Feb
18
Biggert’s office scene of sit-in
Police reportedly were called to Rep. Judy Biggert’s Willowbrook office at about 2:30 p.m. today after 30 members of the 13th District Committee of the Campaign for Better Health Care occupied it during a sit-in.
The group was chanting and displaying pairs of shoes as a symbol of Illinois residents who have or will die without health care reform, according to a press release from the CBHC.
The activists are demanding Biggert meet with consumers to hear their concerns and sign a pledge to support the passage of health care reform. A Twitter report from the scene said the police had been called.
“Once again Congresswoman Biggert is showing her true colors,” said Jim Duffett, CBCH executive director. “For months citizens who support reform have asked her to have a fair and open discussion, but she has consistently refused.”
Sue Burtnette of Woodridge was quoted in the release as saying she hopes “Rep. Biggert takes the message to heart that lives are on the line, and she must stop playing politics and get health care reform done.”
A new report by Families USA released earlier this week by the Campaign for Better Health Care, ranked Illinois sixth of all states with 10,800 premature deaths caused by lack of health coverage between 1995-2009, and seventh in the projected number of deaths (9,400) due to a lack of coverage over the next 10 years, according to the CBCH release.
Jim Duffett and his public option health care plan cronies are just Democrats upset that Judy stood up to Obama and his bogus health care bill. They claim to be the voice of IL consumers. Not my voice and I know they are not the voice of millions of people across this state.
Judy,
I wouldn’t give these bozo’s the time of day!!
Here is the number for this group , CBCH, feel free to give them a call and let them know you support Judy Biggert and her efforts to stop the Obama health care agenda. (217) 352-5600
I hope the police arrested them. They need a permit to organize.
Biggert is bought and paid for by Insurance and Drug CEOs. Always on stage with the Tea crowd.
The ‘protest’ sounds like an astroturfing activity, where a group organized by a powerful lobby or political party pretends to be a grassroots effort to push a point of view. It’s debateable that the bills passed by the House and the Senate would provide meaningful help to get anyone better coverage, and in fact, many covered people would see a decrease in coverage. This group is pushing the Democrats’ position. That’s fine- they ought to be upfront about it.
“Reports” like the one mentioned in the article are pretty much always self-serving. These type of of reports depend on a host of assumptions that can be manipulated to achieve the results desired. Premature deaths are statistical events- there are always folks who died younger than the average just as there are folks who will die older than the average age.
Illinois is the fifth most populous state. Even if the report cited were meaningful, the report did not say deaths per capita, so if we have the sixth or seventh most premature deaths we are right where you’d expect as the fifth most populous state.
Go Judy! Chris, excellent points on the statistics. How one could nail down the nebulous meaning of “premature deaths” is far from science and based on pure opinion. Having grown up in Chicago with two brothers and a single mother that worked in a drycleaners (with no insurance), I could tell you heathcare was available. You had to go to Cook County Hospital. Although you waited long hours for care, I assure you you still received quality care. If these people are concerned about affordable healthcare they should advocate tort reform and opening healthcare insurance markets to private competition instead of creating a government entity to compete with the private sector. The last time I looked the USPS lost $5B not counting another $3-$4B in pension liabilities. They manage this stellar feat even though they are not burdened with responsibilities that the private sector needs to manage (OSHA laws, parking laws, taxes, etc).
Jim Duffett, paid activist, lives and works in Champaign IL. Biggert is not his congresswoman.
Jim Duffett
Campaign for Better Health Care
44 East Main Street
Suite 414
Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217)352-5600
Fax: (217)352-5688
Email: jduffett@cbhconline.org
“He was also president of his son’s Day Care, and during his terms provided paid health care benefits for the workers and other human dignity benefits.”
Nice touch. Pricing for day care probably stayed reasonable when employees got those extras.
Read up on their web site. They want universal health care, they want it now. There’s no plan of how to do it, but they’re fighting for me and you to get it. I guess it’s Biggert’s job to get it for us all. Good luck with that. I’m all for affordable health care and affordable health care insurance, but I’m missing where this sit-in gets me one step closer. Maybe they should try Jesse Jr. to get him to back tort reform and better pooling for small businesses and self employeds.
Where’s Scott Harper? He’s the cat who should be working it; he’s running against Biggert in the general in November. How could he miss this?
I live in Hinsdale. Thank goodness for these constituents standing up for themselves. And, yes, face the fact that they are local and grassroots. ———— Judy needs to wake up. Who’s side is she on any way: the insurance industry or American families? All she does is vote no and ignore her constituents. ———– I have my own business, and I try to cover my employees, but I can’t afford to much longer. The costs are making me less competitive —– All you in the sit-in, thanks for speaking up for our families!
For those who support Rep Judy Biggert and the Republican’s position on health care – what else besides market based solutions do you have? No change from allowing the insurance companies to continue to dominate and dictate means the health care crisis will only deepen, premiums will rise and more people will die unnecessarily and prematurely.
Only reforms in the system, including a public option and regulation of the insurance companies will make a meaningful difference.
Thank you to those who took a stand today at Biggert’s office.
I will stand up to President Obama and his bogus health care for all bill until I take my last breathe. Go Judy GO!!! Lets take back this state from these wasteful Dems!!
What other solutions you ask, I thought you would never ask. How about Tort reform? How about letting business and private citizens buy insurance across state lines? How about cutting out some of the admin cost with all the useless bill and rebills sent out. You asked I answered. However, the answer is NOT to make insurance mandatory and charge a $500 to up to $5000 penalty if you have insurance already. I ask you public option people this. What Doctor in his/her right mind is going to want to get paid $500 for open heart surgery? Come on, you wake up. Judy knows exactly what she is doing. Stand up Judy, keep on keeping on!! Stop Obama and his mindless minions.
Here is the plan I support! Yet again a better option that the Dem plan.
Representative Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin has applied the food stamps idea to health reform. In his Road Map for America’s Future, reintroduced this month, Americans would take refundable tax credits – $2,300 for singles and $5,700 for families – and choose private insurance. All insurance plans that are licensed in a particular state would be eligible, and each company would be free to set its own premiums. Low-income individuals would get extra tax credits so they could buy the same kind of health care as other Americans.
Medicare would remain the same for current beneficiaries and for those 55 and older when they reach 65. But when those born in 1955 or later become eligible for Medicare at age 65, their plan would change. They would receive $11,000, adjusted for inflation, to buy a Medicare certified plan. Those with lower incomes or with more serious health conditions would receive more funding.
Under Mr. Ryan’s plan, health insurance companies could offer high-deductible plans carrying lower premiums combined with health savings accounts, or more traditional managed care or fee-for-service plans. Persons with high-cost chronic illnesses, such as hemophilia or diabetes, would be placed in special affordable state high risk pools, with subventions paid by the government.
On Wednesday, Congressional Budget Office Director Douglas Elmendorf wrote to Mr. Ryan to tell him that this plan reduced health care costs and the federal deficit. He said: “Under the proposal, national health expenditures would almost certainly be lower than they would under the alternative fiscal scenario. Federal spending for health care would be substantially lower, relative to the amount in that scenario, for working-age people and the Medicare population.”
Dear Judy,
Thanks for standing up for the people in your district against big government and waste! The public option would put millions of insurance workers out of business. Thanks for looking out for business!!
Should we as a society value compassion? Should we as a society consider caring for the elderly, the sick, and the disabled as a noble and good thing to do? Should a woman who decides not to terminate her pregnancy receive good pre-natal care? Are disabled people a burden on our society? Do we have an obligation to care for our veterans? Do our faith traditions teach us to care for the sick?
