More Bill O'Idiot

Dr. Zhivodka · Jul 30, 2009

It's not that he's obtuse but he is a mass consumer of the fringe media.

Mark Levine is his hero. Limbaugh he see's as a God. John Bolton is a flat out Deity a to guy like AAA.

Quote from smilingsynic:

AAA is one of the most obtuse people here--always has been. That's why most of us have put him on ignore.

bigdavediode · Jul 31, 2009

Quote from MRBRETTONWOODS:

The Americans that can afford specialized care can have it done with a shorter wait time and receive more invasive and proactive treatment.

Here's death rates from cancer by country (per 100,000 people):

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_dea_fro_can-health-death-from-cancer

Notice how the US is on the list and Canada doesn't even make the top ten.

There is no effective cost control in the Obama plan, the CBO has said that the program will be incredibly expensive.

Doubly impressive since the bill hasn't even been hammered out yet and the public option has already been stripped out.

The program is very compromised. The pharmaceutical industry is not being requested to make any major sacrifices.

What sacrifices do you have in mind?

The republicans and democrats are bought and sold by the same lobbyists, there isn't any difference to the bottom line at the end of the day.

I can't tell exactly, but it seems that Republicans have been the driving force behind changes favoring the insurance industry.

MRBRETTONWOODS · Jul 31, 2009

Quote from bigdavediode:

Here's death rates from cancer by country (per 100,000 people):

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_dea_fro_can-health-death-from-cancer

Notice how the US is on the list and Canada doesn't even make the top ten.

Doubly impressive since the bill hasn't even been hammered out yet and the public option has already been stripped out.

What sacrifices do you have in mind?

I can't tell exactly, but it seems that Republicans have been the driving force behind changes favoring the insurance industry.

Many people cannot afford the best healthcare the US has to offer, I'm not arguing against that.

The CBO has already said that the bill will be very costly if it becomes a law.

Obama's plan will still keep the same profits rolling into the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry.

The program will cost so much, that it takes away the efficiency, therein comes the government bloat.

This "democratic" bill will still keep all of the same inefficiencies and outrageous costs in the system, only to kick the can down the road for another day.

bigdavediode · Jul 31, 2009

Quote from MRBRETTONWOODS:

Many people cannot afford the best healthcare the US has to offer, I'm not arguing against that.

I agree. I would go further, even, and say that the average Joe is often not getting sufficient health care that isn't rationed by an HMO or some insurance company.

The CBO has already said that the bill will be very costly if it becomes a law.

The bill hasn't even been finished yet. From what I understand the public option (at this point) has been gutted out of the bill. Not to say that it couldn't be reintroduced.

Obama's plan will still keep the same profits rolling into the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry.

My understanding is that, unlike under Bush, that Medicare now has been granted the freedom to negotiate drug prices with drug companies. That's a massive cost savings right there.

The program will cost so much, that it takes away the efficiency, therein comes the government bloat.

This sentence doesn't make sense.

This "democratic" bill will still keep all of the same inefficiencies and outrageous costs in the system, only to kick the can down the road for another day.

Could be, the Republicans seem to have gutted the hell out of it.

MRBRETTONWOODS · Jul 31, 2009

The point is that the bill has been watered down to the point where it no longer provides much if any efficiency at all over the efficiency of the current healthcare system.

As long as the bill is filled with bloat (and much of that ends in up in the hands of private corporations) it will still harm our economy in the long run by increasing our outstanding government liabilities.

On a side note Democrats and Republicans are not much different, other than on some "moral" (i.e court appointments) issues, but when it comes down to more serious issues (i.e financial) they are bought and sold by the same bankers. Geithner worked for the NYFED, which is legally a private corporation owned by the large US banks.

bigdavediode · Aug 1, 2009

Quote from MRBRETTONWOODS:

The point is that the bill has been watered down to the point where it no longer provides much if any efficiency at all over the efficiency of the current healthcare system.

A lot of that blame can be laid on the feet of Democrats who are not threatening dissenting Democrats with total loss of DCC funding, and not ignoring the Republicans.

They are always, terminally, in compromise mode which seems to be a mistake.

But your statement makes little sense in that even small improvements can be a good thing -- such as banning the "pre-existing condition" nonsense that occurs now.

As long as the bill is filled with bloat (and much of that ends in up in the hands of private corporations) it will still harm our economy in the long run by increasing our outstanding government liabilities.

Considering that the entire national debt was approximately doubled during the last eight years I hardly worry about any comparatively small liabilities. The CBO's estimates are that the deficit will be dropping in the next few years under the Democratic administration.

On a side note Democrats and Republicans are not much different, other than on some "moral" (i.e court appointments) issues, but when it comes down to more serious issues (i.e financial) they are bought and sold by the same bankers. Geithner worked for the NYFED, which is legally a private corporation owned by the large US banks.

Some Democrats are, but ultimately the voting lines in the Republican party are much more delineated in favor of corporate interests.

bigdavediode · Aug 1, 2009

Using 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst possible and 10 is the best, how would you rate all your health care?

<img src="https://www.cahps.ahrq.gov/content/NCBD/Chartbook/HEALTHPLAN08/cahps08chart18.gif"></img>

MRBRETTONWOODS · Aug 1, 2009

LOL printing trillions of dollars is small?

Spending needs to be kept in check, budgets exist for a reason.

There is a very large difference between Quantitative easing and selling new debt. Then again you're just a software writer...

bigdavediode · Aug 1, 2009

Quote from MRBRETTONWOODS:

LOL printing trillions of dollars is small?

Depends on what period is being discussed.

Over a year? It's huge. Over a decade? Not so much.

Spending needs to be kept in check, budgets exist for a reason.

As a fiscal conservative I would argue that the fiscally prudent approach is some sort of single payer approach, given that every other industrialized country has done this for less money than the US.

There is a very large difference between Quantitative easing and selling new debt. Then again you're just a software writer...

Health care has zero to do with quantitative easing, unless you're thinking that the economy will be significantly stimulated by added job mobility of workers, or increases in doctor's visits -- either one is really a stretch on a national scale.

MRBRETTONWOODS · Aug 1, 2009

The fact of the matter is that Obama will print trillions (which is different from selling new debt) and that his healthcare system won't provide the cost efficiency needed for the budget.

LOL The CBO has said that the Obama budget will double the deficit within a decade.

It is not a black and white world. Again the democrats are not inherently good and the republicans are not inherently evil or vice versa, they are both bought and paid for by lobbyists (especially from the banking industry) at the end of the day, even democrats from Chicago (yes even Chicago, believe it or not......).

Who were the top sponsors in Obama's Campaign?
Goldman Sachs
JP Morgan
Citigroup
etc

Who were the top sponsors in Mccain's campaign?
Goldman Sachs
JP Morgan
Citigroup
etc

Which firms are issuing bonuses that come from GOVERNMENT money? 2+2=