Originally Posted By davewasbaloo YEp - my blood pressure medication is $8 a month here in the UK, $10 in France and $100 in the US. Hmmmmm.
Originally Posted By DAR Look if the public option is going to work for people than great. It just won't work for me and with where I work and the plan I have it's not feasible for me to leave my plan. Nor would I want to.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Nor will you have to. <Look if the public option is going to work for people than great.> Then I think we're in agreement.
Originally Posted By DAR We are in agreement. But the nationwide proponents need to stop acting like the public option is the only good one for people.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Perhaps that course of action has been taken do to the all or nothing approach the right wing have been taking on this one. I want what is best for the greatest number of people, even if for some individuals a little will be lost. It's called the common good. And I'm all for it. Wish more were, perhaps the world would be a much better place.
Originally Posted By DAR <a href="http://www.entertonement.com/clips/rmpqgjgwvp--Oh-good-for-youChristian-Bale-k-Christian-Bale-goes-American-psycho-Christian-Bale-Flips-Out" target="_blank">http://www.entertonement.com/c...lips-Out</a>-
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <We are in agreement. But the nationwide proponents need to stop acting like the public option is the only good one for people.> By definition, it's an OPTION. And thus, no one's saying it's the only good one. The problem is the people who would deny us that option.
Originally Posted By u k fan Don't have much to add, but Dave's use of "the common good" made me think of the film Hot Fuzz where people are murdered for "The greater good". That's all really, please return to your regularly scheduled discussion!!!
Originally Posted By DAR <<By definition, it's an OPTION. And thus, no one's saying it's the only good one.>> Nancy Pelosi probably is.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I've heard her stress several times that it's only an option. If you have a clip of her saying it's the only good one, let's see it.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Nancy Pelosi probably is.>> Pelosi is my Representative. She is NOT saying this. Personally, I find this statement to be another slam against liberals. Maybe you didn't mean it that way, DAR, but that's how it comes off, at least to me. At the root of everyone's fears and concerns, I'm finding at least one or more of several motivating factors: 1) The private health insurance industry is going to dissolve into bankruptcy if the public option is made available, which translates into loss of investment income, loss of executive overcompensation, and loss of customer service/administrative jobs. 2) The Republicans are going to appear ineffective as a party if the Dems get their health care bill passed, which will mean more GOP seats lost in Congress in 2010 and 2012 and Obama keeping the WH. 3) Passage of the public option will bring more customers into the health care arena, and possibly reduce availability and/or quality of services to existing customers until more health care providers can be brought into the system. Addressing the first concern... folks tied directly to the private health insurance industry, either through stock investments or direct employment, potentially stand to lose financial gains with the public option. Their fears are obvious. The second concern is all about the future of the GOP, whose defenders (especially Republican politicians) potentially stand to lose political power with the public option, since the conservatives have been against single payer/Medicare for all for decades. Shooting down anything the Dems come up with is a survival mechanism, since they have NOTHING to offer for health care reform. They like the way everything is now, at least their corporate masters do, so change is out of the question. The third concern is being played out amongst the electorate. This fear is typically demonstrated through the "I've got mine so F you" rhetoric. It's strictly self-serving in motivation, with little regard to the nation as a whole as well as those who've suffered financially and/or physically. All that matters to these people are themselves, as if they were living on an island. They're so afraid of getting screwed over, they don't care if others get screwed over if it means they'll remain immune. Of course, no one is immune from the whims of the health care executives since the industry is largely unregulated and monopolized. But the paranoid rarely make these connections. I firmly believe the Dems need to go it alone and fight the good fight for the greater good. The for-profit health care industry and GOP leadership has clearly demonstrated that no dirty trick or bald faced lie is too immoral to suit their needs. Forget 'em, Dems, and do what needs to be done to get genuine health care reform passed.
Originally Posted By DAR <<1) The private health insurance industry is going to dissolve into bankruptcy if the public option is made available, which translates into loss of investment income, loss of executive overcompensation, and loss of customer service/administrative jobs>> And which you don't seem to care if individuals who work these companies(not the big wigs either) lose their jobs. That's pretty selfish on your part. <<2) The Republicans are going to appear ineffective as a party if the Dems get their health care bill passed, which will mean more GOP seats lost in Congress in 2010 and 2012 and Obama keeping the WH.>> I'll agree. In fact I think the Republicans are so ineffective they couldn't get a stripper to do a line of coke. However I don't think the President has done his best to fully explain what this is going to entail which is leading to the confusion. As to your third point, no it's not selfish to think of yourself and your family first and foremost. You have to have the ability to handle your business first before you can worry about others. That's being selfish that's being realistic.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>And which you don't seem to care if individuals who work these companies(not the big wigs either) lose their jobs. That's pretty selfish on your part.<< Current situation: Millions uninsured. Future situation: Everybody insured. How in the world can that possibly translate to a loss of jobs in the health care industry? Heck, the *lack* of qualified health care workers and administrators to service such a massive demand increase is one of the Right's strongest arguments! Trust me on this one, DAR. If you're in any way currently involved in the health care industry, your future employment is very much assured.
Originally Posted By hopemax That's what I keep wondering? How does increasing the rolls of the insured by 50 million people = decreased job opportunities? Are robots going to be handling the phone banks, processing the paperwork? Plus, with another player competing in the pool of capable workers, there is a possibility for pay and benefits of such workers to go up. And it gives people one more option for employment, if they find themselves with a sucky boss who for some reason just hates your guts.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< The problem is the people who would deny us that option. >>> ... many of which are on a public option themselves, and don't want their applecart upset.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< But the nationwide proponents need to stop acting like the public option is the only good one for people. >>> Exactly who is acting this way, DAR? I certainly don't see it. What it seems to me is that a public option is one of several options that "they" want to make available. The public option probably would not be the best for people that currently have good coverage, but it may be a very good option for those people that for whatever reason aren't currently covered. Why are so many people that are currently happy with their coverage so dead set against someone else having a public option?
Originally Posted By DAR Because of people thinking that the public option will be better than the private industry will have to start laying off their employees.
Originally Posted By DAR << What it seems to me is that a public option is one of several options that "they" want to make available>> At the expense of the private option