Let us all focus on the matter at hand, health care.
At least 75%+ of us think it is wrong to let corporations and trade unions buy elections.
Can’t we please find some agreement on health care?
Paul Ryan’s plan guts Medicare and Social Security and it uses unsubstantiated numbers to project revenue growth in coming decades.
The way it drives down costs is by making less money available for health care and retirement and forcing American citizens to make up the difference. Your insurance will always cost more than you’re allocated and it’s your individual responsibility to drive down costs by negotiating a better deal with the insurance company and the hospital yourself. Good luck with that.
Medical Malpractice suits are less than 1% of medical costs. Tort reform is a battle that’s been won by the insurance lobby and their enablers on the right in dozens of states already. It’s done nothing to lower the cost of medical malpractice insurance for doctors because medical malpractice insurance is as big a racket as health care insurance.
As for selling insurance across state lines that’s what a national health care exchange does. The Republican plan would be a race to the bottom with no consumer protections. The insurance companies would simply relocate their headquarters to states
with weak insurance commissions. Your shiny new policy from Delaware might be cheaper but it also might pay only $500 for a heart operation. If you like the way it works with credit cards you’ll love the way it works with health insurance.
The Democratic plans have minimum standards and protections for any company to be on the exchange.
Rep Biggert has held more than one townhall meeting to gauge the voice of the people on this issue. Others, such as Sen. Durbin and Burris could not be bothered and scoffed at public input. So who is willing to “have a fair and open discussion?” Who continues to control the majority on Capitol Hill and has the ability to pass whatever they want?
Concrete suggestions for incremental reform, such as those noted above, have been ignored all along by the framers of the current 2000+ page bills. Sadly, the process was so badly bungled that groups like these, that continue to politicize and polarize, only push any reasonable resolutions further down the road.
I thought Mr. Ryan’s plan was a start. By unsubstantiated numbers are talking about the same type of figures President Obama uses? That is what I thought. The President uses those same numbers when he pulls the wool over the American peoples eyes. At least Paul Ryan fan is offering a solution. Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous what do you have to offer? Oh…gee…the Democrat plan. Shocker there.
Lynn,
I agree with you Lynn. This left wing group calls out Judy, but thier own Senators won’t meet with anyone on the issue. Who is the coward now? You Dems kill me. Keep on coming, you got nothin!!
I was at yesterday’s protest. There were people there with no insurance. For myself, my health care is provided by the Ryan White CARE Act. Don’t know what that is? It’s a program funded by the federal government (tax dollars), matched by the states, providing care for those of us living with HIV/AIDS. Yes, that’s right, I have AIDS.
I had insurance when I was diagnosed. I quickly found out that the insurance I was paying for would not cover half of the bloodwork that needed to be done, let alone the expensive medications I must take on a daily basis to stay alive. I paid out of pocket while continuing to pay my premiums for the first year until I went $170K in medical debt and had to declare bankruptcy.
I’m glad Ryan White exists, however, there is one small challenge. I must cap the amount I earn annually in order to qualify for this program. That amount is based on the Federal Poverty level, which by the way, is a little more than $10K annually. For the past 7 years that has been no more than $20K annually. How many of you would be willing to try to get by on that?
There is no insurance company in this country that will touch me. Oh, I could go on a group policy plan with an employer and they’d be more than happy to take my money until I tried to file a claim including medications ($3K monthly). They would then deny me claiming I have a pre-existing condition, something health care reform will eliminate.
I figure my health care costs are in the $60-70K range annually, and that’s only for medications and regular doctor visits and bloodwork.
Now, if you think those of us with chronic health conditions should do you a favor and just die, have the courage of your convictions and say that to our faces. Then plan on attending a lot of funerals. Oh wait, on second thought, don’t bother. If you won’t stand with us while we’re alive, we don’t want your tears when we’re dead.
Compassion is one thing, ignorance is another.
My step sister just passed away last October from an ailment. She had no insurance. Rush Copely Hospital in Aurora took her in and did a great job to stabilize her and care for her. Again…she had no insurance plan, shocker here…the hospital took her in and provided top notch care. Then she needed hospice care and the state of IL took her in at a facility in Peoria until she passed away. They took care of her with compassion and dignity until she passed. So don’t lecture me about Americans not having access to health care. I will agree that its not the union or government worker provided Cadillac policy. But it is health care. Besides the government under Obama’s plan is going to tax all you union and government plan people since your plan exceeds what he deems as necessary care. So come on.
As for the elderly there already is an entitlement program for them, so to for the disabled. What ever happened to survival of the fittest? We cant live forever gang, that is the hard reality of life. Anyone who knows me knows I am Mr. Compassion but you can only take that so far. You are talking about covering illegal residents and 10 to 15 million college students who would be fined for not having mandatory insurance. How is that compassion? Show me a college kid who can afford to pay a huge fine for not having insurance. I could debate this all day but some people just don’t get the financial end of this debate. You can’t just have the government competing with the private sector. You will put the insurance companies out of business. If you think the auto industry needed a bail out just wait until 25X that amount of workers need a job! Ya, the health care business is one of the largest American employers.
Congressional Budget Office has determined that reforming the medical malpractice insurance system, a.k.a. “med-mal reform” or tort reform, could save $54 billion over 10 years. While not solving the problem, it would contribute.
Maybe part of the problem is both sides discard the other’s points because they don’t completely solve the problem. The longest journey starts with a single small step.
Reagan did minor tinkering with a bankrupt Social Security system and pushed doomsday out 30 years. Why can’t similar thinking be applied to health care?
Town Crier,
Under most of the Republican plans that the Dems will not even debate, you would be covered. Its the public option we don’t agree on. Extending coverage to people with pre-existing conditions is something we all agree on. If you think the Obama health plan will help you I think you have been misinformed. You would have a government panel looking over your case and most likely since you have HIV/Aids your care would be rationed.
Chad D. Walz’s sister got the care she needed through Illinois government health care programs, and he’s arguing against a minimum standard for health care for all Americans? Would she have survived if she had access to care earlier? What if she didn’t live in a state that offered programs like that? One of the most compelling reasons for health care on a national level is that it’s much easier for the federal government to amass the kind of resources needed to run a health program than it is for states to do it.
The amassing of recourses you speak of…that’s called taxes. We pay enough as it is. We don‘t need another entitlement program. We have too many people in this country who think the country owes them something. What happened to “ask not what your country can do for you”? Yah a Democrat said that…Got to love all these so called American’s who think the government is their piggy bank.
It’s easy to say that big insurance companies are terrible and should be gotten rid of , but let’s look at something very interesting.
There is a company called Coventry Health Care based in Bethesda, MD. It has an office in Downers Grove north of Good Sam on Highland. It has close to 600 people in the Downers Grove office.
If we get rid of private health insurers due to their evil nature, then that’s 600 people who won’t be working in DG, eating out for lunch or dinner in DG, and shopping in DG.
There will be some who live in DG or DuPage County and will lose their houses, which means loss of property tax revenue and further downward pressure on housing prices.
And if we put private insurers out of business, think of all the people who have stock in their IRAs and 401(k)s. Does the government compensate them for the loss of value? Or do we tell people that they have to work longer, because they were too stupid to own stock in companies that are evil, rather than buying stock in companies with good intentions, such as those developing renewable energy?
I am going to protest in my own way…Getting Mark Kirk into the US Senate AND keeping Biggert in her seat as well.
