We Finally Have Health Reform! And I Think I'm Going To Be Sick

Congratulations are in order -- to the Republicans. They got the health care bill they wanted.

What?

Yep. The strategy was ingenious. They forced the administration to concede and compromise, got much of what they demanded and they still get to complain when it fails. Brilliant.

But wait a minute; liberals are celebrating! They say it's a first step. They say these things take time. They're calling it a monumental achievement. That's a stroke of genius on the part of the Democrats. They have the base so conditioned to defeat that any lip service motion will come off as a victory. In fact, I believe the Dems have a new victory motto. "It's better than nothing."

Hip! Hip! ...aah, the hell with it.

We've been thrown a bone with no meat, been asked to pay for it, and are expected to say "thank you."

So what do we have in regard to health reform? I'll break it down in 5 simple terms.

#1: The bill is estimated to cost over a trillion dollars. That means higher taxes. Okay, so far so good because taxes for a good cause is money well spent. Right? Well, let's see.

#2: Health cost is yet undetermined but to many people, the estimates are still too much. Of course, the poor will need subsidies. So we're right back to instilling Medicaid in one form or another.

#3: The insurance companies hold the cards and their job is not to provide care; it's to prevent us from cashing in on getting care since it costs them money, and this is a business after all. They will decide what you can get and how much it will cost.

#4: Since payment is not contingent on income it won't matter if you make $150,000 a year or $50,000 a year. The cost will be the same. Again, the lower middle class, (i.e. those who need health care the most) will take the hardest hit.

#5: More small businesses will not provide health care, mainly since they won't be able to afford it. Besides, they're sure to realize that people will be mandated to get it anyway, so why bother?

Dennis Kucinich is the only one who got it right. He realized that what we needed was a government run system that would provide for those who can't afford to deal with the insurance companies. He voted against the bill and rightly so. Health care never has been, and never should be a "scored point" for one side or the other. It must be a program that cares for the people.

In a word, what the people got was defeat.

And the crowd cheers.

 

Comments

[Peacedog]

Michael Moore says we cannot expect meaningful reform from our politicians until we reform the way they are elected and I agree. The first step is publicly-financed elections.­..

[RT777]

Wow, and I thought all the stupid people were attending tea parties! The lobbying, lying, fear mongering, and misinformation continue to stack up. Passing a bill in this climate is a mind boggling feat. How could any of you expect perfection?

The question is this, do we proceed with something? Continue to work on it? Or give it up?

Funny thing is, now even many GOP leaders and congress folks are coming out to say SOMETHING has to be done. They waited on the sidelines, hoping for (and praying, sadly) failure.

Already, without reform I know, personally, 10 people who recently lost their insurance. They work for small business firms that simply cannot afford it. If we do NOTHING, the situation will explode over the next half decade. The 40 million uninsured will quickly grow to 100 million uninsured Americans.

This is serious stuff. Stop slamming the President - his goal is simple. Solve the growing health care problem in our Country. One that if left as is will consume the majority of our National budget. The GOP knows this well. Medicare, and Medicaid costs will continue to skyrocket. It could ultimately break the back of our Nation. No intelligent person will say otherwise.

Serious stuff, for serious people. The rest of you nutjobs need to go watch hannity or beck!

[Nelson Montana - Huffpost Blogger]

You've missed the point. You're also hopelessly confused. You think anyone who has criticism is a hard right Beck/Hannity watching conservative. That's the way it is when you're blind to being objective.

No one ever said we shouldn't have a bill. We just don't want a bad one. This one is bad.

Seriously.

[Dynamohum]

The current legislation should be rolled into toilet paper. I still don't understand all of the concessions to the Republicans when only one of them voted yes on the bill. A 2013 implementation date is callous considering the millions of Americans whose medical needs will go unattended between 2009-2013.

[writer10027]

We criticized Bush fans for being so blindly adherent that the trased people who dared suggest that he might be fallible.

Congrats, you're posting/thinking like a Bush fan -- just replace the word "Bush" with "Obama".

If you'll recall, our President has said very clearly that true friends speak trutfully and call each other out when it is needed -- and he asked for critical opinions as well as agreement to be voiced.

If you genuinely appreciate our President's capacities, then I suggest you take a good, long,
honest look at this health care bill and exercise your ability to think critically.

[Peacedog]

No need to call someone stupid because they have a different viewpoint.­.. especially when it is as valid and well-stated as Nelson's.

