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Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 2:12 am
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On the Tuesday, December 16th broadcast of COUNTDOWN on MSNBC, Keith Olbermann dedicated most of his hour long show to the compromised health care reform bill now before the Senate. In special ten minute commentary to end his show, Olbermann was at his absolute best pointing out that what was once a great idea had been compromised and compromised and compromised yet again and was now a travesty that would be forcing people to buy into a product that was not worth buying into.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/vp/34455431#34455431

If you can see this on the reruns that go throughout the night, you should watch it. Tomorrow, it will be available on the msnbc.com site and I will post a link for you. It was superb.

The people to blame for this tragedy are many. The forty Republicans in the Senate and their counterparts in the House - save a single one - who opposed this simply because it was the only way for them to politically survive are at the top of that list. The President and his employees in the White House who failed to provide strong leadership and a strong vision of what they wanted in this bill and were sucked into the mirage of phony bipartisanship time after time when they should have damn well knew better are also culpable. Then we have the Democratic whores in the Senate who have been bought and sold by the insurance cartel and only serve their rightful masters instead of serving the people. Max Baucus and Joe Lieberman head that list of infamy. And trailing behind those famous faces are the faceless zealots of the Tea Parties, the ideological neanderthals of the libertarian websites bowing to ideologies which exist only in their own 18th century minds as they fear the government which has been elected to serve us, and the just plain fear mongers who scream about death panels and killing grandma before her time.

The time has come for those on the Progressive side of politics to say "enough is enough". No more. Kill this thing now and begin the process of reconciliation. Allow the majority to have their will done and get a true reform bill which this nation badly needs.

Fight for true reform. Pass true reform. Run in 2010 and 2012 for doing so. Do the right thing.

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 12:48 pm
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This may be the final nail in the coffin for my weakening support for the health care compromised bill:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... id=topnews
Quote:
The Senate health-care bill could enable insurers to avoid some of the strongest consumer protections and benefit requirements adopted by state governments, Democratic lawmakers from Maine and California say.

The bill would allow insurers to sell policies across state lines, subject to the laws and regulations in a state of the insurers' choosing, 31 Democratic House members said in a letter Tuesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.).

"Practically speaking, insurers will domicile their plans in states with less stringent regulations and market to the population in more protective states like ours, just like nationally chartered banks have done," the House members led by Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) wrote on behalf of lawmakers from the two states.

The arrangement "will lead to a race to the bottom in insurance regulation and severely threaten the important and often lifesaving protections the residents of our states enjoy," the House members wrote.

The lawmakers were referring to a provision allowing states to enter so-called interstate compacts for the sale of insurance.

Advocates have said that interstate sales could increase competition and reduce premiums. Critics say any cost savings could come at a price. Consumers may not realize until it is too late that they have bought thinner coverage, members of advocacy group Consumer Watchdog said.
Those on the far right have been crying long and loud advocating for the #1 favorite solution of corporate insurance giants - allowing them to sell insurance across state lines while setting up shop in the weakest regulatory state environment they can find. This is something that right wingers have advocated for some time now and insurance companies would simply love to get around state laws which are tougher regarding consumer protections and procedures to protect consumers in disputes with insurance corporations. Selling insurance across state lines was never really about increasing competition. It always had as its goal the ability of the insurance giants to make an end run across tough state consumer laws that they did not like.

If this is part of the final bill, it seals my opposition to it. Even if the Olbermann idea is picked up, and the mandate to buy is stripped from the bill, this poison pill would be too much to bear.

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There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs. - John Rogers


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Dave_LF
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 1:36 pm
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sauronsfinger wrote:
Olbermann was at his absolute best pointing out that what was once a great idea had been compromised and compromised and compromised yet again and was now a travesty that would be forcing people to buy into a product that was not worth buying into.
Who could have predicted such an outcome. :neutral: You can see the strategy here--instead of fighting reform, break it. Before long, people will be begging you to put things back the way they were.


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Ara-anna
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 2:15 pm
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That's always been the far rights wants and wishes Dave. Of course I do see it coming back to bite them in the butt come a few years down the road when people finally wake up and see the light of how horrid this healthcare bill is and how they have to start paying more for health care. The blame will be squarely at the feet of the Tea Party.

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Dave_LF
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 2:30 pm
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Ara-anna wrote:
The blame will be squarely at the feet of the Tea Party.
I doubt it. I think it's more likely that they would blame Obama and the Democrats, which is why it's so important that they get it right the first time.