The “otherside” has totally manipulated the costs associated with their “reform” plans. Biggert and the Republicans have provided over 200 pages of requests for Healthcare reform, but the Democrat controlled Senate and House have completely ignored them. The President has never even invited the minority leader to the WhiteHouse to discuss the plan. Now, and only after the Senate has slightly changed have the Dems actually found their way over to the otherside. We will see a new healthcare plan and you can thank MARK KIRK AND JUDY BIGGERT and the rest for keeping some sanity in the reform of healthcare. This was a runaway government beast before moderation set in on the Senate floor. Even the House of Reps now knows they need to moderate their socialized medicine plans.
I agree with DGDAD. Can’t wait til November!
In the Kennedy/Dodd HELP Committee HCR bill in the senate 161 out of 197 amendments accepted were Republican. 52 out of 162 amendments to the Education and Labor HCR bill in the house were from Republicans. You are misinformed if you think there has been no Republican input to these bills.
Conservatives ought to give up the complaint that a government run plan will drive private insurance out of business while saying at the same time a government run plan will be a bloated inefficient mess. You can’t have it both ways.
Here’s how insurance companies will compete. They’ll take your premiums and invest them wisely and make money that the public option plan by law can’t. Those investments are supposed to cover part of their costs. If they sink it in reckless Wall St. manipulations they’ll sink themselves. If they do it right they’ll have a leg up on their competitors including the Public Option. But in the meantime they can switch a lot of those death panel actuaries from jobs where they decide the fate of millions of people they deny claims to into jobs selling insurance to the 50 million new customers they’ll have access to.
Anybody like Biggert who disagrees with these proposals disagrees with real competition in the marketplace. Our current rigged system benefits no one but the management of these companies and their cronies in DC.
I know, we certainly can’t trust the private sector with balancing a budget and investing wisely…We can only trust a government run amuck in deficits and unfunded SS obligations and pension costs- they can do it better, right? if it wasn’t so insane, it would be funny…very funny.
“government giving competition to the private sector”? Private sector folds, and all you have left is government run programs. Which is exactly what power hungry legislators want. Ah yes…we call this being “progressive”.
Chad,
The only thing you said that I can disagree with is that there are too many people in this country that think the country owes them something. The truth is there are way too many people who think this country owes them everything. The USA has become the land of entitlements and redistribution of wealth.
Working hard to get ahead needs to remain a possibility for the American worker, or as a society we are doomed. The current administration seeks to demotivate skilled, hard working Americans by placing a fundamentally unfair tax burden on them. As for nationalized health care, I know too many Canadians that come south for medical treatment. It is the truth.
This sit in looks like part of a coordinated effort by the Dems in the aftermath of their recent setbacks. Has anyone noticed the slew of letters in the papers advancing the Dem’s agenda? I suspect Axlerod and/or Plouffe are behind this barrage. The puppet masters are pulling the merionette operative’s strings but I think most people will see right through this tactic even if all the letters aren’t signed by Ellie Light.
These are people with an anti-American agenda. Read your history books gang. This type of agenda has NEVER worked anywhere.
I ask you Democrats who moved here years ago, why did you move here? Because we do it right!! That’s why.
So why would you vote for the same old politics that has this state, Cook county and the country on a collision course with BANKRUPTCY?? Are you that stubborn? It makes no sense and makes people who vote Democrat look ignorant of the history of this great nation. I don’t admit this very often, but I too was fooled by Mr. Obama’s charm and speaking ability once. Fool me once…I am not telling you to give up on your social ideologies. You can help the less fortunate in non-governmental ways. That is what made our country so great once. The conservative agenda is what is best for us all and that is not just me talking, that is our founding fathers talking!
Editor’s note: This comment has been edited.
Ladies and gentlemen, the state of political discourse in America, as demonstrated by this thread. What began as a legitimate and thoughtful discussion about a demonstration in a representative’s office dissolves quickly into name calling and conspiracy theory.
Honestly, why would anyone ever run for office anymore.
There’s an expression my wife uses that I love; ‘Where are all the smart people at?’ Not running for office, that’s for sure.
Colin Powell was a serious conservative on CBS “Face the Nation” this morning. Here’s one quote:
“Now, one thing we have to understand, Barack Obama is going to be the president of the United States for the next three years. And I don’t think the country will be well-served if all we see for the next three years are attempts to bring him down and destroy him as a political figure, or, on the other side, people trying to shove an agenda which is increasingly seen by the American people as a little too much government in our lives.”
The whole transcript is here -> http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/02/21/colin-powell-interviews-on-cbs-face-the-nation/
Here’s how insurance companies will compete. They’ll take your premiums and invest them wisely and make money that the public option plan by law can’t. Those investments are supposed to cover part of their costs. If they sink it in reckless Wall St. manipulations they’ll sink themselves. If they do it right they’ll have a leg up on their competitors including the Public Option. But in the meantime they can switch a lot of those death panel actuaries from jobs where they decide the fate of millions of people they deny claims to into jobs selling insurance to the 50 million new customers they’ll have access to.
I have many problems with this quote. First of all, insurance companies are highly regulated in what they can invest in. “Reckless Wall Street manipulations” would not be allowed. What is allowed is highly regulated conservative and therefore low risk (i.e. low return) investments. Hardly a way to get a leg up.
Secondly, what exactly is a “death panel actuary? Actuaries determine rates not payment of claims. Will the public option not have actuaries? How will it determine rates?
Finally, I have trouble finding anything good in the Senate’s bill. Although it does not have a “public option”, the private health insurance industry, and all the good it does for all Americans, will be gone within five years. It requires all Americans to buy health insurance. It also requires health insurance companies to immediately insure customers who apply for insurance, regardless of insurability. Finally, it fines those who refuse to purchase insurance. The amount of those fines you ask? $95 in 2011, and by 2016, the fine rises to its cap of $750. I might be able to save $10,000 by not purchasing insurance for several years. Then, when I learn I have cancer, I can simply call 1-800 insuremenow to buy a policy. If I do not get cancer and do not buy health insurance, I am only risking a $750 penalty, compared to $10,000. With this bill, it seems most of the country would become “uninsured.” Maybe they will come up with a similar homeowner’s policy…after my house burns down, I go buy a policy for it. Requiring someone to buy insurance does not work, especially considering the current laws on auto insurance. If auto insurance has been mandatory in Illinois for the last 20 years, why are we still paying for Uninsured Motorist coverage and why have those rates increased? The penalty for this law seems heftier than $750, since your Driver’s License could be suspended if caught.
George Will made a brilliant comment several weeks ago on “This Week”. He said, “Everyone would like to pay for Health Insurance like it was 1959. Trouble is the Health Care system wasn’t very good in 1959”. The problem with our health care system is not the cost or availability of health insurance, but the cost of Health Care. We have 3 times the number of MRI machines per capita than Canada or Europe. Our hospitals are much better equipped to take care of our sick than those in other countries. US hospitals don’t shut down late in the year because they have run out of money like they do in Canada. We don’t put people with heart problems on a waiting list, as Europe and Canada do. Our hospitals don’t have to make the choice between buying a new MRI machine or having the money to care for patients. All of this comes at a cost, however. The cost to develop drugs in the fight against cancer and AIDS is astronomical. Drugs like Erbitux, that help fight Colon Cancer are banned in Canada and Europe due to their high costs. A patient has a 15% better chance of surviving Colon Cancer in the United States than Canada or Europe. Pharmaceutical companies spend billions each year in research and development of new drugs. Unfortunately, to stay in business they much charge appropriate rates. Their research and development have made it possible for people with deadly diseases to live longer, yet they are deemed evil by some for excessive profits. Profits, which are used to fund research for new drugs.
