REF: david sirota / kdelphi / cathy

Please come to the battle underway against the healthcare insurance industry and their puppet politicians.

The mainstream media is filling the sky with flak and spewing the distractions and bs propaganda like no other time that I have ever seeen.

It is, indeed, time for change! I was hardcore conservative, but now retired and inside the belly of the healthcare beast, I want out. I want to kill the beast, please pay attention to what is going on.

The battle is on, I tell you. Watch CSPAN, see who is saying what. The healthcare industry execs and their puppet politicians and, of course, the “alien” mainstream media propagandist. Watch mainstream media long enough and carefully enough and learn their myriad of tactics and methodology.

So many dozens of tactcs but the overall strategy remains the same. They are able to brainwash you as they entertain you. That is what they are all about.

Like so many of the spokesmen who pose as standup comics: “Listen carefully to the jocular man, he is saying what is really on his mind!”

REF: KDelphi

If you expect to have the slightest effect on the U.S. Congress’s lies, deceit and manipulation, you will have to do a bit more than vote. Hell, you know they use mainstream media to “herd” the votes. I hope you understand that much. They operate exactly the way a major advertising agency works with its various departments: media, creative, account services, public relations etc. They have astute, experienced and very, very ambitious professionals to attain their objectives.

The central issue at the moment for these people is to save their cash cow, the huge healthcare industry. Anything else are, largely, distractions.

Today’s central distraction is the sins of tobacco. Wow, there is Sen. Dodd raging on CSPAN impassioned about how the good parents of America cry out for the safety of their precious children.

Don’t be distracted by this BS, keep your eyes trained on the real issue - the issue of a public option for a single-payer healthcare system.

Only one thing is on their minds, that is to save their existing generous friends in the existing healthcare industry.

The existing healthcare industry is a f’ing racket any fool can see, it they will take a look. If they are not distracted by the flag waving and BS.

Again, so long has they have the mindbending power of the oligarchial Mainstream Media, we only have the internet,email,etc.

Vote? Unless you can influence someone else, one group of people, blog and blog and remind a few via telephone or email, they will ignore grassroots opinion and enrich the damn healthcare private industry and continue to bleed us dry.

Only the wealth can dare afford to get sick in the USA. You have nothing to lose moving toward single-payer.

Damn, the other broadcasters are already getting aboard this stupid tobacco red herring. That will fill up the broadcasting for tonight. Everybody will be hashing and rehashing this false flag. Now they are talking about “flavored” cigarettes. Wow, are most citizens that easily distracted? Yes, I know many. But I point out the way the art directors, copywriters and the media concepts of reach and repetitions, and it makes them think a little.

One vote? No, that kind of thinking is completely ineffectua. Not with our public school system that aims to dumb down and a tightly controlled mass media that serves as a propaganda machine to successfuly swing millions of voters whichever way the want. Forget the exceptions, know that it is calculated on a bell curve and, rest assured, they will succeed 70% of the time, and that is good enough to win, again and again. Exceptions do not matter.

Don’t let them kill single-payer, that is what they really mean to do. That is the real goal for most of the puppet politicians in congress.

The hour is at hand on whether or not we get serious healthcare reform in America. If it fizzles, it will get worse, it will accelerate and be a diaster a year from now.

Hawkeye—I dont think I can ever vote for a Democrat (NEVER for a GOP!) again.

This is worse than Clinton.

Watch the politicians on CSPAN Journal and the speeches in the house and senate. Trust me, anybody pushing away single payer and all the foggy bs for a reformed health care system is your enemy. Take down the names and campaign against the if they side with gop senators and dem blue dog senators like max baucus.

IT IS TIME FOR THE HEALTH CARE PUPPET POLITICIANS TO GO! ONCE YOU HEAR THEM BLOWING SMOKE AND SAYING AMERICANS WANT TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO, TAKE THEIR NAMES. THOSE ARE THE SNAKES. lISTEN UP, KNOW WHO THEY ARE, THEY ARE BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH.

ref: kdelphi

i did see the bill moyers journal when he had Physicians for a Natl Health Plan, that, Dr Himmelstein, co-founer. I was very impressed with the idea of a system that is kept simple and comprehensible, all in one place with full transparancy, which is exactly what the ama, drug and insurance lobbies are fighting.

i am gung ho for singler payer. had two very different careers in my time - cpa after being a reporter. later, settled back as editor writer. so i know how “good” accounting firms can do “creative” account and back the numbers in to show what you want. no future for idealists.

trust me, the whole idea with tax laws, etc. is to blind them with complex codes, laws, procedures and hundreds of incomprehensible forms. you cannot win.

that alone is reason enough to vote for single payer and exactly why the said they were taking it off the table, too simple and transparant. flat tax and single payer eliminates the need for these ripoff middle men.

