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May 24, 2013
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 The Health Care Race to ChristmasPosted on Dec 6, 2009
This is the paradox of the moment: President Barack Obama’s speech on Afghanistan and his subsequent jobs summit underscored why it’s essential to get a health care bill done quickly. The calendar of politics has an urgency that the dilatory pace of the U.S. Senate doesn’t match. Here’s the deal. If Obama gets to sign a health care bill before he gives his State of the Union address, he starts 2010 with a historic victory to proclaim before the country, and then can pivot quickly to the issue likely to dominate the midterm elections: jobs and how to create them. The Afghanistan speech showed that a president’s power to control the agenda is limited. The last thing Obama wants is for the public discussion to focus on a war that is neither popular in his own party nor particularly loved by the middle of the electorate. His speech on the troop buildup last week was thus from the head, not the heart. He was doing what he felt he had to do, not what he yearned to do. He wasn’t elected to be a war president. But circumstances require him to be one anyway. Indeed, the line he recited with the most passion was: “The nation that I’m most interested in building is our own.” Getting a health care bill is important on its own, but it’s central to establishing Obama’s credentials as a domestic reformer and to proving that Democrats are capable of governing. This is why the president made an unusual visit to Capitol Hill on Sunday to push fractious negotiations forward. Senators need to get their version of a health care bill done before the end of this year so the House and Senate can come to a speedy agreement on a final bill in January. Advertisement Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has been struggling to light a fire under members of his party. He needs moderates to understand they are part of a majority and progressives to figure out what they want in exchange for concessions to moderates who oppose a public option. Liberals are absolutely right in their frustration with the Senate. It’s become an absurd institution, perhaps the least democratic legislative body in any country calling itself a democracy. It makes no sense that four or five votes can trump 54 or 55 votes. But the Senate is what it is. For now, liberals have to live with this. Republicans, in the meantime, know that delay is their friend, and they will delay and delay—and delay some more. The emergence last week of a memo from Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire to his GOP colleagues outlining all the ways they can slow action should put spine into Democrats. In a nicely diplomatic cover letter, Gregg argued that Republicans “must use the tools we have under Senate rules to insist on a full, complete and fully informed debate on the health care legislation.” Translation: Let’s keep this turmoil going until the Fourth of July, or, heck, all the way to Labor Day. The best news for advocates of health care reform is that Reid has sought to force action by convening a group of 10 Democrats, five moderates and five progressives, to work out a compromise. After several meetings over the weekend, they were focusing on an alternative to the public option modeled after the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan, even as progressives sought further expansions in coverage. It’s a shame that a public option might be stopped by a small number of senators. But the compromise would still give government a role in promoting competition as the overseer of an alternative that would probably focus on not-for-profit insurance plans. The core issues of this debate have been settled. The Congressional Budget Office has swept away the major arguments that opponents of reform have been trying to make. The bill before the Senate would cut the deficit, not increase it, and would stabilize or reduce health care premiums for most people, not raise them. The proposal contains serious cost-control measures that can be built on over time. Passing health care reform is thus not only morally necessary, but also fiscally responsible. But getting there will be much harder if the Senate doesn’t act this year. Obama is right that nation-building should begin at home. Health care reform will mark the beginning of domestic nation-building.  TAGS:
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By ardee, December 17, 2009 at 6:14 pm Link to this comment
I wonder who this “arnee” is of whom our resident KKK’er speaks? Arnold Palmer perhaps? Schwarzenegger? Toynbee…..nahhh.
Report thisBy mandinka, December 17, 2009 at 11:40 am Link to this comment
poor poor arnee, looks like you and Jethro have 1 thing in common cyphering isn’t something your good at. The goes inta is a hard concept for you to master i know
Report thisBy ardee, December 17, 2009 at 4:35 am Link to this comment
mandinka, December 17 at 12:04 am
Thank you for continuing to be your own worst enemy.
Report thisBy mandinka, December 16, 2009 at 8:04 pm Link to this comment
Poor arnee can’t seem to grasp simple math. China is planing on spending $124 B on healthcare which extrapolates to $94 per person. You know how extrapolation works right you divide 1.3 Billion into $124 Billion.
Report thisAs for attorneys the US has 5% of the population which means the other countries have 95% and we have 48% of all attorneys meaning the rest of the world with 95% of the population has only 52% of the attorneys.
