Unless they want to try communicating their proposal to the public on ABC.

he’s charged congress with writing the bill, and last time i checked, republicans were still part of congress.

Except when it comes to deficit busting, economy destroying pork barrel spending that’s supposed to save us all.

But thanks for the laugh, it was really funny in a totally absurd way

Personal responsibility is always a “tough sell” to leftist freeloaders.

and stop being paranoid. nothing in the excerpt you cite from obama’s speech indicates that he was addressing conservatives or republicans. how do you know he wasn’t talking about insurance or pharamaceutical companies?

ILC, I recall similar things vaguely as well. I do recall the some persons, mostly lefties, say “homophobic” and “self-loathing” when one has suggested something along the lines that “gays persons should stop taking meth” or “gay persons should stop spreading STDs.” But usually there was more thrown in with it, like overgeneralizations, broad brushes, etc., that accompanied it and, it seemed to me lead to the charge of homophobe or self-loathing. The charge was still false and inappropriate in those cases, but it didn’t seem to me to be because one said that gays should stop taking meth and stop spreading STDs.

In other words, it’s similar to someone saying, “Gee, someone just punched me in the face just because I said, ‘hello, how are you?’,” while neglecting to mention that he also called the person a no-good, lying, scum-sucking, boot licking piece of dirt. Sure, the respondent was wrong to throw the punch, but it more likely happened because of something other than saying “hello, how are you?”.

Anyway, I realize I’m putting a fine point on this, especially since my recollection is vague at this point. And there certainly could have been occasions where I missed the “homophobe” comments when it clearly followed, and was directly because of a “gays should stop taking meth and stop spreading STDs” comment.

Exactly how much more proof do we need that this is nothing more than an attempt by the Obama Party to force us to give them more money in exchange for nothing?

ILC, honestly, I haven’t even heard a leftist say that.

Sorry if I was painting with too broad a brush, but I have heard some commentors on this blog say it, commentors whom I consider leftists. I haven’t heard them say it to Ash specifically. I have a vague, generalized memory of NDT and others (possibly even me) saying things on the general lines of “gays should stop taking meth and spreading STDs”, and being called homophobic, self-loathing, yadda yadda, for taking the trouble.

What I came to say – A link on the myth of America’s uninsured:
http://www.businessword.com/index.php?/weblog/comments/2303/

The Census Bureau doesn’t [ed. - does NOT] tell us that 45.7 million people are chronically uninsured for the entire year… many of the survey respondents counted as “uninsured” may have experienced only a temporary interruption in their insurance. This circumstance is quite common… Many are uninsured for reasons unrelated to cost and don’t need to be “rescued” by mandatory socialized medicine… many are relatively affluent… financially comfortable young Americans choose not to purchase health insurance… because of the many mandates and regulations place on insurers by the states. This intentional avoidance of health insurance is quite common… Nearly 10 million uninsured aren’t even U.S. citizens! …Another 14 million of the uninsured are fully eligible for [existing] government assistance through programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP… a whopping 70 percent of uninsured children are eligible for Medicaid, SCHIP, or both programs. And roughly 27 percent of non-elderly Americans who are eligible for Medicaid [simply] haven’t enrolled…

ILC, honestly, I haven’t even heard a leftist say that.

I openly offered my assistance to him since I work in the industry.

Kudos for trying.

I openly offered my assistance to him since I work in the industry. He’s yet to even comment on the offer, much less accept. You can’t help someone who refuses.

Gee, and when I say gays should stop taking meth and spreading STDs, I’m a self-loathing homophobe.

Again: Who has said that to you, on this blog? Who wasn’t a leftist. Ever?

No, I don’t pay $800 a month–I can’t afford it.

Translation: I was right to surmise that you don’t pay but a fraction of your costs, and that you expect to rape other people’s pocketbooks and lives to make up the difference. Ash, you may get a laugh as Obama passes your plan, but you simply aren’t going to get me to tell you that it is anything but *morally* *wrong*. OK?

Hence, the need for affordable health insurance.

And when has the government ever made anything “affordable”? Decades of government intervention in medical markets are precisely what has made medicine less affordable. In effect, you offer poison as food and poison as antidote – the method of the Left. If you want “affordable” care in truth (rather than just to bitch, say), then reverse course. Now!

For every Canadian health care horror story, there are at least 10 uninsured in America horror stories.

I call bullsh*t. First, note that America happens to have just about 10 times the population of Canada; so you yourself are saying, perhaps without realizing it, that America is no worse than Canada. Second, many American “uninsured” want it that way: because they’re young and healthy and the government interferes with the insurance market, making it an unnecessarily bad deal for them, as there’s no morally valid reason why they should want to pay and pay to meet Ash’s expectations. Third, no American “uninsured” person is turned away from health care when they really need it, as you admit elsewhere.

Companies don’t want to insure people who might get sick… The American free market system weeds those people out…

Again I call bullsh*t. Ever heard of high-deductible policies, Ash? How about HSAs? (Usually they’re offered in combination) Companies insure sick people all the time… when they’re allowed to, and when the sick people in question have reasonable expectations.

And you will say, “It’s your fault if you get sick. You should eat less and exercise.”

Really? Is there a single discussion where I have said that to you, ever? Sounds like someone might have a guilty conscience.

Really, who has told you that?

Anyway, Ashpenaz, I am sympathetic to your plight, and wish that there was something that can help you. I just wonder if part of the problem is because there is government intervention in health care as it is. Even with increased funding for health care, employer subsidizing costs of health insurance, etc., health care costs are continuing to spiral out of control. So it’s no wonder you are not able to afford the health care you need for you and your mother.

I would be for nationalized health care if I thought it would help. But I just don’t see it working. I don’t think it would be even as “good” as Canada’s or Britain’s with all of its flaws.

A big part of the problem is that there are a lot of self-interests that are poisoning the political process here. Any reform is going to be a half-assed effort that will end up helping those more in direct proportion to their ability to poison the process. In other words, I see two possibilities. Either you will be worse off than you are now. Or it may help your situation temporarily, but someone else in the same boat will be worse off.

No, I don’t pay $800 a month–I can’t afford it. Hence, the need for affordable health insurance.

Because changing jobs is never an option…

And you’re on CHIP? How old are you?

No one will take me because I have high blood pressure

No one will take you at a price you’re willing to pay If you have insurance now (by your own admission you do) Then pre-existing conditions can’t bar you from coverage. Msot plans that have pre-existing have run-off periods where the pre-existing condition isn’t coveredm but again that wouldn’t apply.

So your options are:

a) Get another job to get better coverage through the employer.

b) Budget better to get more affordable heath care.

c) Get a job that pays more to buy the more expensive plan

d) Whine, suck your thumb, and steal someone else’s labour to make up for you not wanting a, b, or c.

Health care is too important to trust to the profit motive. The reason I can’t get health insurance is because I am, according to the companies, more likely to get sick. Companies don’t want to insure people who might get sick–they want to insure people who won’t get sick. So, the people who actually need health care can’t get it.

YAWN!!!!!

Your incessant whining is tiresome. Insurance companies cover sick people all the time. What they won’t pay for are moochers. There are plenty out there who cover pre-existing conditions. They can be found if you bother to look.

Won’t find them whining and moaning on here though.