Buckeye State Blog - Hillary's hoodwinking us on health - Comments

By analogy to Mass where the plan has left about half the

sam dobermann — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 22:07:43 -0700

uninsured uncovered, Hillary's mandatory plan will leave 23-24 million people uncovered. This held true with previous state attempts of states to have mandatory insurance plans. They all failed with in a couple of years. These are facts, not the opinions of partisan experts.

These sorts of plans have been around since Nixon first proposed them.

The real dynamite in Obama's plan is his call for an OPEN HEARING where all interests will be invited to testify.

That's how Obama will make change. Open hearings to which all of you are invited via C-Span and web. You may not want to watch but you can be assured that a lot of "just plain folks" -- especially retired people -- will be watching.

There will not be closed hearings like Cheney's secret energy hearings. Hearings on health care will not be behind closed doors.

(Of course, some few hearings or parts of which, such as on military and foreign affairs might have to be closed, but for the most part he is committed to open hearings.)

Open Hearings because it's your government.

Can you imagine what hearings on health care, of all interests would be like? Testimony by patients, doctors, nurses, public health people, And those who can not get insurance. The hospitals who are going under because of the denials and the uninsured. Some state governors who are intelligent and knowledgeable about their state's financial problems with health care. (Mass Governor any one?)

Then questions for the executives of the insurance companies:

"And what is the pay of the CEO? the COO? the board of directors? and how much do you spend on advertising? on PR? gifts to doctors? on the claim deniers?" Same for Pharmas; the HMOs and on and on. And always the patients and the relatives of those who lost relatives to denials.

It could be as riveting as the Watergate hearings. The networks might pick it When all the facts are presented, do you think there will be much resistance to single payer? Do you think a whole lot of Americans would pressure reluctant legislators to pass it?

The other things Obama has proposed have to be done anyway such as IT improvement. Hillary's plan - any mandatory coverage plan, just gladdens the hearts (if they have any) of the insurance companies and HMO's.

OBAMA-ITES CAN'T BE BOTHERED WITH THE FACTS!

bluedogblitz2 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:27:23 -0700

Obama and the Obama-Rama Carnival Show is about to get a rude awakening when they lose Ohio. And if you cannot carry Ohio in the Primary, you won't carry Ohio in the General. Obviously, even with the caucuses which DO NOT give a representative perspective of preference in a Primary, about half of the voters prefer either candidate. But because HRC has won the very big states of California, New Jersey, and probably Ohio next, I have to say she is still very much a contender in this Primary. So keep selling those tickets to see the 3-legged calf, Obama-ites. It ain't over and the girl ain't going away just so you can have a balloon drop!

oops

netgui68 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:20:18 -0700

I thought you were addressing me, should have read closer rather than pulling the trigger...blush blush..sorry.

It is well documented if you look at previous exit polls

netgui68 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:18:17 -0700

I am not going to do the research for you. I know that this is factual and you can easily confirm it for yourself if you really want to and of course if you do not want the facts you can simply disregard anything I have to say. Your views are your views and mine are mine, I can promise you that I did a great deal of investigation before choosing my candidate, in fact I was for Edwards which I believe was really the best candidate, but hey the media kind of played him out and we only have two choices left, so I picked what I deemed the better of the two.

Kerry lost Ohio running

foist — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:14:47 -0700

Kerry lost Ohio running against the worst president in history. Bill Clinton barely won Ohio in '92, with Perot taking 20% of the vote. In '96 Bill won the state, though by less than Perot's 10+% margin. I doubt Obama can win Ohio in November, but I think he's got a better chance to take it than Hillary does, even if the Dem base goes for Hillary in the primary.

What experts are you referring to?

modernesquire — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:06:08 -0700

I'm sorry but every article I've read has said that not only is Clinton's attack about Obama's plan will leave 15 million uninsured is correct, but it may actually understate the figure. Newsweek did an entire story on fact checking the claims on health care over a month ago. And it said that Clinton's plan was the one more likely to lead to universal coverage than Obama's. The rest of your criticism about Hillary's health care plan applies equally to Obama's.

Relatively strange that the Educated are voting for him

netgui68 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:03:54 -0700

I find it strange that you say that and poll over poll shows he holds the educated vote by huge margins. Clinton prays on the rednecks and poorly educated...go figure.

