Jack & Jill Politics

dthomas

“Single payer: no
Public Option: No
Medicare expansion: No”

I see you are on your morning rant. I don't necessarily disagree with you on the mandate to buy private insurance but the vote in the House was
219-212. Where were all these votes for the single payer and the public option? Oh don't tell Obama was going to pull the votes out of his magic hat? If that's what you wanted how was it going to get done? Tell me dthomas or are you just ranting as usual.

Where were all these votes for the single payer and the public option? Oh don't tell Obama was going to pull the votes out of his magic hat?

THIS

If that's what you wanted how was it going to get done? Tell me dthomas or are you just ranting as usual.

THAT

Arthur Davis is one stoopid fool! Let him weep!

“Where were all these votes for the single payer and the public option?”

When Dennis Kucinich initially refused to vote for this health care bill, what did Obama do? And what was the result?

“he'll be smart enough to realize that with the passage of this bill, fighting for the things he and his ilk want (Single payer, public option, etc.) just became significantly easier.”

How so? How is legally forcing people to buy private health insurance a step (even on an incremental level) towards a Public Option or single payer? Where am I going wrong?

Do you have the link for that conversation? I do not live in a TJMS market, so I rarely follow it online.

I made the call, Zack!

Actually Kucinich voted against the first bill that Congress came up with which actually included a Public Option. So there is very little evidence that exist that proves he was just “posturing” by withholding his vote. And if he was just “posturing”, why did the President hold a campaign rally in his district/ state while lobbying to get his vote? Did the President stage this campaign rally in his state because they thought he was “posturing” too?

More importantly, you side stepped my question: What did the president do in response to Kucinich withholding his vote (the way the Blue Dogs and Lieberman did so that they could get rid of the Public Option and Medicare expansion for their insurance buddies)and what was the result?

You asked what the president could have done to get the votes for the Public Option….well he certainly found something to do to lobby for Kucinich’s vote, did he not? Why were those actions not there with Lieberman and the Blue Dogs when they were holding their votes out because they wanted the Public Option and Medicare expansion gone?

I could rub in his face right now that he and his Hamsherite buddies lost last night

Let him read it and weep!!!!!!!!!!!! Just scroll right past that crap. We have to move on to better things than to hear whining all day. Sheesh!

Okay, let play your game and pretend it went down the way you claim it did (I say “pretend” because I don't know if this is actually your own opinion or if you're parroting FDL talking points here).

Are you telling me that Kucinich's “principles” are so frail that they couldn't withstand a little pressure? I find it funny you're trying to make Kucinich the unwilling victim of big bad Obama and his “Chicago Way”.

And as far as:

“….Why were those actions not there with Lieberman and the Blue Dogs when they were holding their votes out because they wanted the Public Option and Medicare expansion gone?….”

Since you mentioned Lieberman, I'm assuming you're referring to the Blue Dogs in the Senate. Out of all of those people, which one is up for re-election this year?

But let's focus on Lieberman for right now. Let's remember that Lieberman is:

1) A self-serving asshole, who
2) sided with Obama's opponent in the general election,
3) isn't up for re-election until 2012, and when 2012 arrives,
4) is going down in horrible defeat, which means expect him to announce his retirement before then.

Given all that, what the hell do you think Obama could've said and/or done to punish this guy?

“Angry over health reform vote, Conservative blogger posts Twitter call for Obama assassination

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/0…

“FBI officials are investigating a self-proclaimed conservative blogger after he used his Twitter account to call for the assassination of President Obama on Sunday night.

Solomon “Solly” Forell tweeted: “ASSASSINATION! America, we survived the assassinations of Lincoln and Kennedy. We'll surely get over a bullet 2 Barack Obama's head.”

Another post said, “The next American with a clear shot should drop Obama like a habit.”

It's time to start tuning them out, Myth. Obama could cure cancer, end all wars and poverty worldwide, and they'd still complain.

“Listen to Guns3000:
“…If a public option is what he really wants he should be jumping for joy right now. Real change is done in increments not one swipe.”

I'll ask again. How is forcing people to buy private insurance with a mandate an incremental step towards getting and ALTERNATIVE to these very private insurers?

“You think the republicans would have threw the kitchen sink to try to kill this bill if this was all it was going to be?”

It doesn't matter what Obama and the Dems pass domestically, the lunatic republicans will always portray it negatively because they want to create the perception of a failed presidency for their own electoral purposes. The stimulus was 1/3 tax cuts and they still attacked the program. You act as if the Republicans are opposing Obama based on genuine policy concerns.. it has nothing to do with policy, only about destroying the president by any means necessary.