Hawkeye—I’m sorry you’re getting this bad news.  Personally I’ll be working until I drop, being that I’m self-employed.  Everything is imploding or exploding—depending on the sector.  What a mess.  I found this blog for you:

http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2009/05/pension-benefit-guaranty-corporation.html

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock News/2340265/

I don’t think there’s anymore information than what you got if you watched the hearings. 

Another bailout?  What we need is a massive clawback from the crooks—but I wouldn’t hold my breath.  The bad news just keeps coming. 

I wonder if I should hold my breath for the MSM to report on the May 30th Single-Payer Day Rallies?

REF: KDelphi (healthcare crisis in congress)

Agreed, the Billy Moyers Journal this weekend was straight forward and easy to understand why the majority of voters support “Single-Payer” health insurance.

There is another issue closely related to the healtcare crisis. The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) is being questioned, led by Sen. Kohl. THIS SITUATION SHOULD BE AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE ON WSJ AND NYT, to name a few publications.

I took early retirement with one of the largest national publications. In my wildest dreams I would never have guessed this retirement pension could fail. Recently, they have sent notifications about the unnamed corp’s pension fund’s status regarding funding and liabilities. That is when I began to investigate what the hell the PBGC was all about.

Watching Sen. Kohl and Sen. Michael Bennet(D-Col) question the PBGC excutives who took the 5th Amendment. The hearings were held last Wednesday but I have seen replayed on CSPAN today, Sunday. My stomach is turning over, again.

Note, the chief official of the PBGC (Millard?) looked haggard and refused to answer any questions. On top of that, this was only initiated because of an unidentified “whistle blower!” OMG!

Just when I thought it was safe to come out of the bunker, now this! The PBGC has, obviously, been making deals with Black Rock, the bank/hedge fund traders.

PBGC is the next eruption of this economic volcano. Please do some searches and share anything you find. I must go take a nap. What a sick, sick sick thing this whole thing. The crimes, coverup, lying and manipulation is, ehhhh, alarming!

KDelphi—Bill Moyers is must-watch TV.  He explores all of the most important issues we are dealing with in-depth.  Other PBS shows have also been doing a great job on many of its shows when it comes to this.

I listen to NPR all the time and, I must say, when it comes to talking about health care along the same lines as PBS they are dropping the ball.  I didn’t hear anything about the Finance Committee meetings and the arrests.  It was pretty stunning.  I read about them first on HuffPo.

Cathy—I saw that last night—he caters to his crowd. (Bill Maher)But, then, he brought up the abysmally lame “credit card bill”—everyone cheered, and, I thought, “oh no!”. Then, he admitted it was CRAP! Amd it is! My card has already switched me to a variable rate, and, I have thousanad of dollars of medical bills on there! Things will be WORSE for many of us! They shouldve admitted Sen Sanders amendment, concerning a limit on rates (15%—whic h is too high, but start).I’ve never missed a fricking payment in my life, even borrowing from friends and family to pay it, but, I’ll bet I do now…the next big CRASH.

Bill Moyers had Drs. Wolfe and Himmlestein on last night, (Public Citizen Health Research Giorups and OPhusciciand for natl Health Plan). I gave the link in the post before. It waS great.They explain much more eloquently than I could, why the plan being pushed by BaucASS and Pres. Obama just will not work…it will only bear out GOP fears.

I dont want to wait while 20,000 die every year (thats a low estimate) and Congress, and the president collect millions of dollars from the psychopathical health insurance industry.

Bill Maher was a major, major ra-ra supporter of Obama during the campaign on his show.  I found it pretty sickening, actually.  Well, last night he was in about-face mode on Real Time. 

I wonder when reality is going to hit the “he’s-only-been-in-office-X-days.”  I live with someone who says we should just sit back and wait and see what Obama does.  I answer that it’s not too early to hold Obama’s fee to the fire and make him listen to the will of the people.  After all, he is addressing all of these things right now—and it looks like it’s going to be pretty bad.

I just recieved an email from Physicians for a Natl Health Plan, that, Dr Himmelstein, co-founer , will be on pbs.org Bill Moyers , Friday, May 22nd. You can watch and comment here: (puhleeze!)