In order to truly reform Health Care in America three things must happen. First, true competition in the health care industry (not the insurance industry) is needed. In 1960, 48% of health care costs were paid by the patient; today that figure is closer to 10%. Insurance co-pays have hidden many of the costs from the consumer. You go to you doctor’s office for an exam p. When leaving you pay your $20 co-pay and leave. Tests and exam costs are charged to your insurance. Dr. A may charge the insurance company $1,000, Dr. B $950, and Dr. C $900. Did you shop for the best rate for your insurance company? Of course not. No matter where you go, you still pay $20. Competition for the consumer dollar would drive their prices down. Take for example, laser eye surgery. Not normally covered by health insurance this surgery cost thousands ten years ago. Today that cost is about 75% less. Why? The consumer has to shop for the best doctor at the best price. Competition has made this type of surgery more affordable. Insurance reform should center on increasing the number of Health Savings Accounts, where the consumer has a say on where their health care dollar will go. To date, Washington is trying to put restrictions in the way of these accounts.
The second reform that needs to occur is the requirement of insurance companies to insure everyone who applies for insurance including those with pre-existing conditions. To do so, the insurance companies need some sort of safety net. In my opinion, they should collect the premiums of those with pre-existing conditions and pay their claims. However, at the end of the year, if they have paid more than was made on that person, they should be able to collect the difference from the government. This is what insurance companies currently do for flood insurance. Not having this safety net would cause many companies to go out of business while others raise their rates for all policyholders. While the Government will have to pay some costs, it will be far less than the alternatives being discussed today in Washington.
Finally, any true reform will offer tax credits for small business and individuals to help them pay for insurance. Tax credits based on income can be given to lower income people so they can better afford the coverage. Likewise tax credits can help small business be able to offer this benefit to employees as well.
Anyone who feels the current reform being discussed in Washington today will make things better is kidding themselves. Until we get serious about the true cause of health care costs we won’t fix anything. Competition lowers cost and promotes new ideas.
DGDad said “government giving competition to the private sector”? Private sector folds, and all you have left is government run programs. ”
This is silly. We have Social Security and private pensions, 401K plans, IRAs. We have private and public education, even private and public universities. We have PBS and privately owned radio and tv networks. I could go on but I’ve made my point.
I urge all you folks who think government has no business making life better in any way shape or form for the American people to please reject any and all payments from Social Security and Medicare. You rugged individualists can take care of yourselves. I’ve been paying into both since 1969 and I plan on collecting when I need it in another decade.
Paul repeating nonsense from George Will won’t make your case. The vast majority of basic research for new drugs is done at research universities with taxpayer NIH funding. Start up biologic companies also develop them and then sell out to the major pharma companies who have the marketing muscle to peddle them.
You want to cut the cost of drugs? Quit letting Big Pharma game the patent system. Give them 7 years protection, make clinical studies available immediately so competitors can work on generics, and allow the government to negotiate prices for 300+ million Americans. Let’s make ‘em compete instead of coddling some of the most profitable corporations on the planet.
ROFLMAO. Now that’s some sincere intensity!
If you disagree with Rep. Biggert’s wrong-headed policies vote her out of office. Period.
You’re right “anonymous”, repeating nonsense won’t make your case. I suspect Ms. Biggert may be around for a bit, despite her daughter allegedly being a lobbyist. A lobbyist who, according to your website, hasn’t given a penny to her Mom.
I haven’t entered this discussion because this is such a complicated issue and I am not an expert. The only thing I DO have direct experience in is receiving and paying doctor bills. And I have to correct something Paul Coultrap said.
It USED TO BE that you paid a copay (say, $20) and that was that. Starting a few years ago, even when I took myself or my husband or the kids to a doctor who accepted my PPO, the insurance company would only pay portions of tests or services. It’s a crap shoot every time I go to the doctor — will the $20 be it, or will it be closer to $200?
A friend of mine got stuck with a $500 bill because the insurance company said her doctor “shouldn’t have ordered” that test for appendicitis. Do you think the doctor’s office says, “You’re right; my bad. We’ll just take that off your bill.”?
Believe me, I’m not saying this current health care bill is a “cure” (groan) but the argument that everything is hunky-dory for the average consumer is not right, either.
annoymous-
SS is bankrupt -Fannie and Freddie, blown up. Are you suggesting we should create more bankrupt /blown up government systems? I believe you are.
NOW who is Paul repeating George?
Sue,
I agree those type of issues need to be addressed. I have had the same types of things happen to me. The current bill before congress will not address that. If anything they will have Doctors NOT order tests and people may die as a result. Canada has this system and they have many people who cross the boarder and pay full price for our health care since the Canadian system wont give them quality care. I do agree that the system needs to change but the current bill is not going to be good for the country as a whole. We need to do what is good for the majority not the minority.
It’s not my website.
As you well know Mr. Thoman lobbyists don’t give their own money to candidates, they give corporate money. Mrs. Biggert took $374,516 from the Finance, Insurance & Real Estate lobbies in 2008 and to date has taken $150,947 from the same corporations for 2010.
You don’t need to guess whose side she’s on. “Our Judy” is bought and paid for.
2009/2010 Finance, Insurance, Real Estate PAC’s:
Biggert (R, IL-13) $150,947
Bean (D, IL-8) $310,375
Foster (D, IL-14) $106,037
Kirk (R, IL-10) $61,000
(Source: opensecrets.org)
You attempt to paint a politician as (gasp!) a politician?
MT,
The Dems don’t have any decent ideas to help the country. That is why attempt to undermine Republican public servants like Judy with false accusation and innuendo. It’s all they have left.
I’ve deleted several bickering comments from this thread. Politics really bring out the best in everyone, don’t they?
In response to Chad D. Walz,
I was one of the people that attended the sit in at Judy Biggert’s office. My mother has a pre-existing condition and the health care reform bill will be her only option. I know Judy is for eliminating discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions. We just wanted to push her to get reform done in Congress. 46 million do not have insurance coverage and families are going into bankruptcy because of medical debt. The health care crisis is inextricably linked to the economy, meaning it is connected to you. People have to stop pretending that this problem doesn’t exist. What is your solution? It’s not about Republicans or Democrats, it’s about people.
Tracy Schnabel,
Under ever Republican plan I have read they address pre-exsisting conditions.
Here are some things to consider when talking about health care reform.
1. There is a difference between health care and health insurance. Everyone has access to health care. (KEY IDEA) They may not have health insurance, but the law mandates everyone who shows up at emergency rooms must be treated, insurance or not.
2. 46 million in America lack health insurance. The “in America” reference, as opposed to writing “46 million Americans,” is an important point because of those 46 million without insurance, an estimated 10 million or so are non-U.S. citizens, most living in this country illegally.
3. Millions can apparently afford health insurance but for whatever reason choose to not buy it. In 2007, an estimated 17.6 million of the uninsured made more than $50,000 per year, and more than 9 million of those made more than $75,000. According to researcher and author Sally Pipes, 38 percent of the U.S. uninsured population earn more than $50,000 per year.
3. Young workers often just don’t think about health insurance. The Census figures show that 18.3 million of the uninsured were under 34 who may simply not think about the need for insurance.