[pj100]

Then What I suggest is we keep healthcare they way it is and then everybody will be happy including
PAtina...S­o if any of you get sick and can't afford it we the tax payer will continue to pay the bills.. I guess thta's what your saying.

This bill is not perfect this go round but as we progress it can get better and will.. I also say you need not get mad at your president look to your state senators. I for one will not vote for dem that's a blue dog dem in the state of MD they only obstruct and never for what the people need... Some of the regular citizens don't want progress in this counrty only the wat things used to be (in there minds)

[Nelson Montana - Huffpost Blogger]

Why oh why must it be either a lousy bill or none at all? The point is, it is not what we were promised. And it is the Presidents bill. He could have said it was going to be a social program and THEN whoever didn't vote for it could be blamed.

And I predict it will not get better. Once all the special interest groups get their claws into it, it'l be even more expensive. How is that health care for everybody? Everybody can have health care now. The problem is they can't afford it! Forcing them to pay for it isn't the answer. It should have been provided and we should have a choice if we wanted the government care or a personal policy through a private insurance company. Simple.

Bottom line: Obama blew it big time.

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

You know it must be a crap bill when people from opposite ends of the political spectrum can agree. They need to scratch all the back room deals, start over, and SLOW DOWN.

[Bluedanube]

Thanks Obama. Thanks for nothing. Once again it's style over substance. Hooray!!!

[johncable]

The only rational approach to this potential travesty is to extract the "good things" such as recision abatement and pre-existing condition exemption and make that Health Care I. The insurance companies can scream about it and we can warn them that unjustified rate hikes will be closely monitored and price controls may be necessary if widespread abuse is found, as is justified by their anti-trust exemption (don't take it away from them just yet). Health Care II (a strong PO) can be done during the election of 2010, when we can really turn up the heat on Bluedogs in their districts and to the recalcitrant senators that are up for re-election. Then we can force Harry Reid, as a campaign issue, to pass Health Care II through reconciliation. I'll bet if the pot is made sweet enough for the lower 95 percent, the democrats will win a landslide. Or . . . we can continue down the trail we are on and the Democrats take a big one in 2010 and probably 2012. Time is on the side of a good health care bill, a rush would be disastrous.

[PATina]

hahahhaaha­haha.... scream about what? They just got 40+ million PAYING new customers.­.. and if the customers can't pay... the government will. Neither are they aren't required to cover any particular procedure or condition.­.. just give you a policy if you ask for it (and people will because this bill forces them to) and not cancel the policy if you get sick (which still doesn't mean they have to pay for any of your treatments).

And do you really think Health care II is going to work? What's going to stop the Dems from weakening that bill to make sure they have enough votes to pass it?

[pennypii]

I consider an increase in profits from 2 billion to 12 billion per year for insurance cos. enough of a "trigger" to already have been met

If government doesn't force us to buy, they have effectively priced themselves out of many markets. Before long, they would be losing business..­..oh wait...thi­s is where we are now....
.....manda­ting each citizen give money to these insurance cos.

This has been an interesting year to watch it play out in public. The citizens have been disenfranchised.

[Oldwave]

Bravo. It saddens me to see how many people think the House bill represents actual "reform". We will be worse off than we are now, and the Dems will pay for it. They have discarded the best chance they ever had to bury the Republican party.

[PATina]

I couldn't agree more. It was so surreal coming to Huff on Sunday and seeing so many people happy about this bill. I don't know if they really don't understand­... or if they were so distraught they were delusional­... but I can't figure out how anyone can think this bill is good.

[JohnFromCensornati]

It's amazing that the GOP still runs the show. They get a bill that favors the insurance companies, they get to pretend that it's socialism and vote against it, and they win whether it passes or not.

[MOCONSERVATIVE]

Its amazing that despite all evidence to the contrary, you think repubs are the only ones bought and paid for on the hill

[writer10027]

AGreed... AND they get a backdoor diminishment of abortion rights.

[AnimalLover6]

I'm not cheering. This so-called "Health Reform" bill is nothing but evidence that Congress is bought, Democrats and Republicans alike. Corporations run America. Americans themselves count for squat. We're just the peasants that the big guys who own the networks--from MSNBC to FOX--rile up in order to create a false sense of fair play, to make us think we actually have a voice. What a scam.

Bought. The whole government is bought.

[pennypii]

Agree..thi­s is becoming obvious to everyone. Our show goes on.