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/index-flash.html

He was also on Dianne Rehm with Sen Sanders on Monday.: (she was a sell-out)

http://wamu.org/programs/dr/09/05/18.php#26151

Also, please write, even if you already have, your blah, blah, reps and sens…c’mon, I wrote to EACH ONE, individually! I am not kidding…

There is a (local) nationwide rally for single payer on May 30, in most major cities (the main one is in San Diego, where Ams Health Insurance Plans is meeting)

May 30th: National Day of Action
Nationwide Rallies for Improved Medicare for All

Join thousands of single-payer supporters in a nationwide week of action to support improved Medicare for all (HR 676). Single-payer activists will be gathering all over the country to say, “Healthcare, yes; Insurance companies, no,” and to show solidarity with demonstrations at the AHIP (American Health Insurance Plans, a private health insurance lobby) conference in San Diego.

http://www.healthcare-now.org/campaigns/may-30th-day-of-action/

The 20-60,000 people who get to live, because they recieved decent health care thank you!

Pass a law where no one is allowed to profit from the death of others..you know, like, you cant buy life insurnace on someone else’s life that you are not related to…

All “US industry” would be broke in a week, and the wars would stop.

Jim C—You may still get the emails..lol. You have to put change.gov.whitehouse.gov, etc, onto your spam alert, then you go there and, there it is!! Amazing…

I also still get requests for money from sites where I am banned (for now, then tomorrow, no, then again…lol) from posting!

Neo-liberal hypocrisy knows no bounds.

By HighHopes, May 19 at 8:40 am
Hmm, Pink Floyd made a song with that title and remembering the lyrics brings me a nostalgia of sorts.

Then again their song ‘Dogs of War’ rains pretty heavy on these days and times as does ‘On the Turning Away’.

I remember well the latter part of 2003 and the 2004 campaign with promises about this and that and change and prosperity up until he caved into corporate america and the american izraeli public affairs committee by assuring both of his and america’s full support AND assuring me of voting 3rd party.

I wasn’t wrong either because his first 100 days did not produce the promised ‘fixes’ I thought essential for starting to turn these crises around and then it has developed into a landslide of cooperation of everything w & dick had done, with the people that elected him left out in the cold.

I really believe that the ‘puppet masters’ decided early on to have a black person or a female become president as it would be the easiest way to get a more malleable puppet in the white house so there will not be much dickering about getting legislation passed, appointees will be processed with little objection which means the supreme court will most likely remain on the conservative side.

This country is so subverted that a fix is no where close to coming to pass.

I have gotten more requests for donations from these blog sites of late than ever and that raises a concern about what that is all about other than needing money to operate but now they are adding that such and such amount needs to be raised in a couple of days or some other short time line and the requests are for $25-$50, makes me wonder even though I realize they need money, we all do.

Well , not quite everything else is on the table . Every single other country that has insurance companys in the mix makes them go non profit , I haven’t heard that mentioned either , go figure . An independent film maker did a series of documentaries on health care in countries around the world . He also did one on our ( gag ) system to be released in a series that was to be on PBS . When the series was getting ready to be aired PBS wouldn’t allow that fact to be mentioned in the film , the producer then told them he wouldn’t allow his name to be used with the series if that point was ommited , I’m not sure if it has aired yet or not . I heard of this on the Thom Hartmann radio program , I’m sure if anyone is interested in the story you could go to Thom Hartmans web site and his administrater would give you the information . I for one am losing patience with Obama , The democratic party sent me an e-mail asking for donations to help in his ” fight for health care ” , I’m sure some of you have recieved the same thing . I responded by having my name removed from their e-mail list . They asked why in the removal conformation . I sent them a scorching reply telling them among other things that if they wanted money they needed to get it from from those they were representing , the insurance companys . I would encourage anyone else who recieves such a request to do the same . We’ve got to let them know we’re awake , paying attention and that a growing number of us aren’t ga ga over Obams specious retoric .

Hmmm… Health Care for All Americans is Simple!

1) Merge Medicare with Medicade into one single “Income Based” system
for the elderly and poor.

2) Require insurance companies to provide the same basic coverage for
all Non-Medicare/Medicade American citizens, regardless of health
status, at government established rates.

3) Allow insurance companies to offer additional benefits and options
to those who qualify and are willing to pay the difference.

As for Funding…

1) Changing from an “Emergency Treatment” to a “Preventive Care”
system will save local communities billions, maybe even trillions of
taxpayer dollars!

2) Small business will be able to compete globally and hire additional
taxpaying employees!

3) Wealthy seniors will pay their fair share!