4. Government health insurance programs currently exist that aren’t being used. A 2003 Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association study estimated that about 14 million of the uninsured were eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP and would be signed up automatically if they went to the hospital.
5. Many children who should be insured aren’t. This study by Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute shows that 7 out of every 10 kids who lacks insurance could get it if their parents simply enrolled in current government programs.
6. Millions lose health insurance only temporarily through the year. The CBO has estimated that millions who fall into the uninsured category are those who have lost or left jobs and they will regain insurance once they return to work.
According to the American Spectator article citing this Blue Cross study, the 46 million figure should actually be closer to about 8 million truly uninsured. Too many are simply non-US citizens, not paying for insurance because they choose not to or feel too young to need it, or simply are not signing up for programs for which they are eligble.
With the price of health care rising faster than nearly every other form of inflation, it is clear something needs to change. And even one American without health insurance is one too many. But health care is also an incredibly important part of our economy, accounting for 1 out of every 10 American jobs. And we are discussing major changes that could have wide-ranging impact. How much change is yet to be determined, but as Congress and the White House begin their discussion and debate over what could be legislation that costs more than $1 trillion dollars, it’s important to be aware of the real story of health care coverage.
Chad – Great facts! I was wondering about the number that simply never took advantage of the programs out there this afternoon so you saved me some time. I think most people agree there needs to be a change. The first thing my doctor said he’d like to see is tort reform since the cost of malpractice insurance is ridiculous and driving doctors out of business. The litigous nature of our society has placed a huge burden on all of us.
Now you’ve done it, irresponsibly spreading those damn facts. It’s interesting how anonymous throws out semi facts and half truths, and others don’t even see the forest for the trees.
I do not live in your congressional district but I want to thank those for willing to take a stand and act on upon those who make laws that affect the regular Joe’s and Jill’s overtime pay and health care reform. For those us, who did not grow up in the wealthiest towns in Illinoisans and a protected bubble; but yet who can make laws that affected every hard working Illinoisans. I may not agree with the techniques/methods that you just used in getting your protest message out but thanks for “taking stand and acting upon it.” A) You got media attention for your cause. Don’t be fooled by those smiling Grandma types with their fancy degrees and back ground of wealth. To common Illinois worker/taxpayer/ voter take a stand and act upon it and don’t blindly take in the backside, take a stand and act upon whatever your opinion or background is, this is America where everyone has voice that needs to be heard. “We cannot be stop and We can’t Wait” to pass on governmental problems off on to on kids and grandkids, take a stand and act upon. Vote, shut, protest, form a political group, hand out flyers, blog, set up a web site for your cause or issue, start a video for you tube, call, email, send an old fashion mail letter, ran for office and visit these law makers’ office. Don’t be afraid to state your opinion and proactively act upon it. I know I might be a perceiving blog troll mad man-type but when I died I will die with my boots on taking stand screaming shutting for justice to be properly served and not pass our issues on to our future generations without solutions. There are more effected ways to act than not to act, always vote no matter how crappie the choices are. Don’t blow up buildings; don’t go on mass shootings, or fly planes into buildings attempt to change the world for your cause: rather change for the greater good for the common good through peacefully means. We are the richest nation on earth let’s set the example of finding solutions for our nation’s problems; let’s act please “We Can’t Wait” any longer; act through organize peacefully and democratic means, we can and will find solutions for our problems today, not tomorrow.
Thank God! The Public Option debate is still alive and here is my blog troll’s prediction President Obama will win reelection, soundly!!! The Health care issue for all Americans will not go away! Go! President Obama Go! Not that my opinion matters, I still believe in your message of Hope for all Americans! I am proud of the fact that I spent my own money and time in Iowa; sorry for causing hardship on being away from my loves. Taking my home’s American Flag and waving it in Clinton, Iowa on Election Day. Even if I didn’t go to Iowa to campaign in Iowa on behalf of President Obama, thousands of Illinoisans that made the trip thank you, thank you. Your work will not go in vain, the health care battle rages on and at the end of day there will be Health Care for all Americans!!!!! “Yes, We Can!” don’t let that message die, keep it alive, please, please, please! “Don’t let big business and a rich white guy rudely yelling his opinion in Congress at the President of the United!! States of American kill the dreams and hopes for all Americans.
“The monthly poll from the nonpartisan Robert Wood Johnson Foundation also found that three-fourths of Americans still think it’s important that Obama include health care reform in addressing the nation’s economic crisis — even if many have misgivings (AP).”
It has nothing to do with wanting reform Earl. Everyone wants reform on both sides of the aisle. I don’t need some government crony telling me what kind of care I can have and I don’t want to pay for people who are not willing to work. Employer bases programs give people incentives to WORK. All Republicans agree that we need to accept pre-existing conditions, get rid of caps on coverage and create more competition to lower premiums. If the President and his gang push this through he will not be re-elected. So lets step off yee ole soap box and come back to reality.
I have read all of these posts. Very interesting. It seems as though there is no need for Health reform. Just one note. Although Chad states that the law says everyone who shows up to an ER gets treated, not if the hospital is for profit. A for profit hospital may, if they chose, treat only insured patients. If they do not accept medicare or medicade, they can pick and chose their patients. With the push towards taxing not for profit Hospitals in Illinois ( see champaign county v. provena convenant hospital) and the total lack of proper payment to Hospitals by medicare and medicade, serious issues are coming. Not sure what the answer is but, its time to get together ( dems, repubs, insurance ceo’s, doctors and hospitals) and figure it out. We cannot continue to spend 17% of our GDP on healthcare.
Dan,
No hospital can turn you away from the ER. If the ER doesn’t have the room that is another story. Once you are stable it is the hospitals choice to continue to treat you or cut you loose.
I think the Dem plan of kicking the problem down the road should work fantastic. Lets just spend our children’s, grandchildren’s, great-grandchildren’s children’s money. That is a sound financial plan. Let’s spend all their money to pay for illegal’s and people who turn down health care. Good plan…Well thought out! It generational theft and that is how the Dems want it. Its easy to control people who rely on you for their existence.
“…yee ole soap box,” if ever given the chance I will give a good public speech that will raise the roof right now they think I am “stupid and a liability.” I will probably never be a good speaker as those of current and past Dist. 99 speech team members that went on to be teachers, lawyers, doctors and such (I hate it when I sound like a Willie Nelson song). If and when I get my chance to speak on “yee ole soap box,” I promise you I going to hit it out of the park just like movie The Natural.
Please don’t confuse giving away healthcare with reform. Reform means fixing the problem (tort reform & reducing regulation to increase competition, improve quality and lower costs). Giving away healthcare temporarily treats the symptom without fixing the problem (usually will cause more havoc later).
Chad-
You seem to not want the president to ge re elected. You state above that if this plan passes he will not get re-elected. So do you hope it passes so that he is four and out? Or do you hope the health care bill does not pass, and it is possible that there is four more years of a politician you dislike?
chad- don’t mean to argue but, if you would like I can send you the EMTLA law and I think you would see that the failure to follow the law could lead to lose of medicare reimbursement. As I said if hospitals become for profit, refuse medicare and medicaid patients then they do not have to comply with EMTLA. As I read your blogs it seems as though you would understand that if the hospital takes no federal reimbursement then, the Federal Government can’t force compliance. There are a few of these types of health facilities around the country now. I am not taking sides on this issue because it is very complex and not an issue that is easily argued in a blog. I am simply pointing out that something needs to be done.