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TheEllipticalDisillusion
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 4:47 pm
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Unfortunately, the health bill should be scrapped. Obama should try again next year and this time do it with more hutzpah.

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 4:52 pm
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When right wing libertarian ideas like selling insurance across state lines become part of the bill it is indeed time to flush the toilet.

One word: reconciliation.

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TheEllipticalDisillusion
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 17 Dec , 2009 6:09 pm
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One word: pussies.

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The Nameless Thing
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Fri 18 Dec , 2009 6:42 pm
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It’s a hard premise to accept:

that those who currently pay for there own healthcare won’t have to pay MORE in order to cover those who don’t.

or, if companies have to pay MORE for healthcare, how their employees won’t pay for it when they aren’t given a raise.

or, when Medicare is cut, how the elderly won’t have to pay MORE out of pocket to cover the difference.


These things need to be explained before us pussies accept this.

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TheEllipticalDisillusion
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Fri 18 Dec , 2009 9:56 pm
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The original ideas behind the bill used savings from cutting waste from medicare to fund the health care for those without. Creating a more efficient system would not necessarily require more from those who currently pay for health care. But, by all means, look at it with only those blinders on. As the bill stands, it looks like crap because it has been compromised, compromised, compromised. The dems took staunch stands on certain issues, then gave in for support, then lost support, then gave in more, then lost... repeat ad nauseam.
Quote:
These things need to be explained before us pussies accept this.
Are you are a spineless democrat who compromises the ideals of reform for the waffling support of your fellow politician? If yes, then that is why you are a pussy. Otherwise, you are just getting offended at something never aimed at you in the first place.

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The Nameless Thing
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Fri 18 Dec , 2009 11:05 pm
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I consider myself a pragmatist who wants reform but honestly does not understand the economics behind this plan. ‘Cutting waste’ or becoming ‘more efficient’ (to me) is code for ‘we’ll figure it out later’.

The leadership on this is doing a piss poor job of explaining how it works.

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sauronsfinger
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Sat 19 Dec , 2009 4:16 pm
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My current position is that the Senate should pass what they can and maybe ... maybe ... hopefully ... the Conference Committee can restore some of the better provisions. Hopefully the reaction of the Progressives over this past week will empower the House to take back the initiative on this issue.

While doing my morning run, I heard on the radio that some rightwingers are actually claiming that God sent two feet of snow on Washington DC to express his own displeasure with the health care legislation.

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The Nameless Thing
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Sat 19 Dec , 2009 5:49 pm
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FYI - not all righties are that 'out there', just like all lefties don't read Daily Kos for breakfast.

BTW, love that John Rogers quote.

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Dave_LF
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Mon 21 Dec , 2009 1:20 pm
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sauronsfinger wrote:
I heard on the radio that some rightwingers are actually claiming that God sent two feet of snow on Washington DC to express his own displeasure with the health care legislation.
That just shows that their theology is as screwed up as their politics. If they watched any classic TV at all, they'd know that snow at Christmas is a sign of God's favor.


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Ara-anna
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 24 Dec , 2009 3:48 pm
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Cost of one ER visit without insurance = $3,000
Cost of bad heath care in America = 1/6th of the Economy
Cost of two Independant Thinkers to change all of that = Priceless

60 Dems for
49 GOP Against
2 Independants for

The commenencement of Beck's head exploding in 3....2.....1....

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Jude
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 24 Dec , 2009 5:21 pm
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I haven't been following, but I gather a watered-down version of the bill passed. Are you people south of the border happy with it?

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TheEllipticalDisillusion
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Thu 24 Dec , 2009 8:30 pm
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So, what do we have with Health reform?

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Ara-anna
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Fri 25 Dec , 2009 12:02 am
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Jude wrote:
I haven't been following, but I gather a watered-down version of the bill passed. Are you people south of the border happy with it?
Not really but it is a foot in the door. My opinion is if health care becomes cheaper for the majority of people now they will want more. That's a mighty big if though.

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TheEllipticalDisillusion
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Fri 25 Dec , 2009 6:45 am
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I thought paying big money to big business in return for lousy coverage and low quality services was the American way?

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Ara-anna
Post subject: Re: Olbermann hits a home run on health care bill
Posted: Tue 29 Dec , 2009 3:46 pm
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Summaries of Coverage Provisions In House and Senate Reform Legislation

http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8023.cfm

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