4) The tremendous burden on future generations will be greatly reduced!

SUNDAY   644 PM/CST     DFW/USA

REF: SAMOSAMO

The multi-tasking post was a pleasure to read. It serves as an important warning that the propaganda agents are many and extend beyond CNN, Fox and Disney’s ABC. (Wow, are they busy today!)

I am now convinced The Great Parasite has one central objective at the moment. It is all about the collective of the international insurance corporatons. They face the tricky task of covering their bets that trillions of “toxic mortgage assets and credit card debt) would live on. But the Bubble popped and they hold the bag. They must, somehow, make the U.S. Congress bail them out.

For those disinclined to crunching numbers and reading the fine print, IT IS THE ONE-PAYER HEALTH INSURANCE BILL, STUPID! No insult intended, only written to emphasize. Nothing they will place on their front pages as leads even comes close to One-Payer. However, I must add, please be alert for another headline-stealing calamity of some sort. Maybe an attack Iran?

The “smart guys” will not waste a good crisis and, futhermore, they will not hestiate to supply their own. No bombs falling, yet, but this is a huge, costly war. The war for wealth and power never ends.

Acceptable collateral damage and casulties are only statistics to the generals. When the ruling class unloose those who make it happen, they proceed the same as centuries ago.

Today, they want One-Payer Health Insurance killed and the very idea to be stamped out. That would harm the international community more than a little. International phara to “private” insureres would suffer etc. The hedge-fund traders to Lilly, ultimately, go the collosal insurance companies like AIG. That is why Paulsen rushed forth and spread the alarm. Now others take his place and are midstream in this juggling act. They still refuse to explain the details while they “unwind” the crash. But cannot you see that the emporer is, indeed, butt naked?

Led, for now, by Sen. Max Baucus, both parties are both determined to kill One-Payer Health Insurance. On this one issue, you have a clear answer as to which politicians (Dem and Rep) are your friends.

This seperates the sheep from the goats. This one, like Samosamo mentioned, is being pushed to the backburner. Only CSPAN has exposed this crucial issue. Anyone who opposes One-Payer fantasizes they will able to get decent, affordable care via the so-called private companies - Wrong! Either way, health care will be much worse. Bailouts ahead, more dollars printed, thus, hyper inflation and cutbacks on social security and medicare. One-Payer is your best shot of surving in coming years. The filthy rich can afford their own personal doctors, bet you can’t.

Distractions are what the MSM is about, real issues of importance must be kept distant and well hidden, in the back pages of our minds. What war now noble?  Bail out lets change the name to….?  Torture, lets call torture….. enhanced tickling. National Medical Plan, .... well that would be Pinko socialism of course. 

Fostering Delusions for the deluded.  Promoting constant moods of hand wringing and fear.  Divisive challenges programed for creating sides,..... we must have sides.  Alleged differences, so necessary in the grand scheme of things. 

MSM, hired to be the runners, highlighters of these designed issues, paid help to designate priorities, so we have the return of the Gays and of course Abortion rights as the new old battle. so effective in the past for the GOP, attempting a come back from the dead, Newt stumbling from the GOP bone yard. Contriving issues with such design all old and dusty, sold as new special battles. Oh for the successes of the past, such past gratification, all created for their insidious distractions.

Choose your distraction!

By foggyjones, May 16 at 7:41 pm
““i hope enough voters wise up in time to ignore this pelosi-cia red herring.  hope enough people realize how huge this matter of the impending health care bill in the congress really is. sen. baucus and cohorts are poised to speed this health care bill through late at night, just like the other bailouts and tarps etc.”“
****************************************************

Multi tasking - the concurrent performance of several jobs, usually by computer but can include the attempt to handle multiple issues all at once.

Just look at, well even TD’s site, and see how many different crises are vying for everyone’s attention and remediation and not in any set priority of importance and with the added attraction of ‘remedying’ each’s pet peeve before helping others with their particular peeve, much to the delight of those that want to maintain a high level of ambiguous courses of action all of it brought to the US by the MSM that is a conservative controlled resource.

As I say, there are many examples of this on most any blog sites where the curious go to see ‘watz up’ and add their 2cents worth to their pet peeves, I guess, to see who will side with whom on what ever subject, sort of like ‘we need to get to the bottom of this’ and then on the ‘we need to fex this thing’ which really creates an unambiguous display of disorganization.

And any of those who have read Scott Ritter’s ‘Waging Peace’ will remember the main theme is trying to organize to confront and gain the control by those that ARE organized and have put us in this disaster of multiple crises, any of which can be bumped into the bright lights to cover up something else that in not wanted of attention.