Dan,
In this litigious society if a hospital causes a death due to turning away a patient I can show you a phone book full of lawyers salivating to make some money and possibly shut down that hospital. I can also say with some degree of certainty that most EMS personnel know what hospitals to take certain patients to. Just sayin…
Well…,
I would love nothing more than to see President Obama only serve one term. I think he and many Dems are tearing a part the very fabric of our union.
“1. There is a difference between health care and health insurance. Everyone has access to health care. (KEY IDEA) They may not have health insurance, but the law mandates everyone who shows up at emergency rooms must be treated, insurance or not.”
The treatment anyone receives is highly dependent on what if any insurance they have. In fact, hospitals have no obligation to treat poor or uninsured patients outside of a federal law that requires them to examine and, if there’s a medical emergency, stabilize those who show up in the ER, regardless of their ability to pay. Then more often than not they send them away to Cook County or some other publicly funded hospital.
Regardless every insured person is overcharged about $1100 a year so hospitals can recover their unreimbursed costs for treating the uninsured. It’s there in the $80 aspirin tablet, $1200 ambulance ride, $600 a night bed. We all pay anyway in the most inefficient method possible.
“2. 46 million in America lack health insurance. The “in America” reference, as opposed to writing “46 million Americans,” is an important point because of those 46 million without insurance, an estimated 10 million or so are non-U.S. citizens, most living in this country illegally.”
A study by George Bush’s Health and Human Services Dept in 2007 said 57.7 million Americans
were uninsured at some point that year. Since Dec. 2007 when the recession started the Labor Dept estimates we’ve lost 8.4 million payroll jobs. That doesn’t include independent contractors or part timers, that’s full time W-2 jobs. Let’s just say only half those people had insurance or 4.2 million. Let’s deduct 10 million from that 57.7 million HHS says were uninsured in 2007 just for Chad. That’s 47.7 million and add the 4.2 million and you have 50.9 million uninsured. 50.9 million uninsured who get “stabilized” whenever they show up at the emergency room and then get dumped on the street with a referral to Cook County or some other public hospital. And it costs the rest of us $1100 each.
No wonder we pay double what the rest of the civilized world spends and get the 37th best health care on the planet.
3. Millions can apparently afford health insurance but for whatever reason choose to not buy it. In 2007, an estimated 17.6 million of the uninsured made more than $50,000 per year, and more than 9 million of those made more than $75,000. According to researcher and author Sally Pipes, 38 percent of the U.S. uninsured population earn more than $50,000 per year.”
Despite the fact that Sally Pipes runs a right wing press release mill masquerading as a “think tank” funded by a whole host of big money special interests and has no health care credentials whatsoever let’s take her at face value.
First of all she’s evidently quoting US census figures. But the census figures don’t say individuals they say “households” making over $50,000 and $75,000 a year. If you’re a family of 4 or even 2 making $50,000 a year you’d be hard pressed buying a policy and have enough left for rent and food. If your “household” is 3 roommates just out of college lucky enough to have jobs making a combined $60,000 a year good luck finding a policy you can afford. If you have a pre-existing condition forget about it. You probably won’t be able to find an affordable policy even if you’re making $75,000 a year individually. A lot of people who don’t have health insurance are young, in their 20s and 30s. Sure some of them think they’re immortal and don’t want to pay for insurance they don’t think they need. But most of them can’t afford it anyway. Regardless of their reasons we all pay if they get hit by a buss or wind up in the hospital with swine flu so bad it almost kills them.
“4. Government health insurance programs currently exist that aren’t being used. A 2003 Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association study estimated that about 14 million of the uninsured were eligible for Medicaid and SCHIP and would be signed up automatically if they went to the hospital.”
There are indeed many people who qualify for Medicaid and SCHIP who aren’t signed up. There are also just as many of the working poor and middle class who make just a little too much to qualify. The Democratic bill will provide subsidies so they don’t have to quit their jobs and go on welfare to get coverage. We don’t need more people on welfare, we need more working taxpayers pulling the wagon
On top of that one of the big reasons people don’t sign up for these programs is because Republicans like Biggert insist on making them a big pain to sign up for (nobody is auto-enrolled). All in the name of keeping undocumented immigrants off the rolls. That’s exactly what she held out for a couple years ago on SCHIP. Making it harder for immigrants to get health care here isn’t going to keep them out of our country when they can’t afford to eat at home. The same goes for anyone else. And I’d like to remind everybody that pandemics don’t care if the parents of that kid sitting next yours in class were born in Englewood, Mexico or Poland.
“5. Many children who should be insured aren’t. This study by Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute shows that 7 out of every 10 kids who lacks insurance could get it if their parents simply enrolled in current government programs.”
See the above. There isn’t anything simple about it.
“6. Millions lose health insurance only temporarily through the year. The CBO has estimated that millions who fall into the uninsured category are those who have lost or left jobs and they will regain insurance once they return to work.”
Millions more are trapped in dead end jobs they don’t dare leave because of pre-existing conditions. Others have a miserable time finding work because of pre-existing conditions. Health care costs are a barrier to many talented people who can’t start their own businesses. Many more don’t dare take a job with companies that don’t provide health insurance. Most of the new jobs in this country are created by small businesses. The Democratic bill helps small businesses provide health insurance and compete. The smallest mom and pop businesses are excluded and don’t have to comply.
“Even one American without health insurance is one too many. ”
Tell it to the Republicans. Their latest plan covers only an add’l 3 million Americans. The Dem’s senate bill covers an add’l 31 million.
Obama’s plan does cost about a trillion and is paid for by half a trillion in savings from health insurance and cutting out another half trillion in
giveaways to insurance companies and drug companies in the Medicare part D drug bill. AG Eric Holder has asked for another $250 million to root out at least $60 billion in Medicare fraud too. Each of the Dem bills saves about $100 billion by 2019. That’s not enough but it’s a start.
I watch some of the Health Care Summit last night, good points from all who spoke. Regardless of who is President of Country, I want our President and Nation to always be successful. I posted on a previous post when I was a junior at North and helping with elestion results in 1992 at Herrick Middle School on Election night a Dad-Type and I just hope Clinton would put the nation in a positive direction and well. About after a month after W legally won supposedly in 2000, I prayed him and our nation, and also wished him. I watch some of the Health Care Summit last night, good points from all who spoke. Regardless of who is President of Country, I want our President and Nation to always be successful. I posted on a previous post when I was a junior at North and helping with election results in 1992 at Herrick Middle School on Election night a Dad-Type and I just hope Clinton would put the nation in a positive direction and well. About after a month after W legally won supposedly in 2000, I prayed him and our nation, and also wished him. I don’t think hate towards a President is Healthy, I towards the end of W’s second term I was feeling almost like Mr. Walz is towards President Barrack H. Obama. I think we as Americans, we should wish our leaders the best.
I don’t wish any SOCIALIST well, I don’t care what office they hold. I never complained about President Clinton…you know why? Cuzz he listened to the other side of the aisle. Anyone ever wonder how you can get sex in the oval office and still remain the President? It’s easy..just do some of what the other party wants, it’s that easy. Obama is NO Bill Clinton. Obama doesn’t know how to govern anything. Clinton ran a state and had good people (even Republicans) advising him. With out Dick Morris, Clinton would have had a much tougher time in office.
Editor’s note: This comment has been edited.
There you are, proof that being bipartisan is good for your sex life. Who knew?
People ignore opinions unless they respect the person giving the opinion.
Editor’s note: This comment was inadvertently dropped from the thread. I apologize for any inconvenience.
