tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post8085293939558293611..comments2024-03-19T11:28:58.168-04:00Comments on History Unfolding: Perspectives on the Health Care DebateDavid Kaiserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05020082243968071584noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-32789696992171168442009-09-13T03:21:41.587-04:002009-09-13T03:21:41.587-04:00Less interstate Govt rules prohibiting competition...Less interstate Govt rules prohibiting competition and tort reform would go a long way toward solving the problem of the app 11 million chronically uninsured. The rest could be handled by numerous avenues, including local clinics staffed by a PA and carefully means tested. Many other good ideas out there but neither I nor anyone else have any right to take ill gotten money taken from taxpayers to pay for someone elses healthcare. It is each persons responsibility to take care of themself. WE have strayed too far from what made this country successful and great.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-35548440711538928332009-09-12T18:24:43.097-04:002009-09-12T18:24:43.097-04:00No, I did not forget anything. Just posted my opin...No, I did not forget anything. Just posted my opinion that the USA first needs a real healthcare system (not the current ad-hoc approach) and then - the hard part- we need to determine how to pay for it. I really believe that there is enough wasted money (e.g., unwarranted overhead costs, etc.) to cover everyone. This would avoid people going to the emergency room at high prices that the rest of already have to cover. If we had a real system, then the actual costs would be lower. Then the debate could shift to payment options. It is difficult to have any dialog with the current hard positions on both (all) sides.Conserv Radicalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12472171077269171301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-53893638478429704822009-09-12T13:29:38.392-04:002009-09-12T13:29:38.392-04:00You all forget one thing. Healthcare,a high paying...You all forget one thing. Healthcare,a high paying job, homeownership, a car, are not rights guaranteed by the constitution. Our founders are rolling in their graves. RIP America, You were once a great nation.Bobnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-86269121196553387972009-09-07T17:11:44.796-04:002009-09-07T17:11:44.796-04:00The US certainly needs a health care system (vs. t...The US certainly needs a health care system (vs. the current hodgepodge) that covers every citizen.<br />The there are two fundamental parts of this debate:<br />1. What kind of system should be designed?<br />2. How to pay for it?<br />The first thing is to develop a real health care system and then address how to pay for it. (It is my opinion is the US already pays enough to fund a good system, we just need to reallocate the wasted money).<br />-There is also no basis for unlimited tax exemption on health care insurance<br /><br />Suggest that everyone be in the same pool (i.e., no exclusions) and then simplify the private insurance company 'system' by limiting the number of companies, by competition, and have a total of 10-12 companies administer the program. (This should look similar to the current federal program for civil service employees).<br />-This should preserve the private industry -but streamlined for efficiency.<br /><br />One issue that must be addressed is that many Doctors currently refuse to accept Medicare patients- This must be corrected in the new system.Conserv Radicalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12472171077269171301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-73395212935331767682009-08-27T11:18:16.510-04:002009-08-27T11:18:16.510-04:00Ok Mr. Educated and elite northerner from the Oh s...Ok Mr. Educated and elite northerner from the Oh so elite blue states....<br /><br />First you INSULT those of us that live in the Red states (I could just read the patronizing tone in your words), then continue on to say that unions have lost power?! That Obama didnt not have an organized campaign? That is laughable. ACORN (one of the most marxists groups in America that should be on the same "Watch List" as any white supremicist group) made sure of that.<br /><br />Name for me ONE...ONE... USG run program that always runs with a surplus or even breaks even .... <br /><br />I dont like the escalating costs of medical care in this country either... but why dont we look at REAL solutions instead of just another social entitlement program.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15642688694333358505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-48202697534710839542009-08-27T10:30:08.013-04:002009-08-27T10:30:08.013-04:00Your characterization of anyone who disagrees with...Your characterization of anyone who disagrees with the Obama plan as either a) an undeducated dolt or b) an opportunistic Republican candidate should alert your readers to your incredible bias.