Good writing. I loved this paragraph:

“In that speech six years ago, Obama said the only reason single-payer proponents should tolerate delay is “because first we have to take back the White House, we have to take back the Senate, and we have to take back the House.”

Seems like Obama has run out of excuses, but no, fear not! Politicians enjoy a symbiotic relationship with lobbyists, and the Insurance lobbys are among the fattest and most generous…to those who do their bidding.

Foggyjones, I liked your analysis for its completeness:

“Our politicians have sign a pact with the devil. Pay to play politics must be eradicated and intensely regulated. These people are a public hazard. The real terrorists appear on CSPAN, almost every day. They still do not have a clue. Even the protestor with the bullhorn pictured above changes their minds.”

The best government money can buy is all I can add. And don’t expect much from Obama.

SATURDAY     633 PM/CST   DFW/USA

i hope enough voters wise up in time to ignore this pelosi-cia red herring.  hope enough people realize how huge this matter of the impending health care bill in the congress really is. sen. baucus and cohorts are poised to speed this health care bill through late at night, just like the other bailouts and tarps etc.

these insurance gangsters are driving the biggest bailout of all through the U.S. Congress. they are terrified that anything like the one-payer system could cut the legs from under the gangster insurance industry. connect the dots and try to understand how this can fund those who insured the toxic mortgage assets, the hedge fund traitors.

study, understand and know that they are up to, now.

foggyjones - and anyone else who’s awake and/or cares - today’s movers and shakers and deciders and present and future captains of industry are devoted and dedicated to accruing money, as much as they can and by any means possible. 

I arrived at this less than astounding revelation on hearing that for about the last 30 years the Ivies have been turning out products whose life-long ambition is making money - and high finance is where it’s made and that’s where they’ve headed.

Wall Street has screwed and is screwing us royally.  And with our elected respresenatives devoted as they are to the money keeping them in power as it is, we, the people of America, are now beside the point, merely the patsy’s who continue to fund them - no questions asked.

Other than marching in the streets, I see no way to make our dollars work for us rather than for them.

saturday     429 pm/cst dfw/usa

ref: ocjim

i hope that will, eventually, realize that is not simply right or left propaganda and lies that the mainstream waves before the raging bull. the torodor has it down to an art form.

for so many decades the “news” business. even the so-called good “journalists” were true believers, whether they leaned to the left or right. all the charming and persuasive rhetoric serves to confuse the very simple deep issues. Ethnic beliefs and patriotic furvor is easily sparked by high-flown rhetoric, leaders wrapped in bright flags and waving their fists at “evil.”

For decades communications technology has been advanced and those who crave power gradually took control of the communications systems. Thus, the crucial connection between the world banking alliance and ownership and control of mainstream media.

You cannot underestimate the importance of who owns control of a nation’s communications systems. It is only second in power to those who control the world’s wealth. With enough wealth, you can not only control the politicians, the educational system and the global commmunications system.

Is that okay with you? Does it make you depressed and helpless or inspire you to regroup and resist this awesome tyranny?

That makes knowledge and understanding the most dangerous thing in the world to these wealthy power masters. Once you, your children, your neighbors know and understand, the power masters are on their way out. If you know, they will, eventually, be unable to “takey candy from a baby!.”

Learn, understand and identify them. Connect the dots, follow the money. They are not our betters, our elected leaders, they hide in plain sight.

As soon as you are saavy enough to understand the techniques and methods of mainstream media, you and millions of others will quickly overthrow these greedy tyrants. Then, millons will plainly see that the Emporer is bare-arzed naked, just strutting down the street, grinning and wearing that shiney crown! Policitions? Just a lot of colorful clowns who crave the centerstage and the spotlight. It makes them feel good.

This coming week, the clown circus aims to slip another big one past in the middle of the night. The mainstream media will sent up plenty of flak, distractions and smoke, while those like Max Bauchus fight for the insurance companies, hospital corps, AMA etc., insure their future.

Approval of a one-payer system would cut the legs out from under these greedy scoundrels. Mainstream media seems benign, for the most part. Never believe that. Noboby is immuned to their underlying messages. Nobody. It is a human failing, subtle repetition of an underlying message absolutely works. It is compelling as the Lorelli who sang to Odyseus and his crew, as described in Homer’s “Odyssy.”

Know it, believe it, live it. You are continually bombarded with the “messages.” Literature is full of heros like Odyseus, Sampson etc. who are brought to their knees with harmful but powerful “messages.”