Hey Lamh, SG2 posted here information about Michelle Obama's trip to NYC on yesterday. I knew you were planning to go and wanted to hat-tip some points of interest to: The Broadway Musical “Memphis” and Blue Hill Restaurant in Greenwich Village were the POTUS/FLOTUS dined when they were there last year.
Hope your trip plans are coming well. I plan to be there in late Spring.

Anyone catch the beginning of The View?

Elizabeth Hasselback is a child. Whoopi tried to have a conversation about the lack professional decorum in Congress (with the spitting and cussing etc) and that child tried to explain away how angry Republicans were…

It me think about the backlash given to African American athletes who might get too passionate about their work, which happens to be of a physical nature. Then I think about how Congress, particularly Republican extremists who are paid to represent their constituency but with decorum as a STATESMAN, but have been unable to control themselves- their anger, their passion, their mouths… and we have to “understand how angry they are.” Interesting.

This is an incomplete thought… feel free to add to where you think I might be going with this.

From Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62I4KD201…

Here is what to expect if the bill becomes law:

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF ENACTMENT
*Insurance companies will be barred from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Lifetime coverage limits will be eliminated and annual limits are to be restricted.
*Insurers will be barred from excluding children for coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
*Young adults will be able to stay on their parents' health plans until the age of 26. Many health plans currently drop dependents from coverage when they turn 19 or finish college.
*Uninsured adults with a pre-existing conditions will be able to obtain health coverage through a new program that will expire once new insurance exchanges begin operating in 2014.
*A temporary reinsurance program is created to help companies maintain health coverage for early retirees between the ages of 55 and 64. This also expires in 2014.
*Medicare drug beneficiaries who fall into the “doughnut hole” coverage gap will get a $250 rebate. The bill eventually closes that gap which currently begins after $2,700 is spent on drugs. Coverage starts again after $6,154 is spent.
*A tax credit becomes available for some small businesses to help provide coveragefor workers.
*A 10 percent tax on indoor tanning services that use ultraviolet lamps goes into effect on July 1.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2011
*Medicare provides 10 percent bonus payments to primary care physicians and general surgeons.
*Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get a free annual wellness visit and personalized prevention plan service. New health plans will be required to cover preventive services with little or no cost to patients.
*A new program under the Medicaid plan for the poor goes into effect in October that allows states to offer home and community based care for the disabled that might otherwise require institutional care.
*Payments to insurers offering Medicare Advantage services are frozen at 2010 levels. These payments are to be gradually reduced to bring them more in line with traditional Medicare.
*Employers are required to disclose the value of health benefits on employees' W-2 tax forms.
*An annual fee is imposed on pharmaceutical companies according to market share. The fee does not apply to companies with sales of $5 million or less.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2012
*Physician payment reforms are implemented in Medicare to enhance primary care services and encourage doctors to form “accountable care organizations” to improve quality and efficiency of care.
*An incentive program is established in Medicare for acute care hospitals to improve quality outcomes.
*The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the government programs, begin tracking hospital readmission rates and puts in place financial incentives to reduce preventable readmissions.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2013
*A national pilot program is established for Medicare on payment bundling to encourage doctors, hospitals and other care providers to better coordinate patient care.
*The threshold for claiming medical expenses on itemized tax returns is raised to 10 percent from 7.5 percent of income. The threshold remains at 7.5 percent for the elderly through 2016.
*The Medicare payroll tax is raised to 2.35 percent from 1.45 percent for individuals earning more than $200,000 and married couples with incomes over $250,000. The tax is imposed on some investment income for that income group.
*A 2.9 percent excise tax in imposed on the sale of medical devices. Anything generally purchased at the retail level by the public is excluded from the tax.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2014
*State health insurance exchanges for small businesses and individuals open.
*Most people will be required to obtain health insurance coverage or pay a fine if they don't. Healthcare tax credits become available to help people with incomes up to 400 percent of poverty purchase coverage on the exchange.
*Health plans no longer can exclude people from coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
*Employers with 50 or more workers who do not offer coverage face a fine of $2,000 for each employee if any worker receives subsidized insurance on the exchange. The first 30 employees aren't counted for the fine.
*Health insurance companies begin paying a fee based on their market share.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2015
*Medicare creates a physician payment program aimed at rewarding quality of care rather than volume of services.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2018
*An excise tax on high cost employer-provided plans is imposed. The first $27,500 of a family plan and $10,200 for individual coverage is exempt from the tax. Higher levels are set for plans covering retirees and people in high risk professions

“…How is forcing people to buy private insurance with a mandate an incremental step towards getting and ALTERNATIVE to these very private insurers?…”

Maybe this will help you.

