Senate Health Care Bill

[Getagroove]

Has there ever been a better example of the complete breakdown of our national government and the legislative process than the Senate health care bill that squeaked by last week? What a fiasco. Think about all of the months of committee meetings, town hall meetings turning violent and verbally abusive, spoken about ad nauseam in the 2008 Presidential campaign and this is the best we could do? It's bad enough that Senators take money from so many private interests that wind up influencing their votes but it's even worse when they raid the national treasury for the benefit of their States just to do the right thing. Vote for it or against it but extorting money from the taxpayers is really disgraceful.

All of these wrangling and extra expense to keep the private health insurance industry in business. That's why the damn thing was so complicated. All of this money spent to keep alive an industry that really isn't even needed in health care except to offer supplemental coverage. I doubt this bill will accomplish the things they say it will. There is nothing in this bill to control the costs of medicine, nothing to hold down premium rates, deductibles, and the pre-existing condition limitation is a sham. It allows companies to charge up to 300% more for people with pre-existing conditions or at an undesirable age. Competing with the government sponsored plan was the only thing that would have kept the insurance companies honest. The mandate to the insurance companies requiring them to spend 85% of their collected premiums on health care delivery as a mechanism for reducing a company's administrative costs is unlikely to work because they can just raise their premiums to pay huge salaries to CEOs.

I hope I'm proven wrong and this bill actually does what they say it will but my guess is it will not. I also believe things will have to get a lot worse for Americans, especially those getting coverage through their employers, before we have the national will to take truly bold steps. Unfortunately, much more pain will needed, much higher premiums for less and less care, with higher copays and deductibles, before the population is so angry it will no longer fall prey to phony arguments about socialism and so no politician will dare cross them or lose their job.

It's ironic isn't it that a health care bill can make a person sick?

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

I have no quarrel with controversy or divisiveness. I do have a quarrel with outright name calling on TBD, t'is all. Call me contrary for disliking patently bad behaviour exhibited by those who have been on the receiving end of ill will - and should know better as to how to behave. I'm hardly a paragon of virtue, but stooping to name calling is uncalled for. My friend has a fine mind, and can use it for better effect.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

"But Then of course, I'm certain you enjoy the spiraling health care costs and your pockets run deep enough to cover any contingencies. Moron."
George, surely this comment was unnecessary? And rather unintelligible too whilst I'm at it, considering the carefully worded and thoughtful commentary by Getagroove. I'm disappointed in you. Has TBD Ning been reduced to a venue whereby outright pejorative name calling has become the norm, most especially by those who have both the intelligence and the insight into how prejudicial behaviour feels - and should know better?