Posts Made By: david elosser

Rod Kaufman said:

Conservative Republicans are stomping mad. The president of the United States, of all people, wants to address the children of all of the school districts of the country in a non-partisan speech asking them to set goals they can meet to help themselves in their education. With a drop-out rate of 30%, who would figure any president would do that. But wait, there's more: George H Bush did the same thing and Ronald Reagon gave a pointedly political speech in the same manner during his presidency. And OH MY GOD, the president initially planned to ask the children of America to for their help in his presidency. I wonder what all of these conservative Republicans would say if Obama gave the same speech as George H Bush or Ronald Reagon and they found out after the fact...

Just my opinion Rod, but from what I've seen in the various news reports it's not the fact that Obama wants to address the children that's bothering people, or what he is going to say (that as of now has not been released yet) but it's the "lesson plan" that the DOE put out that has people disturbed. When I look at the current opinion polls it's clear to me that half the nation has lost trust in President Obama, and the lesson plan really got people's attention. In any event, the White House has ordered a "new and improved" lesson plan; the changes I saw look, to me at least, a step in the right direction. We will never know what changes President Obama has made in his speech (if any) as a result of the backlash to the DOE, but I don't think it will matter anyway come Tuesday. He'll not want to leave anyone out so I'm sure he'll have something to say to all 57 States in the Union.

David E

Big corporations would love for you to pay for their employees' health care. Saves them a ton of money.

David E

Rod, you do know who wrote the legislation that created HMO's, don't you? The late Senator Ted Kennedy. (May he rest in peace- who choose NOT to use an HMO as his health care provider, because as a government employee he has the choice. Sorry you don't have the same choice, Rod.)

"Today the Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research holds hearings on proposed amendments to federal statutes supporting the development of health maintenance organizations...These amendments would extend and strengthen current authorities supporting HMOs in this country....

"As the author of the first HMO bill ever to pass the Senate, I find this spreading support for HMOs truly gratifying. Just a few years ago, proponents of health maintenance organizations faced bitter opposition from organized medicine. And just a few years ago, congressional advocates of HMOs faced an administration which was long on HMO rhetoric, but very short on action.

"The current revival of the HMO movement should come as no surprise. HMOs have proven themselves again and again to be effective and efficient mechanisms for delivering health care of the highest quality. HMOs cut hospital utilization by an average of 20 to 25 percent compared to the fee-for-service sector. They cut the total cost of health care by anywhere from 10 to 30 percent. And they accomplish these savings without compromising the quality of care they provide their members.

"In fact, many medical experts argue that the peer review built into group practice in the HMO setting promotes a quality of care superior to that found in the traditional health care system.... "In our enthusiasm to see HMOs proliferate throughout this country we should not lose sight of the need to guarantee the quality and integrity of the prepaid plans we create."
-Senator Ted Kennedy, 1978

David E

This sentence says it all:
"When ordinary citizens understand they are being played for fools, they bristle."

David E

Rod Kaufman said:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/09/obama.speech/index.html
I liked his proposal on a market place interchange for healthcare insurance, quite innovative and ought to appeal to both Republicans and Democrats.

The only problem is, he has excluded Republicans from health care talks since April...

David E

Rod Kaufman said:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090912/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul
Looks like the health care proposal will have additional enforcement protocols regarding coverage excluding illegal participants.

I'm not sure anything's changed. "White House press secretary Robert Gibbs sketched a new position that goes even further than some conservative critics had demanded: Obama will oppose letting illegal immigrants buy insurance through new purchasing exchanges the government will set up..." That's all fine and dandy. But Obama doesn't write law, the Democrats in Congress do. Obama can say whatever he wants to, he is going to sign whatever the Democrats hand to him. I want to see Nancy Pelosi say this, and write it into her HR 3200.

David E

Hits the nail on the head. Thanks.

David E

Rod Kaufman said:

A compromise appears to be emerging:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/14/health.care/index.html
I know it might be difficult for some of the posters in this forum to understand but the political process does move forward without extremists, AK47s, bullets, the Ohio valley freedom fighters, cammo, socialism, marxism, the NRA, lobbyists, tea baggars, Bud light, ACORN, Joe Wilson...

"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that Democrats are prepared to use budget reconciliation as a last resort."

"[Senator Baucus'] effort to woo Republicans, however, has alienated liberals. At least one prominent liberal on his committee, Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), plans to vote against Baucus’s plan."

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/58929-democrats-to-go-it-alone

David E

david elosser said:

Here's one incredible quote from another article: "Vice President Joe Biden earlier refused to confirm to CNN that the George W. Bush-era plan was being shelved. But he did explain the logic of doing so, saying Iran -- a key concern for the United States -- was not a threat."

Turns out VP Biden may have had a prominent role in this decision:
""The whole purpose of this exercise we are undertaking is to diminish the prospect of the Iranians destabilizing that region in the world. I am less concerned -- much less concerned -- about the Iranian potential. They have no potential at this moment, they have no capacity to launch a missile at the United States of America," [Biden] said. Biden said he is "deeply" involved in the review of the missile defense program."

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/09/17/united.states.missile.shield/index.html

Someone please tell VP Biden:
"VIENNA (AP) - Experts at the world's top atomic watchdog are in agreement that Tehran has the ability to make a nuclear bomb and is on the way to developing a missile system able to carry an atomic warhead, according to a secret report seen by The Associated Press."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9AP714G0&show_article=1

David E

His disapproval seems to be holding steady too:

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/09/gallup_and_rasmussen_no_bump_f.asp

and

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/daily_presidential_tracking_poll

"Opposition to the President’s health care plan is up to 56%, the highest total to date."

"It is important to remember that the Rasmussen Reports job approval ratings are based upon a sample of likely voters. Some other firms base their approval ratings on samples of all adults. President Obama's numbers are always several points higher in a poll of adults rather than likely voters. That's because some of the President's most enthusiastic supporters, such as young adults, are less likely to turn out to vote."

David E