If we were starting from the beginning of this legislative process, the concept of nonprofit plans could work. But there would need to be major controls to make sure we didn't end up with non-profits that are based on a for-profit model. There would also need to be strict rules not only requiring the non-profits to maintain a sufficient amount of reserves but also limiting the amount of reserves. So that if reserves increase above a certain amount, premiums go down or benefits increase.
Turns to wife: "It’s Barack! He took out public health insurance! Good for you, son! But in this country, it’s probably too expensive to take out public health insurance…"
Barack: "Sam, the Canadians pay less than you and they have public insurance… "
(Mrs. Sam holds up a sign that says, "medical?")
Uncle Sam: "And you don't need a medical to be insured?"
Barack: "No! Don't believe what they tell you about death panels either. You'll be fine as long as the wife doesn't need an abortion!"
"A government-run insurance program, or "public option," is one of the bill's most contentious issues."
This sentence pretty much sums up my frustration with the Democratic party. I can't believe the inclusion of a public option is an issue at all. The scope and breadth of a public option--sure. Its mere existence? Not up for debate.
@curiousgeorgiana: Wait until we go after the delivery system. It'll be chaos. I mean, insurance companies make a lot of money, but where we really outstrip other countries in terms of medical spending is in the doctor's office. I don't believe Orszag when he says the cost controls in the senate bill are sufficient. we'll eventually have to go after doctor pay, hospital budgets, and people's livelihoods (or it will be marketed that way). This is a big reason why they didn't try for single payer.
@BearDownCBears: Ok- so why not impose federal cost controls on all procedures across the board? An MRI, if you get here, there or someplace else, costs $1,000 no matter what. Or whatever number they pick. A liver transplant is $10,000, no matter what, no matter where. Why not? Make it reasonable so people can still make a living, without imposing insanely high prices.
@Spaghetti Cat: It's easy for us to tappy-type on our computers and say that. It not so easy for politicians to tell their constituents in the medical field to swallow a big pay cut and shut the fuck up. There are competing interests in this thing that aren't all just big scary corporations, but the way different people earn their paycheck, you know? Even if they're worth the sacrifice in the long run for the greater good, they'll still voice their disapproval at the voting booth.
While I have not seen Expelled, the movie reviews I read were so offensive (blaming the Holocaust on Darwin is not acceptable in my book), I think I have to skip any abortion movie that is produced by the same people (or any movie, really). I think I will just watch Lake of Fire again, instead.
"Abortions are wrong. I feel like if you're woman enough to open up your legs and let something come in, you should be woman enough to let something come out."
FAIL
"To sit here and say that "if you're irresponsible, don't have sex" I think is really simplifying the issue and I think you should look above that - women should have the choice."
WIN
@4:37 She is eerily similar to my cousin (on the annoying scale).
I must be missing something here, because I see the assertion in the body of the post and in the comments - how did Operation Rescue contribute to the George Tiller murder? I thought it was a lone nut.
Also they protested outside of his office every day and called him a mass murderer (even in response to his death), acting as a freaking homing signal for unstable people with violent tendencies, access to weapons, and God Complexes.
@Perhaps Not: short answer: Using eliminationist language against a person every day for twenty years may, unsurprisingly, encourage someone to eliminate them.
@Perhaps Not: His murderer consulted with Operation Rescue's high-ranking members, included a convicted abortion-clinic bomber. Nor was this his first attempt; he tried to break into the clinic the weekend before Tiller's murder.
@Perhaps Not: Cheryll Sullenger, who was convicted---along with her husband---of conspiring to blow up abortion clinics. She initially lied to the cops about Roeder, then finally came clean.
Roeder has an extensive anti-government and I'd say, anti-liberal, anti-humanitarian history. He's a perfect example of how these militia guys aren't just anti-gov't--they're anti-woman as well. It's like...he didn't do anything of note with his life but by God at least he could get a woman pregnant...or something like that. His was and is a life of the lowest common denominator, of defining one's self of...."At least I'm not....." insert group name here.
@Perhaps Not: Freedom of speech has nothing to do with this (though perhaps it should), since the government has done absolutely fucking nothing to infringe upon their freedom to speak.
If a group dubs someone "Dr. Killer", publishes all their personal information, and calls them a mass murderer who should be aborted, it is no surprise that someone might take this as instructive, and kill him. I'm not sure how you can call that nonsense.
@SunburnedCounsel: Murder is the fault of the murderer, period. If you "take as instructive" a non-imperative sentence addressed to the general public, you are schizophrenic. The only valid thing you've quoted here is the statement that Tiller "should be aborted," which is no worse than any number of things that people say about Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. I'll grant you that there's a large percentage of crazies on the right, especially when it comes to abortion, but it's totally wrong to paint this as a conspiracy.
@Perhaps Not: She conspired to do so, was convicted, and had numerous contacts with a guy who harassed and eventually murdered a doctor. Conspiracy to bomb covers a wide range of behavior, up to and including procuring bomb-making material. Not exactly a misunderstood Girl Scout.
@Perhaps Not: "Which is no worse than anything people say about Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh."
Oh, bullshit.
You are being incredibly intellectually dishonest if you dare to imply that Limbaugh or Beck face anything compared to what liberals, etc., etc., face in this country. Tell me, how often did the KKK face bombings, murders, state-sanctioned harassment and torture?