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2010/3/22/11…

“…..The government will be constantly looking for ways to make health care plans more consumer friendly and less costly to the budget. They will not be trying to take health care away from people…..When Republicans complain about the mandate and score political points, the Democrats will offer to create a public option as the only solution to the problem….”

Big picture, my friend. Big picture.

Nice pics!

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/xWTge6XGZ8N/Pres…

hilarious…..

http://blog.windycitywatch.com/2010/03/lol-jim-…

“Monday, March 22, 2010
LOL Jim Demint's Facebook page is being spammed with Waterloo videos”

Enjoy: http://www.facebook.com/senatordemint

LOL

I'm not surprised in the least.

those clowns were actually like, ' it was a liberal setup'.

I was like, you KNEEGROWS need to wake the fuck up.

Rep. Randy Neugebauer, a Lubbock Republican, has fessed up to shouting “Baby Killer!” at Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., during the health care debate last night.

His office has just issued a statement saying he regrets the remark and has apologized directly to Stupak

Republicans in Disarray

A week ago, Republicans were united and on the verge of completely commanding the political narrative between now and November. Now, with their entire strategy having been upended by the Democratic health care victory, the party is in disarray.

There is no fallback on health care — none — except to call for repeal, as conservative House lawmakers and congressional candidates have already begun to do. But what to repeal? The “bad” stuff — tax increases and such — kick in later. Most everyone who will feel reform's touch within the next year or so will get benefits, be it in the form of not having their coverage rescinded, or be it a $250 rebate check from the government. Today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged as much by refusing to say whether Republicans actually would move to repeal legislation, or parts of it, if they manage to take control of the Senate. The bundled issue-history of health reform remains unpopular enough for Republicans to campaign on repealing it, but it's hard to imagine the enthusiasm gap between high-interest voters widening any further. The price of health care, and its repeal, has been factored in to the Republican midterm base. (That's not to say that the arguments, substantively, aren't there: see Megan's 8 predictions.) For Democrats, though, there is upside potential.

Other Republicans will go ahead with lawsuits, challenging Congress's presumed lack of authority to force citizens to buy health coverage or be punished by the government. (Andrew Cohen explains why this reasoning is fairly specious.)

Let's move beyond health care for a moment. Today, the White House welcomed faith-based groups who are demanding a vote on immigration reform. Congressional leaders don't know whether one will be in the offing by November, but the debate is certain to flare up. And the business lobby, which had united against health care reform, will suddenly find itself split: the same would be the case if the president were to try and use his political capital to push through climate change legislation. Doubtful he would, but he if he did, there would be many megaphones at work.

Democrats assume that the immigration debate will open the curtain on the Tea Party movement; health care will be child's play compared to the tantrums over the prospect of earned legalization and other measures. The overlap between the Tea Partiers and ethnocentric immigration restrictionists is huge, and even many Republicans worry that the embedded nativism in the movement, whether or not it is also racialized (as a proxy for being against Obama and his ilk) will come to the fore in a way that once again diminishes the fervor of right-leaning independents and energizes Hispanics.

But forget immigration even: the next two big presidential initiatives, domestically, at least, will be — or should be — easy political victories: reauthorizing but reforming the education law, and financial services reform.

All the while, Democrats can pick and choose elements of health care that are popular and force Republicans to look cruel in their calls for repeal.

Health-Care Reform, the Morning After

Mar 22 2010, 12:01 PM ET
Two brief updates, on the substance and the politics. On the substance, I mentioned yesterday what I thought was the significance of the vote. A reader from Minnesota puts the point in more specific and personal terms:

When I was 15 I developed a chronic condition, and received excellent care under my mother's insurance plan. When I turned 23 and graduated from college, I lost eligibility. Tagged with a pre-existing condition, I was black balled from the private insurance market for life. Since then when my condition's gotten bad enough that I couldn't put off treatment, I've made myself unemployed to qualify for Minnesota's General Assistance Medical Care [GAMC] program, which has taken good care of me . . . because I live in a prosperous, progressive county and I know how to use the system.

Now Gov Pawlenty is trying to unilaterally kill GAMC. Until tonight, I have been a Democrat because of people like Gingrich and Bush, Palin and Pawlenty. After tonight, I am an Obama Democrat in the sense that my grandparents were Roosevelt Democrats. For all the problems with HCR, for all the compromises and deals and disappointments and inefficiencies, tonight the Democrats stood up and took a political risk to say that I deserve medical coverage, that it's no longer okay to treat my health as sad but acceptable collateral damage in a Social Darwinist system. That's why this moment matters to me.*

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/201…