I realize your a lib and numbers and facts mean nothing to you since how you ‘feel’ about a topic is the way it should be be. Kinda of like the $8 trillion in new debt that barak has saddled us with. But what the heck china can’t expect to ever get their $$ back as long as the control the US and its military
By ardee, December 16, 2009 at 4:02 am Link to this comment
China has a strong demand for lawyers
Last Updated(Beijing Time):2005-10-11 16:35
By Cui Yuqing
The National Judicial Examination is coming. This national examination, being held in the autumn every year, is famous for its strict requirements. This year, the number of candidates for the examination has reached 244,000, namely a year-on-year increase of near 50,000. This tendency has reflected the strong demand for legal professionals in the society.
People often combine expressions like high income, big work intensity, rich expertise, extensive “human relation” ... with the image of lawyers. And the reality confirms the point. According to statistic data, the average annual business income of a lawyer in China reached RMB 65,000 yuan in 2002, and the average business incomes of a lawyer in Beijing was RMB 0.4 million yuan in 2003, which is a relative high income among the industries all over the country.
It is known that there are more than 110,000 attorneys-at-law and nearly 12,000 law firms in China. The number of lawyers, namely 110,000, is far from enough compared with the 1.3 billion population of the whole country.
In China, the number of lawyers takes a proportion of 0.8 out of 10000 against the whole population. This figure is respectively 32.7 out of 10000 and 15.4 out of 10000 in the US and Britain, where a common law system is adopted. In Germany and France, where a civil law system is adopted, the figure is 8 out of 10000 and 4 out of 10000 respectively. Even if in Japan and India, where non-litigation is emphasized, the proportion is 1.2 out of 10000 and 1.3 out of 10000 respectively. In this sense, the lawyer team has a wide space to develop in our country.
http://en.ce.cn/Insight/200510/11/t20051011_4902926.shtml
Poor Mandinka, cant catch a break…..
Report thisBy mandinka, December 15, 2009 at 10:23 pm Link to this comment
Wonder how many illegals China provides healthcare coverage to, how many trial lawyers do they have?/
Report thisBy the waiver, December 15, 2009 at 4:55 pm Link to this comment
I feel sorry for every American (except those in Congress). The health care reform’s premiums are going to cost us more—if Congress can’t tell us what the premiums will be—-the prescription part of the health care—-dental-vision—and life insurance premiums on top of all that—no way under the sun has the 111th Congress done anything except SHUT OUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE’S VOICES!
Report thisBy the waiver, December 15, 2009 at 4:54 pm Link to this comment
I feel sorry for every American (except those in Congree). The health care reform’s premiums are going to cost us more—if Congress can’t tell us what the premiums will be—-the prescription part of the health care—-dental-vision—and life insurance premiums on top of all that—no way under the sun has the 111th Congress done anything except SHUT OUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE’S VOICES!
Report thisBy ardee, December 9, 2009 at 12:57 pm Link to this comment
How many chinese have universal health care = 0
Yeah, those damn facts….:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/22/china-health-care-markets-econ-cx_twdd_0122markets04.html
China Takes A Stab At Universal Health Care
Tina Wang, 01.22.09, 11:45 AM EST
Beijing proposes spending $124 billion to subsidize basic medical coverage and overhaul hospitals.
The Chinese government is hoping that if the country’s social safety net is stronger, its people will feel secure enough to spend more, which is badly needed to help offset the global demand slump. Beijing wants to expand basic health coverage to most of the population by 2011 and it is willing to spend the billions needed to do so. Leaders are betting that the ambitious program will help stave off social unrest, as the country slows to its weakest pace of growth in seven years.
China’s State Council approved a plan Wednesday to spend 850 billion yuan ($124.3 billion) in the next three years to reform the country’s troubled health care system. Measures include expanding health insurance coverage to 90% of the populace and overhauling woefully inadequate public hospitals. People should have more affordable access to better-quality basic medical services by 2011, according to a Web statement. State news agency Xinhua cited “public criticism” of lack of access to health care as prompting the government to act.
Report thisBy mandinka, December 9, 2009 at 9:21 am Link to this comment
idarad, gov’t is supposed to help people?? Can you point me to that passage in the constitution? Our government was established to provide for the nation defense which is money but to only promote the general welfare which isn’t money.