It's not like the anti-abortion movement has devoted years to perfecting their harassment techniques, up to and including murder, terrorism, and various other acts intended to intimidate or subdue people. Yeah, uh huh. Jane Fonda is going to be knocking on your damned door and demanding you sign that petition.
The idea that murder is the responsibility of the murderer alone is simplistic to say the least. Conspiracy to commit murder, aiding and abbetting, accessory before and after the fact----these legal terms and realities destroy the notion that murder is the act of one person.
Right wing assholes kill people. Left wing assholes kill SUVs and break windows.
@SunburnedCounsel: I suspect it's a viewpoint impervious to fairness and honesty. It wasn't just "Dr. Killer"---it was years of harassment, nuisance lawsuits, terroristic threats, burglaries, harassment of workers and workers' children, the publication of workers' addresses along with veiled threats, the rejoicing at the murders and assaults committed by the likes of Paul Hill and Shelley Shannon, and the incitement to murder committed by people like Neal Horseley.
Bill O'Reilly made it a point to spread the most grotesque lies about Tiller and has blood on his hands, morally, if not legally. The campaign waged against abortion providers in this country---and by extension, against womens' rights----is an example of sheer hatred.
@Ginmar Rienne: Exactly. I can't make someone believe in systemic behavior, or the power of culture, or hell, the power of words, if they are being willfully obtuse. Saying "murder is the fault of the murderer. Period." is a handy way to let a whole lot of people who perpetuate hate off the hook.
Operation Rescue: You know how you could have prevented 'LeRoy Carhart From Taking Tiller's Place As The Nation's #1 Late-Term Abortionist'? Not contributing to the death of Dr. Tiller.
11:34 AM
10:43 AM
-Freedom to wear the same diaper across state lines
-Stop subsidizing employer-supplied heiney powder
-Turd reform (better not be afraid to get our hands dirty)
10:31 AM
10:30 AM
10:27 AM
"Hello?"
Turns to wife: "It’s Barack! He took out public health insurance! Good for you, son! But in this country, it’s probably too expensive to take out public health insurance…"
Barack: "Sam, the Canadians pay less than you and they have public insurance… "
(Mrs. Sam holds up a sign that says, "medical?")
Uncle Sam: "And you don't need a medical to be insured?"
Barack: "No! Don't believe what they tell you about death panels either. You'll be fine as long as the wife doesn't need an abortion!"
10:17 AM
This sentence pretty much sums up my frustration with the Democratic party. I can't believe the inclusion of a public option is an issue at all. The scope and breadth of a public option--sure. Its mere existence? Not up for debate.
10:26 AM
01:30 PM
I mean- why not just change the fucking game?
02:59 PM
10:16 AM
12/06/09
12/06/09
12/06/09
12/06/09
12/06/09
FAIL
"To sit here and say that "if you're irresponsible, don't have sex" I think is really simplifying the issue and I think you should look above that - women should have the choice."
WIN
@4:37 She is eerily similar to my cousin (on the annoying scale).
@4:53 Perfectly put.
12/04/09
12/04/09
12/04/09
Why favor premarriage counseling for everyone, when it's easier to be against marriage for homosexuals?
Why have a serious conversation about corporate power and job losses when it's easier to bitch about brown people?
In short, any coward can say NO. It takes courage to say YES.
12/04/09
12/04/09
Also they protested outside of his office every day and called him a mass murderer (even in response to his death), acting as a freaking homing signal for unstable people with violent tendencies, access to weapons, and God Complexes.
12/04/09
12/04/09
11:36 AM
11:37 AM
11:37 AM
11:51 AM
Roeder has an extensive anti-government and I'd say, anti-liberal, anti-humanitarian history. He's a perfect example of how these militia guys aren't just anti-gov't--they're anti-woman as well. It's like...he didn't do anything of note with his life but by God at least he could get a woman pregnant...or something like that. His was and is a life of the lowest common denominator, of defining one's self of...."At least I'm not....." insert group name here.
12:06 PM
If a group dubs someone "Dr. Killer", publishes all their personal information, and calls them a mass murderer who should be aborted, it is no surprise that someone might take this as instructive, and kill him. I'm not sure how you can call that nonsense.
01:54 PM
01:55 PM
02:37 PM
02:39 PM
Oh, bullshit.
You are being incredibly intellectually dishonest if you dare to imply that Limbaugh or Beck face anything compared to what liberals, etc., etc., face in this country. Tell me, how often did the KKK face bombings, murders, state-sanctioned harassment and torture?
It's not like the anti-abortion movement has devoted years to perfecting their harassment techniques, up to and including murder, terrorism, and various other acts intended to intimidate or subdue people. Yeah, uh huh. Jane Fonda is going to be knocking on your damned door and demanding you sign that petition.
The idea that murder is the responsibility of the murderer alone is simplistic to say the least. Conspiracy to commit murder, aiding and abbetting, accessory before and after the fact----these legal terms and realities destroy the notion that murder is the act of one person.
Right wing assholes kill people. Left wing assholes kill SUVs and break windows.
02:46 PM
Bill O'Reilly made it a point to spread the most grotesque lies about Tiller and has blood on his hands, morally, if not legally. The campaign waged against abortion providers in this country---and by extension, against womens' rights----is an example of sheer hatred.
03:00 PM
12/04/09