milesz's Comments (15)

“His statements regarding health care reform are as realistic as his terminator movies. Come on guv, you say you want reform but reform to you is not to reign in insurers that charge an arm and a leg for health care premiums. What you mean by reform, don't ya guv, is that insurers should get millions more insureds through a mandate on all Americans, charge what they want for premiums because there won't be a public option, and limit (as in the Baucus Bill) those who can get subsidies. Now, guv, you think your state is in a financial hole, wait until your type reform comes into being. You won't have a state to govern then. Wise up guv; why don't you rely on what your wife has to say about how health care reform should come about.”

“It is finally time that elected officials start to chip away at why health care is do damn expensive in the U.S. compared to other industrialized nations. Three cheers for Dorgan. Now, let's get this bill passed, get the public option and put insurance regulations, like no pre-existing conditions to bar coverage, in place, and eliminate the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, before year's end!”

“Now that Kennedy is buried and has gone to his Maker, it dawned on me that his value was, oddly enough, the same value that Yogi Berra, the famed Bronx Bomber catcher of days past, has articulated - - - - of course, in his own way. Yogi says, "it ain't over till its over". Kennedy's value was in his persistence, drive and doing what was right without deviating from the principles he believed in. While coming from completely different backgrounds, they arrived at the same end point. Honoring Kennedy is like still honoring the Yogi man: as applied to health care reform, if we want such reform and want to defeat the outright lies and dishonest statements spewed forth by those who oppose healthcare reform, we know it ain't over till its over, so that means we all have to hit the ground every single day now until President Obama gets a bill (to honor Kennedy and all he stood for in this arena).”

“I was present during that first session. Kirk knew not of what he spoke! When I told him that the present tort system added only .58 of one percent to overall health care costs per the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, he bristled, became flustered, and then handed the mic over to one of his medical advisors to respond. Also, when he said that the public option would interfere with the doctor-patient relationship, he couldn't respond when told that in three US Supreme Court decisions since 2000 an issue was private insurers interfering with what and how the doctor wanted to treat the patient. And he kept on saying that health insurance premiums in California were only about $2500.00, when current figures show double that amount. Kirk needs more than his articulate ways to convince those with the real facts!”

“The death of Teddy Kennedy should not be in vain for that which he fought so gallantly. Neither should it be the ONLY reason to ensure passage of health care reform before year's end. His death should be a symbol of that which is possible by working long enough, hard enough, and passionately enough in order to make a difference. The merits of health care reform as proposed stand on their own. Now, let's make it a reality - - - if we continue to keep in mind what Kennedy taught us all to do if we really want to see something accomplished in our lifetimes.”

“I hope someone in the administration or one of its supporters reads this comment. If President Obama is serious about not allowing insurance companies to interfere with patient care rendered to the patient from the doctor, then the Supreme Court decisions in Aetna v. Davila and Cigna v. Calad must be dealt with. These cases pertained to managed care companies being allowed to use the ERISA law as a shield against state-based liability claims brought on when managed care entities dictate what care a patient should be given by his or her doctor.”

“Speaker Pelosi hit the "nail on the head". Passage of true health care reform will be the Republicans "Waterloo"; not Obama's as Sen. Dimint blurted out the other day. This legislation will be among the most momentous, if not the most significant, pieces of legislation to pass through the halls of Congress in a century. And it will happen, IF, and only IF, all Americans get over being frightened by stories told to them by opponents of healthcare reform not based at all in fact, then we, and our offspring and their children to come, will all benefit. And even the CBO has scored HR 3200 (what Pelosi wants passed before the August recess) as DEFICIT NEUTRAL, so now cost becomes secondary. It all comes down to the "game" of politics, but we should not tolerate one iota our lives and our health being the poker chips for it.”