Obama doesn't want you to think .. just hope

MacyDayton — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:56:34 -0700

Obama is smart and he speaks well. He simply needs to prove himself with legislative service, then he would deserve serious consideration for President. But definately not now, not with his thin resume, positions which are more like marketing strategies, and an unvetted past which may prove he's "politics as usual." Please THINK before you vote .. don't just HOPE Obama will be the one. ----------- That “inconvenient memo” http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/03/04/that-inconvenient-memo/ "I could see why Obama wanted to wrap it up. On the day before crucial votes in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont that could make him the Democratic presidential nominee, Obama, for the first time in his campaign, was facing two potential landmines. … (Also read Sweet’s account of efforts to nail Obama down on his long relationship with Tony Rezko, now on trial in Chicago’s federal court for bilking taxpayers and pension funds out of millions.)" ----------------- Local news on Obama's "slumlord" ally. 11 buildings in Chicago State Senator Obama's district are now boarded up rezko received money to rehab these buildings http://youtube.com/watch?v=rDHsHM0laT8 ------------ "It is hard to discern whether Senator Obama is a man of principle, but it is clear that he is not a man of substance. And that judgment, based on his hollow record, is inescapable." Obama's Hollow 'Judgment' and Empty Record - by Joseph C. Wilson http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=27134 ------------ Barack Obama: There Will Be Bamboozling http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuB_W8o_UsU ------------ "A short story of the real Barack' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o166Eb_puo

You are Misinformed

Sherri — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:56:50 -0700

Your post is simply wrong. You are terribly misinformed. Here is a partial list of Senator Obama's hard work and achievements. This information is so easily available. It is really too bad that people don't take a minute to be informed.

1. After visiting weapons stockpiles in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan, Senators Lugar (R-IN) and Obama introduced the Cooperative Proliferation Detection, Interdiction Assistance, and Conventional Threat Reduction Act of 2006 in the 109th Congress, which would expand the cooperative threat reduction concept to conventional weapons. The Lugar-Obama bill would energize the U.S. program against unsecured lightweight anti-aircraft missiles and other conventional weapons and would strengthen the ability of America's allies to detect and interdict illegal shipments of weapons and materials of mass destruction. Funding would be provided to eliminate unsecured conventional weapons and to assist countries in improving their ability to detect and interdict materials and weapons of mass destruction. The Lugar-Obama bill was included in the Department of State Authorities Act of 2006 and was signed into law by President Bush in January 2007.

2. Since arriving in Washington in 2005, Senator Obama has been a strong supporter of defense funding. He has supported the annual Defense Department appropriations bills and supplemental appropriations bills that fund American troops fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senator has also supported pay raises for the troops, efforts to improve military readiness, and the acquisition of new weapons systems.

3. Senator Obama successfully passed legislation in the Senate to force the Pentagon to work towards an efficient electronic medical records system that will help ensure better care for our nation's troops. It is Senator Obama's goal for each separating service member to receive a secure electronic copy of his or her military and medical records at the time of discharge to smooth the transition to the Department of Veterans' Affairs health care system.

4. Senator Obama joined with other Illinois members of Congress to protect Illinois' military bases during the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. Illinois military bases - such as the Springfield Air National Guard, Rock Island Arsenal, Peoria Air National Guard, and Scott Air Force Base - are critical to protecting the state and the nation.

Unfortunately, despite the efforts of the Illinois delegation, the state will lose some base presence as a result of BRAC. Senator Obama will continue working with the affected communities to reduce the numbers of jobs that are lost and to ensure that the schools and communities near the affected bases continue to thrive despite BRAC.

5. Senator Obama introduced an amendment that became law providing food services to wounded veterans receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation services at military hospitals. Previously, service members receiving physical therapy or rehabilitation services in a medical hospital for more than 90 days were required to pay for their meals.

6. Senator Obama passed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). TBI is being called the signature injury of the Iraq war. The blast from improvised explosive devices can jar the brain, causing bruising or permanent damage.

7. Working with Senators Akaka and Craig, Senator Obama passed legislation in December 2006 to provide comprehensive services and affordable housing options to veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Housing and Urban Development and nonprofit organizations. This legislation was signed into law and is modeled on parts of the SAVE Act and the Homes for Heroes Act, a measure that Senator Obama had previously authored.

8. Senator Obama cosponsored the Combat Meth Act, which provides more money for fighting methamphetamine (meth), tightens controls on the sale of meth ingredients, and provides assistance to the children of meth abusers. The legislation would limit access to cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredient used to make methamphetamine. This bill passed the Senate and became law in the 109th Congress.

9. Senator Obama cosponsored Dru's Law which creates a nationwide sex offender database and requires greater monitoring of sex offenders upon their release from prison. The bill passed the Senate in July of 2005. This legislation was incorporated into a larger bill, the Adam Walsh Child Protection Act, which Senator Obama supported and which has been signed into law.

10. Senator Obama is a cosponsor of the KIDS Act, which requires convicted sex offenders to provide their Internet identifiers, such as e-mail addresses and instant message addresses, for inclusion into the national sex offender registry.

11. Senator Obama cosponsored the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act which passed the Senate on October 4, 2005 and was subsequently signed into law. The Act provides important funding and assistance to help communities, non-profit organizations, and law enforcement combat domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Act establishes a sexual assault services program and provides grants for education programs to prevent domestic violence and encourage reporting of abuses.

