hey, did ya'll hear that health care passed the House of Representatives?

[charlie and algernon]

only took 100 years!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear charlie and algernon!

You know, I think I did hear something to that effect...

:woohoo:


Ain't it grand?

:patriot:

[ThomCat]

2. 100 years, and massive give-aways to the insurance industry.

I wonder when our government will start representing what is best for citizens as fervently as they represent what is profitable for corporations. :(

[charlie and algernon]

3. it's just a start

they were NEVER going to get comprehensive universal health care through in the first bill. We've already gotten farther than both Roosevelts, Truman, LBJ, and Clinton.

[Chan790]

8. Only because none of them would have stooped to the level of this sort of heist.

That's all this is, massive theft from the American people into the pockets of the insurance industry...we were better with no bill than this bill.

[TZ]

22. Bullshit. Maybe healthy people are but chronically ill are not.

Status quo sucks.

[Chan790]

27. I respectfully disagree...

if they had not removed price controls from this bill to make good on the "no new debt or spending" promise and get DLCers on-board, it would be a godsend for the chronically-ill. Now because there are no price controls and they can no longer deny coverage for anything they want basically...they're going to gouge you until you leave their coverage network. That's the new cheap solution for insurers. I don't expect real competition to occur to cover the chronically-ill...it'll turn into a race for the top of what people can pay; if one is lucky they'll be poor enough to be allowed to opt into the public plan. Otherwise, it's going to be brutal.

There is no real solution that leaves the private for-profit industry unhurt, the mistake was trying to find one to appease conservatives and corporatists. We should have taken the good options when they were on the table and shoved them down their throats...said "Take this or leave it. We're going to make sure your constituents know who killed healthcare reform if you don't." This is not a solution at all.

[Kajsa]

11. Yes it is!

True, there is a lot to be desired that's not in this bill,
but considering all the tea-bagger, Glenn Beck-Rushie
induced hysteria with "death panels" and" keep
gubbermint out of my Medicare" BS working against
ANY reform ( remember, the Rabid Repugs don't have any reform)

this is a start.

[ThomCat]

18. If we accept the dubious idea that every small advance for citizens

MUST be accompanied by huge give-aways for every corporation that might be involved or affected in order to make sure they aren't put out, or deprived in any way, then yes, this is a step in the right direction.

We are setting yet another precedent that government can never actually help anyone unless corporations are bribed with enough give-aways first to make it more profitable and thus acceptable to them.

But the goals we are shooting for with health care reform are the exact opposite of this. We want health care to become LESS expensive, which means less money to get siphoned away into bonuses and profits. We want more money to be spent only on actual health care, so the insurance industry would become LESS profitable and get LESS from every health care dollar spent. We want to reduce the insurance industry until they are less powerful, and less intrusive, and represent a minor part of the health care industry.

If every advance means helping them first, and guaranteeing them more business and more profits before any new advance can take place, then we will never achieve any of those goals, no matter how many steps we take. In fact, every additional step would Necessarily take us farther from those goals.

If this is the accepted way of getting anything accomplished now, that corporations have to be protected first, and have to be bribed to get their buy-in, then how are we ever going to reach universal AFFORDABLE healthcare? Corporations will never approve of any reduction in spending or costs unless every cut is borne by the customers/patients, instead of by them.

This whole way of doing business in Washington shoots "We The People" in the foot, and guarantees that we will never advance beyond small token steps. Nothing will be improved to the point where corporations have to sacrifice anything. Nothing will advance to the point where people are citizens again instead of clients and customers. Nothing will reach the stage where the people are the priority and come first in decisions that are made.

[Mutley]

19. !