<br /><br />There are many of us who oppose the Obama plan because it can't work as designed. You simply can't take the existing number of doctors, add 20% more patients and not expect that there will be rationing of medical services.JOENYCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-30949550983878818802009-08-26T18:12:21.284-04:002009-08-26T18:12:21.284-04:00'Not organized?!?' obama ran the MOST org...'Not organized?!?' obama ran the MOST organized campaign in the history of this country! Wow, I can't believe you actually wrote that! I really don't have anything else to say about what you wrote, because after the 'not organized' comment, I realized that you are too far gone. Except I will say that obama not only struck a deal with BigPharma, but he is negotiating with the 'big bad' insurance companies now, and they have agree that they don't mind being vilified by the administration, as long as they are in bed with the White House.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14706890754840680128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-23623041521003878072009-08-24T07:43:12.794-04:002009-08-24T07:43:12.794-04:00I don’t see any blame of the Obama Administration ...I don’t see any blame of the Obama Administration in all of this critique. While it is quite valid to point out the relative weakness of unions, it is also a telling remark that “Because most educated, professional Americans of liberal views are not organized and because unions have become so weak, they--like myself, for instance--aren't getting any comparable instructions.”<br /> Obama has quite rightly been distracted by the Great Recession, however, his organizational abilities belie a great spokesperson who doesn’t have a clue what to do once he gets what he wants – i.e. the White House. As mentioned this AM less than 20% of appointment posts have even been submitted for confirmation to Congress. Other aspects of this failure: the complete neglect of his electoral mobilization “grass roots” machine until only a few weeks ago. Remember that last spring Obama said he was ready to take on the insurance and drug industries in the healthcare fight, yet he his staff had done nothing to mobilize the base, and Obama instead was inviting the foxes into the henhouse to make deals which it appears he has, or is in process of making. <br /> The accusation has been repeatedly made on the Left that Obama gave up “single payer” legislation before anyone had even argued about it. He has done nothing to revise existing programs, like the Medicare Drug Program to include negotiating lower prices, he has done nothing to guide the legislative process except to publicly state that he is willing to accept just about any healthcare bill with or without a serious competitor for the private insurance monopolists.<br /> Here is the nut of it. While the structure of the Senate was purposefully built into the system to do exactly what is described in your essay – whether as a concession to the Southern states, or as a philosophical counter to pure majority rule – Lyndon Johnnson managed to twist enough arms, nor did he give away the store before the talking had even started.<br /> Franklin Roosevelt also used what today would be called bald class warfare to get passage of many of his programs.<br /> And Obama? He stumbles along just as one imagines Robert Redford would have done in the sequel to movie The Candidate. Remember? At the end of the movie, now that he has been elected, he says, “So what do we do now?”RUNNINGDOGLACKEYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14443783129580809991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8746692.post-74517721914176845442009-08-23T18:06:56.038-04:002009-08-23T18:06:56.038-04:00Very interesting post. I do think that you may ha...Very interesting post. I do think that you may have overlooked another segment of American society in this debate-- those of us who believe that the health care system is indeed flawed, but are extremely skeptical about government involvement doing anything to improve the situation. (Please let me know if you did address this segment, I admit that with a toddler running around the house, I may have missed it!)<br /><br />That being said, please do not read anything negative in my tone (as the internet is famously bad at conveying facts, much less "tone"!) The health care problem in this country is something that concerns me deeply, especially considering that my family and I do not currently have health insurance.<br /><br />I am interested in your opinion, as a much more experienced historian than I, where the 10th Amendment would fit into a national health care plan? I specialized in the 19th Century in my history courses, so I'm ashamed to admit I don't know much about how this may have come into play with the New Deal/Social Security debates. (And perhaps those debates would be more appropriate for comparison with today's events as opposed to McCulloch vs. MD and how Abraham Lincoln may or may not have overextended his role)Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07812990712338603065noreply@blogger.com