It is as if we are all in denial about this proganda, and all eagerly follow the pied piper. Face it, we are suckers for a good pitchman with a strong, convincing voice. Like Sen. Schumer loves to repeat, “It is all about confidence.” He has been repeating that for years. Yes, indeed, it is all about “confidence,” Sen. Schumer. And, you sir, are a true Confidence Man.

Foggyjones,

Americans have been effectively brainwashed by right-wing interests whose agenda wants to keep us apologetic for taking any government services.
Besides local services, certain services are absolutely required to even come close to fulfilling the equal opportunity principle our school children are told that we have. Among these services are an equal education, equal justice before the law,and equal access to health care. All are absolutely required to keep us on an equal footing.

We have failed miserably on all. Our education system is in shambles. Health care access is a disgrace. Our top leaders consistently break the law and do not share space in our crowded prisons with the poor and minorites.

SATURDAY       404 PM/CST DFW/USA

REF: felicity

I agree with every word. Moreover, the economic meltdown cannot be understood unless one understand the huge role the insurers played in this grand ripoff.

Start with studying how the bailouts being guided through the white house and congress remain misunderstood my 99% of the population. The clues have been leaking out in dribbles, even on mainstream media, but few people are able to connect the dots.

Understand this, there remains untold trillions of “toxic assets” remaining. Those “investors” who bought the “garbage” certificates on the rise, were wise enough to buy “insurance” from those like AIG, they hedged their bets, they laid off their bets like any smart bookie. Neither the Bush nor the Obama team really understood the depth and breadth of this “insurance” claim.

If you can understand the hedge fund business or, even, small-time bookies, you can understand the so-called “insurance” business. If you can understand loan sharks and bookies, you can understand what our government is doing. Like in basic vetor analysis, you can calculate which forces are propelling the so-called ship of state.

The insurance industry maybe be the principal force, it may be the only force determing how the U.S. Congress will manage to approve another bad health care bill in coming weeks. The majority know what they want to do, it has little to do with the vast majority of voters. Those like Max Bachus is a hardcore insurance man. He is not alone.

That is the powerful and most important reason to demand one-payer health care, not foreever, but to cut the legs out from under the insurance gangsters.

As it stands, the mob rules, and one-payer health care would be a crucial strategic move to shut off their air supply. If Max Bachus has his way, they will be rejuvenated, quickly and the ongoing parasitic realtionship goes on and on. It is about host and parasite. They are the secretive little bloodsuckers. They are the central banksters and the “financial community.” Many specific species of these bugs, but they all want the same thing, your blood.

I should mention that years ago when the insurance industry launched its campaign to convince us that we all needed health insurance - without it our very lives were in jeopardy - the main argument against the idea was that health care costs would become ‘hidden’ in insurance premiums.  And that in turn would result in an out-of-control rise in the fees charged by doctors/hospitals.

(When a doctor gives me a $1000 bill for 3 minutes of his time, I scream like hell.  When the same $1000 ‘hides’ in an insurance premium, I don’t scream.  Chalk it up to human nature.)

Well, it was a valid argument.  And here we are about to provide yet again another hiding place for the insurance industry/medical industry to rip us off - only this time it’s the politicians doing the hiding.

About a month ago Obama talking about health care threw out the word ‘legacy.’ Accompanied by a frown and a slight wince, the throw-out-word, I guess, was supposed to indicate that single-payer would present an unsolvable difficulty due to the legacy issue so forget about it. 

So what’s to come other than the tax-payer funded government paying big insurance zillions of (tax-payer dollars) to compensate the beasts for reducing their insurance premiums to us - probably by a single digit.  In other words, the beasts will get their zillions whether directly from our pockets (premiums) or by way of the taxes we pay to the government.  Substitute ‘ruse’ for ‘reform’ and you’ve correctly identified today’s health care proposals. 

I have a terrible feeling that America has entered its own Dark Age.

Leefeller—Must be soothing to be able to delude yourself that way…lie down with dogs, get fleas, with insurance industry murderers, let patients (NOT “consumers”)get sick and die, I guess.

foggyjones—The rest of the “civilized” world does NOT see it as an ‘industry”. (Morally, I know that it is not)

When I was doing WorkCamp studies in Korsor, Denmark, I sprained my anklle…a good friend there took me to a doctor’s office/house, and, it was—the same size as just about everyone else’s! Being a dumbassmerkin, I was amazed at this. He treated me (didnt speask english—-its a rather small port/navy town), but Annetta translated. When he had x-rayed and treated me, I got out my wallet. I asked my friend, “HOw much do I owe him?” She looked surprised and said ‘Nothing….he’s a doctor”.

