Comments on: Health care reform meeting set

By: DoctorJ

DoctorJ — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:08:21 +0000

Massachusetts is more of a referendum on “politics as usual” than it is about people’s rights to affordable healthcare. Massachusetts voters don’t want to pay for Nebraska’s Medicare in perpetuity (that is how the NE Senator’s vote was purchased in the healthcare reform process). Most US voters don’t think that union members with “Cadillac” healthcare plans should be exempt from taxes payed by nonunion members. And voters object to one party (the Dems in this case) excluding the other party in the reconciliation of House and Senate versions of healthcare reform.

The healthcare reform process has taken on the look of old fashioned back-room politics — part of a sordid tradition that persists in Chicago, Springfield, the White House (with an IL flavor) and the US Congress. I hope that the voters of Illinois follow the Massachusetts lead and make the next election a referendum on politics as usual. The current Administration came in a year ago as an agent of change — but a funny thing happened on the way to the White House.

The legislation currently coming out of Washington could have been healthcare reform, immigration policy, banking reform, or whatever. Still, the voters of Massachusetts would have rejected the behaviors of the scoundrels for creating bad legislation by blatantly giving certain special interests consideration over others — and they would have rejected the back room exclusionary practices of the current Washington scoundrels. The issue is not healthcare — it is about badly-behaved elected officials who prevent good legislation from happening for all of us.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:49:36 +0000

No problem Earl. Here is a partial CV for one of the speakers- Victoria Harris, M.D.
Emergency Medicine, Rogue Valley Medical Center, Medford, OR
Masters Degree in business, focus on Healthcare Economics, Stanford University,
Focus: Socialized medicine, healthcare in the UK and Canada
Having worked and studied in those countries she can well expound on the “quality” of the health care there.

By: Chad D. Walz

Chad D. Walz — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:41:45 +0000

Your source is Wikipedia, nice the online encyclopedia anyone can edit! Sweet!

By: greg

greg — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:59:19 +0000

I so want to comment…..But I can not do what I want to say justice in the written form.. I knew I should have paid more attention at SIU

By: Earl

Earl — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:50:01 +0000

What I meant to say was health care for all Americans!! This informative meeting with health care workers should also include health care workers from Canada, Great Britain, Sweden and other modern nations that are providing quality health care for all its citizens. Let’s not have some major corporate cable/TV/radio stations mouth pieces spin decide our future health care system. We our Americans, we think for ourselves; we don’t need mouth piece telling what books to read and how to interpret them. Progressive according to the Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary means. “1 a: of, relating to, or characterized by progress b: making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities.” Progressive is not an under-cover, dirty word for communism or socialism.

By: Earl M. McGuire

Earl M. McGuire — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:50:05 +0000

(Fact information)

All members of the Massachusetts GOP/Republican Party
Willard Mitt Romney Governor of Massachusetts 2003-2007
Jane Maria Swift Governor of Massachusetts April 2001 to January 2003
JArgeo Paul Cellucci Governor of Massachusetts anuary 7, 1999 – April 10, 2001
William Floyd Weld GovernorMassachusetts from 1991 to 1997
“Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis was the governor of Massachusetts at the time of Horton’s release, and while he did not start the furlough program. The State inmate furlough program was actually signed into law by Republican Governor Francis W. Sargent in 1972 (Wikipedia).”
The debate still continues… health for all Americans!!!

By: Mark Thoman

Mark Thoman — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:41:32 +0000

Keep the meeting. The hoi polloi have spoken: we don’t want what Nancy Pelosi thinks is best, but health care insurance, health care costs are still too high, and there’s still lots of politics in the mix..

By: Chad D. Wazl

Chad D. Wazl — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:11:35 +0000

Cancel that meeting, no need. Scott Brown wins in the bluest state in the union tonight!! Guess the Presidents coat tails aren’t what they used to be after only 1 year…bummer…

By: MikeK

MikeK — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:59:29 +0000

I guess the We can take a lead from Massachusetts…. The current healthcare bill is out of control and the CENTER of the country doesn’t like it…. Kennedy is rolling in his grave!

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:58:48 +0000

Instead of the above ad hominem attacks it might be valuable to consider the bullet points listed on the site detailing how professionals feel responsible reform might occur.
As one who has attended an event I can vouch that none of the group’s MD s ,DOs, RNs, PTs, etc. spout any one political ideology. But all are invited to attend and inform themselves as best they can.