drricklippin's Comments (649)

“Another sycophant that sounds more like the great silver tongued compromiser. What the Senator is expressing is exactly what I've said in numerous posts. One of the major problems with Medicare(that Advantage plans take care of) is that there are great access holes in many parts of the country(cities and states) because doc's are either not taking new "medicare" patients or are closing their practice to all Medicare and Medicaid patients because the reimbursement is to low. What we have is a set of bills with NO Medical Care reform at all, no cost containment and in the end not real insurance reform. what we have is a another transfer of hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer money to large corporate interests, in this instance the insurance companies. Why the hell do you think the insurance companies are so happy and have even stated publicly, that "we've won". Do the math, 30 million or so odd new customers at say $5000 a head(?) or more, that adds up to about 1.5TR over ten years or about $150B annually.”

“Lack of action when the consent of the governed is not on board with it is a good thing.
The democrats overreached on this.
Perhaps this will be like welfare reform in the 90s.
If Obama learns a lesson from what seems to be coming in the 2010 elections, he may, like President Clinton, work across the aisle with republicans and fashion a healthcare reform bill that can become law.”

“All I see is an opportunity to take a first step towards true universal, single payer HC.
Failure to pass anything is a GOP victory in 2010 but more successes despite those
obstructionists, would mean a more responsible and progressive future Congress.”

“Destabilize confidence in the legislative process? I wasn't aware that there were too many people left with confidence in the legislative process! Seriously, if the Democrats can't do anything meaningful while they hold the majority, it is because they fear losing campaign donations more than they fear their constituents. Until that changes, our interests won't be represented.”

“I am worried that Obama has already done that with the young people who so fervently supported him in the election. My activist students tell me that they are disappointed with Obama right now. They are taking a wait and see attitude regarding the next Presidential election.”

“Hey, it hasn't broken down! Give those sobs in congress some fat bill with a guaranteed body count and they'll go for it. They love war when other people's kids are involved.”

“amen”

“I totally agree. My wife and I are in our 60s and have lived in Germany and The Netherlands and traveled to over 28 nations, many of which are first world countries, many of which have better systems than ours. As our son, who has lived in Spain and Korea and is widely traveled is fond of saying, "Whenever someone says that we have the best health care system in the world in the US, I always ask them, 'where else have you ever been and where else have you lived?'"”

“Sorry Doc,
But this bill sux.

http://www.pnhp.org/”

“Because it costs money. This isn't about morality; as its most basic, it's about who is going to get more and who is going to get less. That's why it's a titanic struggle.”

“I will tell you how they have been out of touch, the greed and "fiscal responsibility" of the Republican Party. They would spend Trillions on wars but not a dime on their own people. They rebuild other countries in the name of spreading democracy and their own people suffer. Their priorities are up their a$$es. The party of No whenever they are in power, the country goes down the tubes.”

“My fear is that we'll see apathy among the voters who came out in record numbers in 2008 and return more conservatives to Congress and the state legislatures. Then, we'll see a consolidation of corporate power over Washington decisionmaking and no progress on the social and economic issues that badly need to be addressed - health care, financial industry regulation and reform, taxation, energy, environment, employment, etc. The Contract With America brought in a new Congress in 1994 which derailed progressive reforms for 14 years. It could easily happen again.”

“Drriklippin: What the heck do you call "stability?"
We've been bleeding like a stuck pig for decades with the amount of
trade deficit we have. The Senate and House has been milking and bilking
the public mercilessly. Think about it. Any chaos we'd see if the federal government
melted down a bit would not last long and the states would do a better job with less
overall taxing necessary in most locations.
I think your fears go beyond what reality would occur.”

“dooms day?

I do not think so.

Look, these duds are all sent packing, and we get some that might want to serve the people of the nation.”

“Oh I believe it .........y­ou aren't the only person who speaks of this .....”

“To orphan children because parents deprive themselves of care in order to support their children is morally repulsive.

The Senatorial deadlock is a democratic (small "d") strategy. Majorities will find it more difficult to abuse minorities. It will, obviously, be more difficult to protect anybody, but matters should already be in good order. Health care has entered a particular crisis over the past several years. Wendell Potter tells how insurance companies have gone from paying out 95% of their funds to care providers to paying out less than 80%. The story is more.

HMOs have also reorganized to increase profits. Hospitals arrange treatments so as to get the most insurance money. The argument that doctors and hospitals use more expensive procedures to avoid legal suits is false. Studies indicate that regions with more doctors do more procedures without improving the outcomes.

And the whole system is underwritten by the government which pays about half of all medical costs. This particularly encourages higher charges since the market charge was bearable (by definition), is still laid on the buyer, and the governmental payments are merely added in.”

“Dr Lippin,

If this reform fails to materialize into some meaningful restraint on the increases in medical insurance cost I hope that it would serve the purpose of, at least, demonstrating that we no longer have control of our government. Once it sinks in that democratic rule is no longer effective I would hope that a full scale revolt would be the result. It is the only hope we have now of wresting power away from the corporate lobbyists and contributors.

The tea baggers and libertarian conservatives may revel in the defeat of the proposed legislation, but they must also have some serious reservations about cheer leading the methods and motivations of our elected officials. Honesty and integrity are obviously no longer desired qualifications for public office.”

“You're not alone.”

“Enough already about the Nobel. You guys have talked and picked it to death.

I didn't want this war, but MY President thinks it is needed, then I'm with him.”

“OK, doc, now please give us the skinny on Acute Narcissistic Disorder, and identify any public figures you can think of for whom such a diagnosis might apply.”

“Oh wait, that is the corporate donations line.”

“History is on his side, you think?”

“Except that you know, with Obama it is merely a photo op. He is not going to cross any tangible line of success with this.”

“Hi Doc. Keep up the good fight.”

“Thanks Dr Rick Lets hope it all works out . True-
Morality & economics do not 'jive ' Since 1981 Reagonomics -trickle down - Bush's wars- Iraq
we were lied into- Reagan and Bush's trillions in fat cat cuts- ALL on Borrowed money from our China ATM Over the years - that ' perfect ' storm' of Reagan Bush ' events ' bad policy
led us to global collapse and the brink of a DEEP DEPRESSION
That' s what this Pres took on less than 1 year ago
FOX Beck Hanity Rush - GOP demonize him daily - even as he tries to clean up their toxic mess.”

“Let's hope it can overcome the alignment of immorality and greed that dominates the Beltway.”

“On board with you.”

“As always, well said Doc.”

“found this the other day and has alot of great information in it

http://www.pnhp.org/

Physicians for a National Health Program is a non-profit research and education organization of 17,000 physicians, medical students and health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance.”

“"Some people say to me, 'You would stop health-care reform because of the public option? I mean, you support a lot of this stuff!' So I say, I'll ask it another way: 'You mean the people who are supporting the public option, which is new to this debate, would stop all these reforms because they are stubborn?'"”

“This rare alignment certainly should have clear and present potential.­.. but will it be squandered by petty bickering and perversely misguided priorities?”

“Isn't it bizarre that Americans are not 100% behind reforming this system?”