He was paid salary by the state, hence had no reason to treat people (nor operate on them, nor give them unnecessary drugs ) except the correct one.

As I left, he said something to Annetta. She said that he said, “Americans just dont get it, do they?”
No we do not…
I was also treated in Norway and Italy, as well as Canada. All were free, immediate and excellent.

A for-proft “health care indsutry” kills more ‘Merkins every year than wars. It is immoral. Insurance industry executives should be in prison, not in the White HOuse.

hello. because it is caring for people does not justify grotesque profiteering and waste. administration costs are also hyperinflated. the doctors are the only ones in the entire system that take a reasonable fee. PACs and special interest groups are the capitalist influencing of our politics: that do not belong and should be abolished; or limmitted to token $1 donations. political payback, belongs to the majority will: not the capitalist minority. the majority wants, and government represents. reform the triple billing; reform outrageous hospital(hotel)/nursing home fees; reform absurd malpractice judgements; an industry that fleeces the public in the name of goodwill is phony- and ought to be lambasted- for cruel profiteering, gouging, and financially crippling families for their own gain. this has been the greedy sick taking care of the sick. i’m headachy. i’m not going near a health institution. it has to be a catastrophic injury; and then they have me: to pillage and plunder. when i am at a disadvantage.

One can hope, (that word again) that Obama is sleeping with the jackals of industry to find out what makes them tick, in this case the medical industry.

Taking single payer off the table, must be a ploy to get industry to show their real selves. The Medical complex is really like everyone else just people trying to make a living, so let them eat cake.

Taking something off the table before even sitting at the table, must have it’s uses in politics.  In the end it may turn out Obama’s sleeping with the jackals will show in the taking off the table, was really some more of our food.

sat   248 am/cst   dfw/usa

i read all the writtings of people utterly unhappy about the eager congressmen checking with their lobbyists to get signals. they suggest moronic idea pathetic notions of plans, plans that cannot improve treatment and certainly not organization and cutting costs. most do not bother to tour tne sites and learn. They just spout about what they have heard. max baucus had notion of makng them bath in sea water. then he changed mind and perhaps a nice steambath. they argued and resolved to sell the whole island.

What can one say when this new brand of president(that is so quaint) in reality is still the old brand of president, same with congress because they are all just trying to get re-elected and to do so must fake it with the people with petty unctuous rhetoric that amazingly never fails to get the re-election as the ‘can’t decide either dem or repub’ citizens will botch the vote instead of looking at viable 3rd party hopefuls.

Obama is either a typical newly elected president that had no intention of following through on his campaign boasts or his has selected and appointed the type of people that give him ill advice for other agendas, but I will split 50/50 on that for now but everyday that goes by this guy does even more instill a nonconfidence in his position.

FRIDAY     1019 PM/CST   DFW/USA

REF: OCJIM

In the early 70s I attended a university that had good student clinic, became feverish and sick on Friday night and, finally, went to see the doctor on Saturday morning. I felt terrible and the doctor was cranky and he finally blurted out, “Receiviing medical care is not a RIGHT! It is a PRIVILEGE!

Over the years, I have found that is a common attitude of most physicians. The problem is that most patients do not seem to agree. I do not know what is true on this matter, but I just don’t doctors very much. I don’t like investment bankers very much for a similar reason. Myself, I kind of look at as a customer and vendor relationship. When I ran my own business for a period, I always believed it pays to understand that “The customer is always right,” whether or not they really are, or not.

I know I will campaign against any congress member who opposes single-payer insurance or caves in toe the AMA and the rest of the greedy rascals. Until somebody invents a world-class robotic, electronic, fool-proof “doctor,” I can do without the help of the pill-pushing, arrogant and deluded ones that now want mo money, mo money and mo money.

KDelphi,

You are absolutely right. That is why private industry should not decide who gets health care and how much, no more than we should entrust fire protection to them for the copay they determine.

Health care is a right and should be administered by the government. For example, the French system is not only the best but also one of the most cost-effective systems in the world.

FRIDAY   732 PM/CST   DFW/USA

REF: KDELPHI

Finally, a spot of common ground.

Great photo at the top of this page. I am absolutely in step with your views on these stinking health insurance companies. With the bailouts, we have been able to see the rotten belly of the beast - AIG and Marice “Hank” Greenberg. Still, his replacement, Mr. Libby sat befor a congressional committee this week and testified it has just been a string of bad luck and he is new on the job. It seems he has been working in the ivory tower of Goldman Sachs for years and just doesn’t know much about all that gambling. He claims he is shocked!