“When forces opposing Obama's healthcare legislation cannot counter it on the merits, the political playbook says the first thing one does is to say the "sky is falling". Guess what those forces are saying to all us Americans? So, the nastier the attacks become (ala, for example, wwhat Jim Dement (R-S.C.) said the other day or Michael Steele most recently, the more worried those forces are becoming that we will all see real reform the way Obama is proposing it. Let's get healthcare reform done now, and pronto!”

“There is a cardinal rule in politics for politicians (and strategists) - - - if you can't contest an issue on its merits, then declare the "sky is falling". Steele would get an "A" for what he said today because he is just using scare tactics to defeat what the Obama administration is presenting. Unfortunately, he (Steele) doesn't know a damn of what he was told to say. Our nation is knee deep in "quick-sand" called the present health care delivery and access system, where only millions more will lose coverage if what is on the legislative table is not passed this year. Steele speaks for those who only care about the bottom line, regardless of whether millions of Americans cannot access our nation's health care system in an affordable way.”

“Ask the American public that can afford it if they would be willing to be taxed an additional $100.00 bucks per year in order to have afforadable and accessible health care with a public health care insurance plan as an option? Betcha most Americans will say, "yes". Just like between 72%-86% of American in recent polls saying they want a public health care insurance option. One other point: yesterday, the pharmaceutical indistry agreed to reduce costs (in the billions(?) to cover the "doughnut hole" with prescription drugs under Medicare. Isn't this like admitting that we have been overcharged by this industry???”

“Here's the bottom line: the big monied interests versus every single American who deserves the right to health care that is affordable and accessible. The former will go along with reforms SO LONG AS it doesn't hurt the bottom line. But with health care, change will mean that the bottom line will have to change. As proof is in the pudding, so to speak, a public health insurance plan option for all Americans should not be a threat to private industry - - - after all, private interest says it has the best plans for the cheapest buck - - - so why should private industry be afraid of another option. Come on everyone, all Americans know why! Because private industry plans really do NOT provide the best for consumers of health care services; do NOT provide what is best for the provider who renders health care services; and is NOT as efficient as it continually says that it is. At the end of the day, a publiuc health insurance plan option provides the ncessary competition so that all Americans will receive affordable, quality coverage that is administered efficiently among all options that will be available to the consuming public. The time for health care being a right that all citizens should be able to access and afford has once and for all arrived!”

“It sounds like the folks in the House really do get it! What is so wrong with a public plan as one of the options from which all Americans can choose depending upon their circumstances? Also, Members of the House who crafted this bill realize that their health insurance is funded with taxpayer dollars and is probably the best coverage money can buy. So if those we out in Congress can have a public plan, why not have them allow us the same benefit if we can afford it and wish to pay for it? Go get 'em House Democrats!”

“"Throwing the slop against the wall" by the Republican ticket has got to stop! It just shows how desperate they are now because Americans are too smart to not see through it all! Also, they keep raising this Ayers fellow. How many reading this comment still go to see Jane Fonda in her movies (like "Georgia Rules" or other of her movies in recent years?). Realizing I am being sarcastic here, did you know that she supported radical causes with her once husband, Tom Hayden (a former rep. from Ca.) in the same era as Ayers. Gee whiz, all of us who pay good money to see her in movies must be as bad as Obama and his (tenuous) relationship with Ayers when Ayers was just as radical as Fonda but during a time when Obama was only 8 years old, huh?”

“McCain and Palin know they have nothing more to offer the American electorate when all they can do now is try and "throw mud" on Obama/Biden; how disgusting . . . but how American? Also, does anyone remember the movie, Network, when actor Peter Finch bellowed out, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take this any longer"? He was lamenting the state of the economy, jobs, environment, and . . . "banks going bust". But guess what, the movie was made, not today, but in 1976!”

“When candidates start "slinging mud" as Palin and McCain are now doing toward Obama/Biden, they know they have nothing more of substance to convince us that they should lead our country for the next four years. To put it in terms of a football metaphor, they have no more time outs left remaining, the clock has 30 seconds on it, and they are losing by 2 touchdowns!”