12. In the 109th Congress, Senator Obama, working with Senator Lautenberg, introduced tough legislation to drastically improve security at our nation's chemical plants. The Chemical Security and Safety Act would establish a clear set of federal regulations that all plants must follow. Plants that are considered a high risk to large population areas or critical infrastructure would face more stringent standards. The bill would require chemical facilities to take steps to enhance security, including improving barriers, containment, mitigation, and safety training, and, where possible, using safer technology, such as less toxic chemicals or safer procedures.

13. Senator Obama drafted an amendment to provide $37.5 million over the next five years to protect the country's drinking water from a terrorist attack. The amendment also instructs the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control to develop the tools needed by drinking water systems to detect and respond to the introduction of biological, chemical, and radiological contaminants by terrorists. His amendment was included in the Safe Drinking Water Act, which passed the EPW Committee in July of 2005.

14. Senator Obama worked with Senator DeMint to introduce the Education Opportunity Act in the 109th Congress. This proposal would make grants available to low-income high school students to earn college credit at their local university or community college. Such grant support for high school students, who may not have exposure to college-level programs in their school, would allow students to qualify and earn credit for at least one college class each semester, giving them a greater chance for success on their path to a college diploma.

15. In the first two weeks of the 110th Congress, Senator Obama helped lead the Senate to pass the Legislative Transparency and Accountability Act, a comprehensive ethics and lobbying reform bill, by a 96-2 vote. This landmark bill was signed into law by the President in September 2007.

16. Senator Obama has co-sponsored the Working Family Child Assitance Act along with Senators Snowe and Lincoln, to adjust the income requirement for the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit. This will put more money in the pockets of more working families with children, who are struggling to make ends meet.

17. Senator Obama sponsored the Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act. The bill would shed light on the almost 16,000 earmarks that were included in spending bills in 2005. Under the bill, all earmarks, including the name of the requestor and a justification for the earmark, would have to be disclosed 72 hours before they could be considered by the full Senate. Senators would be prohibited from advocating for an earmark if they have a financial interest in the project or earmark recipient. And, earmark recipients would have to disclose to an Office of Public Integrity the amount that they have spent on registered lobbyists and the names of those lobbyists. Several of these provisions were included in the ethics and lobbying reform bill that passed the Senate in January 2007.

OBAMA NOT QUALIFIED....

bluedogblitz2 — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:31:55 -0700

and has not earned the right to sit in the Oval Office. There. Let's just be honest about it. He has not prepared himself. He has not done anything of any real substance, including failing or succeeding with some significant project. So he organized a community neighborhood. Big deal. Haven't we all organized something like that? I mean, that's the trademark occupation of every so-called activist in this party. Hell, ask anyone in Philadelphia and atleast 5000 people will tell you they are "activists." Hardly an experience of breath and depth to qualify one for President of the United States. No, the guy is buying the vote with with the most intellectually dishonest campaign I've seen in decades. And their main strategy is to dilute the Democratic base vote with interlopers, independents, and 20 year olds who don't know shit from shinola. If Obama cannot carry Ohio, he cannot carry the rest of the country! If he cannot carry Ohio, he will not win. And Obama will not win Ohio. GET READY TO LOSE AGAIN IN NOVEMBER, DEMS.

Hillary's hoodwinking us on health

dianacal — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:38:40 -0700

Or, universal doesn't really mean universal…

Hillary Clinton keeps saying it: universal, universal, universal. Pretty soon people start believing it. That’s how she’s captured the loyalty of voters who want all Americans to have health insurance.

It’s a sound bite, not a solution.

Clinton says her plan will provide universal coverage. It won’t. Mandates rarely achieve universal coverage, and have failed in many states due to escalating costs. The latest case is Massachusetts, where, in a program similar to Clinton’s, half of eligible people have still not enrolled because premiums are unaffordable. Massachusetts residents can now be penalized as much as several thousand dollars for not buying insurance. Meanwhile, the program’s budget is ballooning, and officials fear it may become unsustainable.

Clinton has not said how her mandates would be enforced, but anguishing choices would be inescapable.

Clinton claims Obama would leave 15 million Americans without health care. Many respected analysts believe the number would be far lower with new mechanisms for making care affordable and accessible. In fact, some experts argue that with creative approaches, Obama’s plan might actually leave fewer uninsured than Clinton’s.

Many aspects of Clinton’s plan arouse opposition, including the prospect of the government forcing people to buy insurance they can’t afford, the plan’s reliance on private insurers that are widely mistrusted, and the adequacy of its funding provisions. But the biggest problem is its lack of a serious brake on costs.

Clinton and Obama propose similar cost-control measures, but not the fundamental overhaul many experts recommend. There is growing agreement that only a single payer system, modeled on Medicare, can reign in costs and save billions in administrative expenses.

A plan that mandates universal coverage without controlling costs is doomed – as Massachusetts is discovering. Clinton’s proposal could magnify these problems many-fold. In contrast, Obama’s more modest approach is both fiscally responsible and politically doable.

We mustn’t be hoodwinked by a label and allow Clinton’s insistence on a universal mandate to derail health reform again, as it did back in 1993. Until single payer reforms gain traction, Obama’s plan is the best option.