Observer-Reporter forum

Brant · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 4:11 pm Post subject: Getting weaker every day

The health-care bill gets watered down even more. But they'll fix that later. Yeah, right.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic aides say President Barack Obama’s plan for a watchdog agency with power to roll back excessive premium hikes by insurance companies has been dropped from the latest version of the health care bill.
Obama had proposed a new federal Health Insurance Rate Authority in response to recent double-digit increases in premiums by health insurance companies around the country.
But Democratic congressional aides, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details of the legislation, say the idea was dropped because it would have violated Senate rules requiring individual elements of the bill to have an impact on the budget.
Also dropped was a Republican proposal for undercover Medicare fraud investigators.
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ellipses · Mod Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!

Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

Nothing you can about it at this point. If it doesn't pass before fall, it doesn't pass. The system will collapse before another bill ever makes it this far.
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busdriver · Journeyman Joined: 16 Mar 2009 Posts: 3497

SSSS · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:36 pm Post subject:

I still think the whole thing needs to be scrapped. I hate this "do something even if it is wrong" mentality just so Pelosi can scream "Look what we did-what a historical moment!"
I promise you this-at the risk of sounding to far right-if this bill as it is passes it will convert more people to republican voters that Ronald Regan did!
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OndinitaAKALibchit · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:25 pm Post subject:

SSSS · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:44 pm Post subject:

Sorry but I still do not believe taxes will not go up-drastically. And I cannot help but feel that I am right that many Dems in Congress are thinking "We have to pass something because we said we would. And because the President said we would!"
I hope I am wrong. Only time will tell.
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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

I for one hope it does make things worse. Maybe that will light a fire under congress's azz to finish what they started.
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SSSS · Posted: Thu Mar 18, 2010 9:30 pm Post subject:

I don't know Cy-you got a "mandate" from the voters to change, and you got the President who has been trying to light that fire and nothing has happened in over a year. Kind of diminishes one's optimism.
I am going to go out on a limb and say that many voters such as I are tired of hearing the President and the congressional leaders blame everything on the right and the last administration. That may have played well in November 08 but it is getting tired and old now.
Dems have had the Congress sinve 06 and the White House for over a year. Stop the blame game and get something done.
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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

Dems didn't have Congress in 06. The Senate was still GOP.

I wish they would blame more on the right. I'm tired of them pussyfooting around and acting like bipartisanship is so important. There was almost no bipartisanship to speak of under Bush. The GOP had their chance to make the country better and they scoffed at it. The voters loaded up the federal government with Dems for a reason; they didn't want the GOP to be part of the decision-making process anymore. Why can't the Dems see that?

As for stopping the blame game and getting something done, fat chance. The GOP has too many tricks up their sleeve. Its amazing to me looking back that the bill has gotten this far. That's why I don't get the people who say scrap it and start over. Even if the Dems maintain a majority this fall, what makes you think its going to be any different the second time. What makes you think the GOP is suddenly going to play ball? Their motives are so transparent to me and they are the only ones in congress calling for a reboot for a reason.

I say screw them. Pass it. If we don't, the system collapses under the weight of its own bloat by 2020. There's not going to be another congress that will get even half this far on the bill by then. Its this mangled frankenstein of a bill or crisis. I choose this bill with the hope that the shortcomings are annoying enough that congress keeps the ball rolling on improvements. And if not, serves us right for being so petty and indecisive.
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Amphikalein · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:55 am Post subject:

ellipses · Mod Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!

The estimate on the bill is still that 30 million more people will be covered... Cost containment is a paramount issue... but I still think that takes a backseat to getting people the access to care that they need.

I can't wait to watch me some cspan on sunday! Oh boy oh boy!
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OndinitaAKALibchit · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 9:27 am Post subject:

blackballed · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:01 am Post subject:

I THINK OSAMA SHOULD HAVE STARTED TO TAKE THEM ON HIS LITTLE PLANE A LONG TIME AGO ONE AT A TIME. IT ALL GOES BACK TO WHEN THE CBO THATS "CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE" CAME IN WITH HIGH NUMBERS AT THE START,AFTER A MEETING WITH OSAMA THE NUMBERS CHANGED...REAL CHANGE, TRANSPARENCY, RIGHT! I HOPE THEY DO PASS IT FOR MANY WILL GET VOTED OUT OF OFFICE.BB

SSSS · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:11 am Post subject:

Cy I may be putting words in your post that are not there but it reminded me of an article I read last week where Obama stated the republicans never passed a HCB while they were in power. That is absolutely true but they never PROMISED to do it either! The last polititian to promise health care reform was Clinton and we all know how well that went.
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