LOL. Not that is any of my business ,but just ask James Carville and his wife Mary Joe Matalin . During election election time, I think it is neat when couples with differing opinions but put both candidates yards in their front yard. Off topic my bad. I just love politics.
My nine year old grasps the fact that the country is flat broke. Americans distrust and don’t buy the “anonymous” stats. The government can not cover the 46, 30,12 million, or whatever number you cherry pick, uninsured with the tax dollars culled from the minority of citizens that does pay taxes. No lattice math required.
And if they did borrow to do it it would not be done well. It is all so simple.
Dennis Miller has a beautiful proposal. If we are supposed to acquiesce to this tyranny could we at least have some proverbial transparency and honesty? Let’s designate a Redistribution of Paycheck Day (no Wealth here!)
April 15th sounds good. All the Providers meet their appointed Taker and physically hand over their 60% in cash. This would include your federal income, state income, property, sales, utility…taxes.
Why should politicians have all the fun giving away other people’s money?
Dan,
If there are only a few for profit hospitals who do not accept federal money in the country why do you bother discussing it?
The issue facing our country is what do we see for the future of it?
Right now we are heading down a road which has a very bad ending.
The health care “Take over” proposed by the Dems in the House is not “Reform”. Nor is the plan presented by the Senate Dems.
We do not need our system “Taken Over” we need to make some reform.
Can we get an “Amen” from a good trial lawyer like yourself?
Amen! And a solution. How about capping the compensation of the lawyers in malpractice suits (cover costs plus a profit)? This would have more of the economic benefit of a settlement go to the person that needs it most while still providing the 3rd party with more than fair compensation. It would drive down insurance costs and ultimately help make health care more affordable for everyone.
It’s going to be very difficult to get people behind a health care program, when so many are satisfied with their current situation.
I have employer-provided health insurance. It covers most things I feel are important, and then some. The cost, both in terms of payroll deductions and co-pays, is reasonable.
I don’t have a pressing need for a plan for the government, so why should I be willing to pay extra in taxes or insurance premiums for insurance for those who either can’t afford it or can’t get it?
Clinton could have veto’d the bill now couldn’t he. The repealing of that bill lead to the highest home ownership percentage in this countries history. You Dems need to pick your battles. You can’t have a regulated market and high home ownership. If you re-enact this law, home loans would go back to needing 20% min down stroke to qualify for a loan. You think the housing market is bad now. So what is your plan then Mr. Expert? You going to enact some law to give people the down stroke? Last time I checked John McCain called for the law to be re-enacted.
Ya the country did listen to Republicans, not conservatives…big difference for 20+ years. The baby boomer generation is the wealthiest generation in our countries history! Guess it worked!
Anonymous-
Re-post under the name Peter Clemenza, its a real name. Sure, its unverifiable by anyone posting on this blog and yes, it was the name of Vito Corleone’s Capo in Godfather Part 1, but it IS a real name-I’m sure (don’t have a phone book handy). This way you can write anything you want, regardless of how juvenile or ignorant, and no one will gainsay you because your REAL. Apparently, Mark has scanned the local phone book to make certain.
My, my. Why do you continuously perpetuate this anonymity crusade Mark? And isn’t calling a poster a ‘Troll’ constitute a ‘personal’ attack? Perhaps you should consider starting your own blog (much as Lucy has done) and craft the rules surrounding participation. Oh wait..
I read the frustration in participants writing. How does it matter what kind of user name being used to express one’s opinion on a blog? In my opinion, the argument does make a clear argument, then agree or disagree, and express one’s case in acceptable manner – blog rules.
It is not going to make the argument being heard the way one intended if he/she throws a punch at the opinion that disagrees with his/her opinion.
Editor’s note: This comment has been edited.
“Oh Dan”- Just pointing out that there are hospitals so fed up with not being paid by both state and federal governments, that they went “for profit”. There are numerous other hospital groups thinking of how to avoid these problems. As I have said, there is no doubt we need some sort of reform in health care. I have not read either bill in its entirety. I would venture to say that anything that comes out of congress is not the answer. It is interesting to watch people complain about health care take over but, can’t wait to retire and accept medicare.
As to Joe, In Illinois, plaintiffs lawyers are covered by a Statute that limits the fees they earn and charge in Medical Malpractice Cases. Many states have the same rules and have passed laws capping awards. Med Mal suits are way down in Illinois and have been for a while.
Amen
This thread spun out of control during my household’s week-long bout with the flu. Unfortunately, the subject engendered not just heated debate (most of which was interesting and appropriate) but also some objectionable/offensive comments. They have now been removed with my apologies for not catching them at the time they were posted.
Just to be clear: anonymity is allowed on this blog. Comments that deviate from the stated policy are not.
Thanks for understanding.
Ah Shucks, Judy is just too busy listening to all the beautiful people/ lobbyists to futz around with a bunch of surfs back here in flyover country! Just think of all the reformers that are buzzing in her ear- healthcare, finance reform, green energy– who has time for little taxpayers back home!
Breaking News: Vonn stripped of Olympic Gold Medal Vancouver News Report – March 2, 2010 The International Olympic Federation Committee stripped the gold metal from Lindsey Vonn this evening and awarded it to USA President Barack H. Obama on the basis that he is going down hill much faster than Vonn.
I read that Obama has added four Republican Ideas to his Health Care Reform Plan (the readers can have fun with this one, I post and see their smart aleck response to Obama’s Plan of Hope care for all ).
Obama’s new plan slashes Medicare too. Wonder how the seniors feel about that?
He may be adding some of their ideas – and that’s very open-minded, but I imagine that probably won’t do the trick; after all, isn’t it priority #1 that he not have the ability to take credit for health care reform come re-election time?
This is all part of Obama’s socialistic agenda. Don’t fall for it. I urge Democrats to not fall for it. It will only hurt your wallet. Nothing this man agenda stands for is good for America.
That’s funny.
Chad -
Maybe there are more people who think socialism is the answer then we all believe there to be. Go to a liberal arts university, and ask how many professors are socialists. I am only about five years removed from my college graduation, and my experience was that many professors teach the pros of socialism and the perils of capitalism.
Let’s not forget that people accused Obama of being a socialist before November 08 and he still was voted in.
Chad,
My parents have seen a very good neorologist for a number of years. He has told them several times that if Medicare reimbursements are cut, he will retire from private practice.
The problems for him are that well over half of his patients are seniors and Medicare doesn’t negotiate fee schedules the way private insurers do.
Medicare simply decides what is a fair and reasonable fee for the area and imposes that schedule. There is no negotiation. The only recourse for a physician who feels that Medicare is too low is to refuse to see patients on Medicare.
What makes the problem worse is that private insurers use the Medicare and Medicaid fee schedules as their base lines for negotiating their fee schedules.
So, if Medicare reimbursements are reduced, private insurers will want to negotiate their fee schedules down, too.
My guess is that my parents’ neurologist isn’t the only physcian who will leave private practice, if health care reform is funded through Medicare cuts.
Yes, our great nation’s history has set the example of free and open markets for all; but is the current health care system currently working? As I sit here typing more than my share on this thread or on DG.REPORT.COM in general I am listening to and watching real life examples of our health care debate:Pam Cash-Roper, Barney Smith, then Senator, Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (she paved the way for our daughters, granddaughters and yes, indirectly Sarah Palin) President William Jefferson Clinton (great direction message, I regret taking a cheap shot at him, on a previous post) at the DNC in Colorado in 2008 on you tube. I realize these protesters keep the debate and dream alive. Thank you, you have more courage than I will ever have or “handle.” Thank you, Thank you (Yes, Earl everyone knows you have an opinion. Quit hogging this thread and trying to bait bloggers in to debating your …remarks. Move on Downers Grove has.) Thank you President Obama for having the leadership to solve our nation’s health care night mare and not put it aside, even if it risks your reelection chances that’s true leadership in action.