Report thisRoads are paid for by fuel taxes and all other social endeavours should have been funded upfront not left to our chinese brethren to finance.
How many chinese have universal health care = 0
By Gunpowder Tea, December 9, 2009 at 6:21 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
The demos had better pass health care or obama is finished. He has literally screwed around with this dismal attempt at health care for a year. With no regard to employment. History tells us that anytime employment has reached 10%, the party in majority suffers. Check out obama’s latest poll numbers under 50% and falling fast . Looks like obama should have worked harder on jobs and quit this frivolous attempt to get legislation passed that does not even address the true problems with health care.
Report thisBy ardee, December 9, 2009 at 3:54 am Link to this comment
why the socialist route instead of the usual democratic republic?
Rollzone, for reasons of his own, calls fascism as socialism. Saying it is so does not make it so.
Report thisBy idarad, December 8, 2009 at 6:02 am Link to this comment
rollzone - To take the words from your buddy reagan - there you go again. You have a problem with people being helped by government which is what governments are suppose to do - (i assume you use the public roads to go to public schools or maybe to that professional sport in a publicly funded stadium).
Report thisYou probably think spending a million dollars per soldier to kill innocent people around the world, or to hire a mercenary army is the best thing to do with taxes. You are sick, need medical attention, better hope the heath care reform can cover your costs, they will be large!
By wii zubehör, December 7, 2009 at 10:08 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
Hi,
Report thisThe stakes are high for Obama, with his political standing and legislative agenda on the line less than a year into his first term.I have heared that the healthcare reform bill would expand coverage to millions of uninsured and bar insurance practices like denying coverage to those with pre-existing conditions.
By rollzone, December 7, 2009 at 8:16 pm Link to this comment
hello. we all know he had a partisan meeting on Sunday to divide up his left over tarp monies for his crooked pork spenders. earmarks for bribes on Capitol Hill is not news. the issue about health care is: why not qualify an individual for a medical voucher, instead of blanketing millions of unknown recipients; with a donation from every ‘working’ tax body? why the socialist route instead of the usual democratic republic? why are they spending like there is no tomorrow? where is the interstate competition against insurance companies? where is the tort reform? what is going to happen to medicare?
Report thisBy gerard, December 7, 2009 at 8:08 pm Link to this comment
So I’m getting my health care at the expense of some dead or wounded soldier, or a civilian in Afghanistan? Obama “had to” put 30,000 more young men and women at risk of their health and lives so he could prove what to whom? That he is not weak? Not a quitter? And then, after that, he can (be in a better position to) take up domestic issues (presumably of less importance) and hope to get them passed by the bartered-for consent of the Republican hawks in an ante-deluvian Senate that thinks they deserve their salaries and perks and gratuities from oil and coal and insurance, pharma,the “contractors” and the “military-industrial-Pentagon” and, and, and?
Report thisSounds like to be President of the U.S. is to be in hock to just about everybody. Can it get any sadder than that?
By Bud, December 7, 2009 at 1:53 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)
I was enthused with the candidacy of Barack Obama in the primaries,and the ensuing election campaign.I worked the phones on his behalf,encouraged people to register and vote for him.More recently I have become disenchanted,if not openly skeptical of his sincerity,and honesty.No,I could NEVER vote for a republican in any capacity,however,the time for real change is NOW!!We need to seek out qualified HONEST INDEPENDENT candidates and get them elected!The democrats,and republicans are all on the take at OUR expense.Same garbage different flies.
Report thisBy dihey, December 7, 2009 at 12:30 pm Link to this comment
E. J. Dionne has outdone himself. This piece is truly insulting to me. In essence he avers that a quick passage of a health bill, any health bill, is necessary to divert my attention from the war in Afghanistan.
Report thisForget it E. J., it will not happen to me because I have been totally immune to Obamaism beginning in the spring of 2008. Mr. Obama himself has immunized me.
By ardee, December 7, 2009 at 4:02 am Link to this comment
Mr. Dionne says, “there is nothing behind the curtain folks, dont look at the White House look to the Senate”.
Partisan and nauseating…..
Report thisBy Shift, December 6, 2009 at 11:42 pm Link to this comment
Congressional theater is what we have. There is no intention of doing anything beneficial for the people. It’s delay after delay for the sole purpose of wearing the people down and accomplishing nothing. It’s a bad joke.
Report this