:thumbsup:

:hug:

[TZ]

23. If we accept the dubious idea

that its more important to play politics and refuse to compromise at the expense of our citizens lives (like me), then what kind of country is this? I'm tired of people saying I don't think there's anything good here. Thats complete and utter bullshit. You should know that this bill WILL make alot of the problems I have encountered obsolete.
I'm sorry but the insurance industry isn't going anywhere and what this bill offers is much much better than what we have now. But hey, I'm used to being told that I don't matter. Thats what the Right tells me as well. :grr:

[ThomCat]

28. I'm not playing poltics. I'm saying that more people should have

access to that health care.

Yes, you and I will both benefit from the new rule that people cannot be denied for pre-existing conditions.

But the insurance companies refuse to stop denying coverage when it is used. They refuse to stop dropping coverage. So a lot of us might get coverage only to lose it or have our use of it denied. How does that help any of us?

And what about the people who are left out? Do we just abandon them because we got some help out of this current bill?

Nobody on the left is telling you that you don't matter. Least of all me. I'm saying that more people matter. More people should matter. I'm not willing to exclude people because of the one improvement that might help me.

[TZ]

24. If we accept the dubious idea

that its more important to play politics and refuse to compromise at the expense of our citizens lives (like me), then what kind of country is this? I'm tired of people saying I don't think there's anything good here. Thats complete and utter bullshit. You should know that this bill WILL make alot of the problems I have encountered obsolete.
I'm sorry but the insurance industry isn't going anywhere and what this bill offers is much much better than what we have now. But hey, I'm used to being told that I don't matter. Thats what the Right tells me as well. :grr:

[TZ]

25. If we accept the dubious idea

that its more important to play politics and refuse to compromise at the expense of our citizens lives (like me), then what kind of country is this? I'm tired of people saying I don't think there's anything good here. Thats complete and utter bullshit. You should know that this bill WILL make alot of the problems I have encountered obsolete.
I'm sorry but the insurance industry isn't going anywhere and what this bill offers is much much better than what we have now. But hey, I'm used to being told that I don't matter. Thats what the Right tells me as well. :grr:

[Chan790]

7. When we destroy the private ownership of the corporations...

this bill was the last straw for me...I've gone militantly Socialist, if the Red Rose in my sig line hasn't given that away.

[Heidi]

4. Huh. I wonder if GD knows about it yet? (nt)

[charlie and algernon]

5. I think we should tell them

it seems pretty quiet over there today

[Heidi]

6. Go right ahead.

I've got your back.

[hippywife]

10. Heidi, honey!

:loveya: :*

[Heidi]

12. :swoon:

My DU girl crush is here! :hug:

:*

:yourock:

:loveya:

[hippywife]

13. LOL. I'm totally flattered

and a wee bit :blush:

I assure you it's totally mutual, lovely lady.

[Heidi]

14. I was thinkin' about gettin' your name tattoed on my

cat, but he thinks that's goin' too far. :rofl:

Supah to see you, dah-ling! :loveya:

[hippywife]

15. Thank goodness for poor Ginger.

I think he's suffered quite enough indignity as it is.

Always sump'shus to share your company.

[Heidi]

16. Yeah, he had to have his chest shaved a couple of years ago

for a surgery. I don't believe he'd tolerate additional shaving for a non-medical reason. :rofl:

Happy Sunday, sweets! :hug:

[hippywife]

17. Definitely not on my account, anyway. LOL

Enjoy what remains of the rest of yours, dear. :hug:

[Mutley]

20. Hiya Heidi!

:hug:

[Heidi]

21. My sweet, redhaired, freckle-faced Goddess!

:hug:

:loveya:

:Missed You:

[hippywife]

9. I wish it could have been a better bill.

I do understand we won't get a decent solution right out of the box, but I still think this is going to end up a boon to the insurance industry. There will still be so much need and so much underhanded crap going on with the industry. That's one thing we can bank on. They will take the extra profits provided in this bill and regroup on how to keep as much of it as possible, if they haven't already.

[jakefrep]

26. That would explain the larger than usual toxic green cloud over GD.

:argh: :grr: :nuke: :scared: :hide: :popcorn: