The insurance companies are claiming that a public option that would make insurance available to everyone and inject competition into the marketplace would put them out of business. Well, if a few fat, weak, poorly run insurance companies have to fail, so be it. The US government should not financially support insurance companies by withholding health care from citizens and preventing competition just so a poorly run insurance company doesn't fail. 80% of all new businesses fail in this country due to the competitiveness of the marketplace. Failing businesses are as natural a part of this economy as the dime or nickel. That's the natural consequence of competition - adapt or die. The government should not only let the fat, poorly run insurance businesses fail, but it should help make it happen.
Howling,
Brooklyn Beagle
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Opting-out
I am not convinced that an opt-out provision (allowing states to opt-out of the public option) is the best way to garner sixty votes in the senate to pass meaningful and effective health care reform.
First, why would a state want to opt-out? It is likely because the insurance industry has sufficiently lined the pockets of the state politicians. It is a good chunk of money to fund the re-election campaign. Also, on principle, Republicans just hate the idea of government involvement in anything, except of course, what we do in our bedrooms, what we say and to whom in our telephone conversations and e-mail, and which sites we visit on the internet. So, the state GOP would opt-out as soon as it had the majority in the state legislatures and the governor’s office. When I first heard about this op-out provision, I thought that it might work if the opt-out had to be passed by two-thirds of the state’s voters. But, given the lack of informed voters, the gullibility of the general public, and the vast sums of money the insurance industry has spent on campaigns in the past, I have no doubt that the industry will dedicate obscenely large sums of money spreading disinformation through wide media campaigns to convince the public to vote to opt-out. Out of ignorance and/or laziness, people vote against their own interests all the time.
Second, there seems to be a consensus among liberal pundits that smaller, poorer states like Alabama and other southern states are the most likely states to opt-out. So, if they do opt-out, what happens to their citizens who are now required to have medical insurance and are at the mercy of the one or two insurance companies who do business in their small states? To be sure, health care reform would not have improved the lives of those citizens, it would have imposed additional burdens on them and made their lives worse.
So , I urge the Senate leaders to pass a meaningful and effective health care reform bill (with a robust public option and without triggers, opt-in or opt-out provisions) through the reconciliation process, not by selling out the citizens in order to get a few, if any, Republicans to vote for it. As for the Blue Dogs, just tell them that you will revoke their committee chairmanships and other influential positions that they hold if they try to block it. Then do it. It is that important.
First, why would a state want to opt-out? It is likely because the insurance industry has sufficiently lined the pockets of the state politicians. It is a good chunk of money to fund the re-election campaign. Also, on principle, Republicans just hate the idea of government involvement in anything, except of course, what we do in our bedrooms, what we say and to whom in our telephone conversations and e-mail, and which sites we visit on the internet. So, the state GOP would opt-out as soon as it had the majority in the state legislatures and the governor’s office. When I first heard about this op-out provision, I thought that it might work if the opt-out had to be passed by two-thirds of the state’s voters. But, given the lack of informed voters, the gullibility of the general public, and the vast sums of money the insurance industry has spent on campaigns in the past, I have no doubt that the industry will dedicate obscenely large sums of money spreading disinformation through wide media campaigns to convince the public to vote to opt-out. Out of ignorance and/or laziness, people vote against their own interests all the time.
Second, there seems to be a consensus among liberal pundits that smaller, poorer states like Alabama and other southern states are the most likely states to opt-out. So, if they do opt-out, what happens to their citizens who are now required to have medical insurance and are at the mercy of the one or two insurance companies who do business in their small states? To be sure, health care reform would not have improved the lives of those citizens, it would have imposed additional burdens on them and made their lives worse.
So , I urge the Senate leaders to pass a meaningful and effective health care reform bill (with a robust public option and without triggers, opt-in or opt-out provisions) through the reconciliation process, not by selling out the citizens in order to get a few, if any, Republicans to vote for it. As for the Blue Dogs, just tell them that you will revoke their committee chairmanships and other influential positions that they hold if they try to block it. Then do it. It is that important.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Glenn Beck Is a Fake!
Finally! Proof that Glenn Beck fakes his tears! Watch the video below, taken during a photo shoot. At Beck's request (first line of the video) they put Vaseline under his eyes to make tears form.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Won't Back Down
More on Rep. Alan Grayson's call out of the Republican health care plan: As always, the Republicans expressed their outrage and accused Rep. Grayson of degrading "the integrity and proceedings of the House." In their typical self-serving manner, the Republicans ignored the fact that their own had made numerous false claims on the floor about Democratic plans:
On Wednesday, Grayson took to the house floor to apologize, but it was not what the Republicans expected. This video is a must see.
I guess we can still have heroes.
– “Last week Democrats released a health care bill which essentially said to America’s seniors: Drop dead.” [Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), 7/21/09]The Republicans nevertheless demanded an that Rep. Grayson apologize for Tuesday's call out. Nancy Pelosi refused to tell Rep. Grayson to apologize. In response to the Republican demand, Grayson said that he did not plan to apologize. "It is just another example of how they are constantly trying to change the subject. Nobody really cares about their feelings," Grayson said. "We are not sent here to make the other members feel good," he said. "We are sent here to solve America's problems. Only in their own narrow minds would they think what matters here is how they feel."
– “They’re going to save money by rationing care, getting you in a long line. Places like Canada, United Kingdom, and Europe. People die when they’re in line.” [Rep. Steve King (R-IA), 7/15/09]
– “The Republican plan will make sure we bring down the cost of health care for all Americans and that ensures affordable access for all Americans and is pro-life because it will not put seniors in a position of being put to death by their government.” [Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), 7/28/09]
– “That’s exactly what’s going on in Canada and Great Britain today…and a lot of people are going to die.” [Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA), 7/10/09]
– “One in five people have to die because they went to socialized medicine! … I would hate to think that among five women, one of ‘em is gonna die because we go to socialized care.” [Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX), 7/15/09]
On Wednesday, Grayson took to the house floor to apologize, but it was not what the Republicans expected. This video is a must see.
I guess we can still have heroes.
Tell It Like It Is
Republicans CALLED OUT on health care "plan"
In a controversial speech on the House floor Tuesday night, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) accurately summed up the Republican alternative health care proposal: “die quickly.” The short two minute presentation is well worth watching:
In a controversial speech on the House floor Tuesday night, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) accurately summed up the Republican alternative health care proposal: “die quickly.” The short two minute presentation is well worth watching:
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