Not sure-
What college did you attend? Berkley?
Whether or not you approve of the direction the country is moving (and there is allot not to like) don’t ‘buy in’ to the paranoid, extreme rhetoric against President Obama. He’s not a Socialist. Want proof? Ask one. Real Socialists bristle at the suggestion that President Obama is Socialist, it offends them. Liberal Democrat? Oh yes. Socialist, not so much.
Most of the LARPers at the Tea Bag(ing) conventions wouldn’t know a Socialist if Karl Marx burst form his casket and ripped the microphone out of Sara Palin’s manicured hands. It makes wonderful rhetoric for the crowds regardless of how little it reflects the truth. Then again, if all my political opinions stemmed from a comment from a teary eyed Glenn Beck, I might think Socialism is on the horizon as well. Rest assured, its not.
Meat-
I agree with you that Obama is not a socialist. The point I was making was that most Americans knew Obama’s agenda prior to voting for him, and still voted for him.
For the record I did not go to Berkley. I attended NIU for my undergrad and NU for grad degree. But I promise you, my econ, poli sci and history teachers were way more left than the average American, and were openly critical of capitalism.
ckfred,
I agree with you 100%. Obama’s plan is to drastically cut Medicare. The bill before congress now will have medical providers reconsidering their career choices. I don’t want the left over Doctors…do you? I am all for cost reductions and finding efficiency with in the current health care system but you tell a Doctor what he or she will make per visit and they will not want to stay in that profession. You have to make it worth someone’s while in any job otherwise why do it?
Obama is a socialist, there is no other way to say it. He is on record stating that we should be more like Europe…Spain has an 18% unemployment rate and France, Germany and England are on the verge of financial collapse. Ya that’s the system I want us to aspire to. Didn’t we leave Europe for a better life? Re-read history people. Obama and his cronies are Karl Marx reincarnated. If you cant see that then maybe you are part of the problem. People voted for Obama because he promised a utopian society that cannot succeed. He promised the unions the world and in turn the unions spent hundreds of millions of their members money to get him elected. SEIU filed more than $150,000,000 in donations to Obama’s campaign. No wonder he is pressing card check and health care reform. People, Obama doesn’t want what’s best for us, he wants to bankrupt the current system so we all think socialism is better. Its not working, check out Europe. I challenge anyone to show me successful economies over there. The darn hippies and their free love, drug induced stoopers have wrecked this country. That is why people voted for Obama, they want to sit on the couch all day stoned, eating Cheeto’s and have all of us pay for it. People who don’t understand what progressivism and socialism really is don’t understand what Obama is trying to pull. How is the city of Chicago or the state of IL doing? Hmmm. Failing miserably. Gang, its not working. The reason you had any home ownership and any financial success was because Republicans were there to clean up the mess every Democrat administration created. Clinton was the only Dem who actually played ball with the Republicans and we had a nice 8 years under him. Don’t take my word for it. Read your history books, civilizations don’t last forever you know. I am sure the Romans thought they would rule the world forever…How well did that go?
Seeing this mega-thread, I’m giving serious consideration to starting an all-DG national-state political blog. Plenty of material and I’m pretty sure I won’t be hearing from Springfield or DC.
Good idea EJ…Can’t you have a heading for it?
Paranoid extreme rhetoric, is that you?
Hippies and ‘free love’? Timothy Leary was 76 when he died, maybe its time to turn off Fox News and Lawrence Welk re- runs and connect with what young people in 2010 are really concerned about.
Hint. Its not LSD and bumming a ride to Altamont.
I agree with your ‘alt-thread’ idea E. Put the national (yawn) political musings on a separate thread and place the focus back on Downers Grove. For anyone interested (a small audience) I have a follow up to my ‘Emma’s house’ piece (a reflection of the improving economy??) as well as a few local restaurant reviews, from a guy who is committed to spending as much of his dining out dollar within our town as he can. (HINT: Best burger in town, the double Cheeseburger at 2 Toots)
Check back soon. No, really.
Meat said “Paranoid extreme rhetoric, is that you”?
You will see. I will be there to tell you told you so, especially you Meat!!
2 toots in a novelty, the food is very average at best. I would rather go to McDonalds, at least there my kids gets a flippin toy there…
2 toots, really? I have never been there, I’ll give it a shot. That’s a bold statement thought, there’s a lot of places to get a good burger around here.
It wasn’t too long ago that people were telling me that George W. was trying to dismantle the constitution and put me in a labor camp, now I find out Obama is trying to dismantle the constitution and put me in a labor camp? Also, from reading the internet, I find out that Obama AND George W. (and Clinton, and George H.W.) are ALL THE ANTI CHRIST!
It’s amazing the things I find out, reading the internet. EVERYONE from EVERY POLITICAL STRIPE is trying to kill me. Subjugate the earth. Destroy everything that is good. And other nasty things.
Dick & Dubya & Rummy did their darndest though!
I wonder if Paul Revere, an original Tea Party participant, was also denigrated by those sitting idly by? Likely. But probably not with a perverse sexual pejorative like “tea bagger” given the higher moral standard and civility of the time.
I’ve met many professional, educated and sincere individuals at like events and one would be hard pressed to describe them as extremist. They often previously politically inactive folks gravely concerned with the debt we are leaving our children and grandchildren.
Of course, every movement has it’s wacko fringe. Can you say Code Pink?
Fortunately these base, ad hominem attacks have failed at marginalizing those who express their concerns of overtaxation and big government in a respectful way. Even Pelosi, former inditer of those “Nazis” now wants to cuddle up.
You get a toy train whistle at two toots and they have better food than McDonalds and that cool horse you can ride for 50 cents rather than the dirty Playland at Mickey D’s.
All Aboard Diner is better…
http://www.allaboarddiner.com/
A big mac at McDonalds kicks any burgers butt!
I could say the say the same about “Code Pink” group regular people just trying to stop a phony war from happening. The famous you tube video with then Senator Hillary Clinton met with a group of Code Pink members from New York in DC right before the vote on the Iraq war. I believe, had Hillary listen to them she would be sitting in the White House right now. Code Pink is not a wacko group but a group made up of regular people (moms of service members, professionals from different backgrounds). Off topic and on another note, I am very proud of my fellow Methodist brother Scott Kerr from Downers Grove from psychically trying to put an end to this unnecessary war. Unfortunately, I don’t think we humans will ever learn. I just wish we could “all get a long.” “SCOTT STEVEN KERR AGE: 27 FROM: DOWNERS GROVE, IL –peace activist / co-founder of VitW” I cannot believe I had the privilege of sitting across from him in Sunday class room in Downers. Downers Grove where future leaders are raised, here I am just a blogger, blue collar worker, tax payer and just a nobody from Downers Grove.
“Mr. Kerr is a graduate of Anderson University. He has been a full-time peace worker in Chiapas, Mexico and in Colombia for the past 3 years.”
Good for Mr. Kerr. There are very bad people trying to kill us Earl. Peace through superior firepower is my motto. Its the only way any society has EVER been sustained. Show me a society that has EVER succeeded with out war. I am not talking about a Country either…a society!