Dennis Kucich and some others on the committee were infuriated as everybody should be.

In the long run who knows how to manage health care, but today we should clearly be operating under a one-payer system. With all its faults, it is the silver bullet. What is more, too many people keep asking a dumb question about “How will we pay for it?”

That is bass-ackwards. You set a budget limit, like your grocery list, then you go shopping. Nothing complicated about the first step. You cannot overspend if you shop that way.

Fight the power, the ruling elite who created this awful Bubble. The investment banksters and their puppet politicians are still swinging for a knock-out. Fight back.

Our politicians have sign a pact with the devil. Pay to play politics must be eradicated and intensely regulated. These people are a public hazard. The real terrorists appear on CSPAN, almost every day. They still do not have a clue. Even the protestor with the bullhorn pictured above changes their minds.

The insurance industry is expected to act in its own interests—-that’s what the Capitalism you guys love so much is for—-self interest of the powerful and elite.

Our Congress (lemme see if I can do this without laughing) is supposed to represent the “people”.

Some matters are more important than others, but health care profiteering is no better than war profiteering. People die for profit. That is immoral.

The health care industry, like most of big business, is so focused on self and so self-deluded, whether we are talking profits or the pay of its leaders, that they would willingly bring down the whole economy and actually believe it was the fault of anyone else.

Its about lobbying money from the insurance industry, David.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.php?cycle=2008&ind=F09

BC/BS:Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Blue Cross/Blue Shield also has a contract with the federal government to review and process Medicare claims. The association is lobbying Congress to make it harder for the government to penalize companies if their employees defraud the Medicare program and process false claims. Local Blue Cross chapters have paid about $340 million to the federal government to settle Medicare fraud charges since 1993.

More (BC/BS) (JUST BC/BS!):
Top Recipients
Senate Obama, Barack $116,909
Senate McCain, John $61,705
Senate Levin, Carl $48,100
Senate Clinton, Hillary $26,415

Senate Baucus, Max $14,100

Sen Baucus campaign donations, from the insurance industry:

(Here’s why Baucus is not doing the peoples business):

According to OpenSecrets.org over his career he has taken donations from:

The Insurance Industry: $1,170,313

Health Professionals $1,016,276

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products Industry $734,605

Hospitals/Nursing Homes $541,891

Health Services/HMOs $439,700

That is a grand total of $3,902,785. Can we trust Baucus to put aside the profits of the industries that have kept him in the senate? Will he put the people’s necessities ahead of the profits of his contributors? Baucus has shown his bias and should be removed from leading the health care reform effort by the Democratic Party leadership.

His 2008 donations from health care profiteers included:

Insurance $592,185

Health Professionals $537,141

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $524,813

Health Services/HMOs $364,500

Hospitals/Nursing Homes $332,826

That is $1,826,652 Baucus took from industries who he can now make wealthier by deforming health care reform
And, it is not just the chairman of the committee who has received massive donations. In 2008 the full committee received a total of $13,263,986 from industries affected by health care reform. Can we trust this committee to put the interests of the people before their donors? The donations to the Finance Committee in 2008 included:

Insurance $5,103,900

Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $3,308,831

Hospitals/Nursing Homes $2,809,353

Health Services/HMO $2,041,902

It is time to remove Baucus from the leadership of health care reform. It is time to move the critically important priority of reforming America’s health care system from the Finance Committee and put it before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. At least their mission is health care not money.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/may/max_baucus_should_no.php

Why Pres. Obama is selling out “health care reform”:

Dr. David Himmelstein is a founder and spokesperson for Physicians for a National Health Program.

Himmelstein’s take — Obama is caving to the insurance industry.

“The President once acknowledged that single payer reform was the best option, but now he’s caving in to corporate healthcare interests and completely shutting out advocates of single payer reform,” Himmelstein said. “The majority of Americans favor single payer, and it’s the most popular reform option among doctors and health economists, but no single payer supporter has been invited to participate in the administration’s health care summit. Meanwhile, he’s appointed as his health reform czar Nancy-Ann DeParle, a woman who has made her living advising health care investors and sits on the board of many for-profit firms that have made billions from Medicare. Her appointment — and the invitation list to the healthcare summit — is a clear signal that the administration plans to propose a corporate-friendly health reform that has no chance of actually solving our health care crisis.”