Further there's been so much lying so far about death panels etc., that a story comes out like this and one (assuming one is half-assed smart) is forced to take it with a grain of salt.

I know, I know Bart: The system as it is is perfect. No one ever goes bankrupt paying for medical services. Nothing going on here. Just move along.

Couldnt agree with this more. Who gives a shit.

Keep paying through your asses for health care and then defending it. Ill keep getting regular checkups and hassle free care in my nanny state for less than half the cost. The one thing that gives me a warm feeling is knowing a good chunk of those people getting screwed on their insurance eventually, are people who before it happened would be waving their flags and talking about freedoms. Paybacks a bitch.

[xerxes]

Is it really all that surprising though? Considering the health care industry in the US been spending millions a day on ads and buying off congressman and senators this is, sadly the result.

This is why there can never really be any meaningful reform of anything in the US. Because the corporate interests that rely on the status quo to enhance their profits control the levers of power in the US. As determined Obama is and as skilled a politician he is, you can't fight millions of dollars being thrown at politicians every day much less the useful idiots unleashed by the right-wing noisemakers. People who glady shout down reformers with nonsensical delusions about death panels and rationing.

[xerxes]

Though, it should be said, that this is a proposal at the moment and nothing more. It's part of what is supposed to be a negotiated compromise that will make the proposed health care reforms more palatable to Republicans and moderate (read bought out) Democrats.

[Robair]

Good find Bart (just when you think you know someone, he starts rallying against Wal-Mart and posting pinko articles like this ).

If that is truly all that is being offered, I fear reform will not help you as much as it should. You poor bastards.

At least you would still remove the pre existing condition clause and remove the spending cap that insurance companies have in place now re your claims.

[Scape]

Interesting article. I know in BC you can Opt out free of charge.

[N_Fiddledog]

Obama's doing a televised speech on health care tonight, isn't he?

Wonder if he'll do the clause by clause study he promised, or if it will just be more rah rah, rhetoric.

[BartSimpson]

N_Fiddledog N_Fiddledog:

Obama's doing a televised speech on health care tonight, isn't he?

Wonder if he'll do the clause by clause study he promised, or if it will just be more rah rah, rhetoric.

Given his past speeches, it'll most certainly be the latter.

[bootlegga]

Akhenaten Akhenaten:

<shrugs> I'm not an American and that's not our health care so who cares? Do it or don't do it. Most of the planet couldn't possibly care less. I mean shit you're already 'forced' to pay insurance or don't get sick so whatever. Even with insurance it can cost you way more than that to get proper treatment. Further there's been so much lying so far about death panels etc., that a story comes out like this and one (assuming one is half-assed smart) is forced to take it with a grain of salt.

I know, I know Bart: The system as it is is perfect. No one ever goes bankrupt paying for medical services. Nothing going on here. Just move along.

[BeaverFever]

Just more fodder for those who believe in the "duopoly" theory of American politics: That the choice between Democrat and Republican is a false one and both parties are servants of the same hidden masters.

The policy described in the article is text-book right-wing authoritarianism: Threaten the people with punishment before you even think about asking business to make even the most modest concessions; bascially coerce the former to be paying customers of a corrupt and greedy industry by threat of punitive action. Criminalize those who are in need and cater to those who have everything.