Category Archives: Health Care

You’re Dead Old People

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It seems like just yesterday that Obamacare was being debated, and democrats continually said that the idea of “death panels” was fear mongering. They said that any mention that Obamacare might make people die sooner was absurd.

Now? Well now it’s simply fact that the GOP Medicare proposal will kill old people.

Yes! Fact! I’m sorry, where’s the study that says old people will begin dying off immediately when this bill passes? I’m also confused how the GOP proposal will kill old people when those 55 years and older will see absolutely no change, Medicare will be structured the same way for them.

Let’s not forget, the GOP plan is not tinkering with benefits for senior citizens, it’s simply changing how money for Medicare is disbursed. It actually gives more control to senior citizens to choose their coverage and plan.

So I guess I’m just confused with the democrats thinking here. When some members of the right floated the idea that senior citizens might die through “death panels” when Obamacare was passed it was fear mongering. When the democrats explicitly push the idea that senior citizens will die because of the GOP’s Medicare proposal, it’s fact.

It’s pure hypocrisy.

–jb

The Problem is You Don’t Understand

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We’re a couple days removed from the GOP’s historic retaking of the House, and the democrats now have to determine what exactly motivated voters to kick them out of office in a resounding way.

As I posted before, I believe this election was about the democrats and Obama, not republicans. And specifically I think it was about the agenda and policies that Obama is putting forward. That’s why most of the areas Obama campaigned in went to the republican, it was a direct repudiation of Obama’s policies.

Unfortunately for the country, Obama doesn’t see it that way.

After suffering a “shellacking” in the midterm elections, President Obama acknowledges what many have seen as his chief weakness – failing to sell the importance of several legislative milestones to the American people.

“I think that’s a fair argument. I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn’t just legislation. That it’s a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone,” Mr. Obama told 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft in an exclusive interview set to air Sunday.

“Making an argument that people can understand,” Mr. Obama continued, “I think that we haven’t always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it’s something that I’ve got to examine carefully … as I go forward.”

So they didn’t lose because of policies, they lost because they didn’t communicate those polices to the American people well enough? That seems unlikely Mr. President.

The reason the democrats lost was not a lack of communication on the White House’s part, it was a lack of listening.

Health care is the major piece of legislation that democrats have to hang their hat on. The American people were solidly behind the democrats on this issue in the 2008 race, and before the economy took a tumble it appeared that would be the defining issue. But the democrats did something remarkable, they took an advantage on the health care debate, and squandered it away by ignoring the opinions of the people they represent.

When Nancy Pelosi brought health care to the floor for a vote, 54% of Americans were opposed to the legislation. Most of that disdain for that law had to do with the way the democrats shoved it down everyone’s throats, writing it behind closed doors and quickly voting on it before any legislator or citizen had an opportunity to even read the first 100 pages.

But even after people have had a chance to hear what is included in the bill and read it for themselves, they still oppose it. 58% currently favor a repeal of the law. Meanwhile the Obama administration would like you to think that you only favor a repeal because they haven’t done a good enough job of explaining it to you. It’s a rather condescending remark.

The American people understand the health care law, they’ve had to time to read it, and despite how apathetic people might be when it comes to the polls, they are engaged when it comes to their health, if they favor a repeal, those 58% I’m sure understand the law and are seriously concerned about its effects on premiums, insurance, and the deficit.

The democrats lost because they forgot to listen. They forgot why they are in Washington. It’s the same reason the republicans got booted out in 2006, they began listening in 1994 and then their hearing slowly faded away. I truly believe that republicans have learned from that, at least I hope they have. But as of right now it seems the democrats hearing is still too bad to get the message.

–jb

Lieberman Will Vote No on Public Option

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Uh Oh.

Joe Lieberman said today that if the health care bill brought to the Senate floor contains a public option he will vote no.

Stubborn, he means, in opposing any health-care overhaul that includes a “public option,” or government-run health-insurance plan, as the current bill does. His opposition is strong enough that Mr. Lieberman says he won’t vote to let a bill come to a final vote if a public option is included.

Probe for a catch or caveat in that opposition, and none is visible. Can he support a public option if states could opt out of the plan, as the current bill provides? “The answer is no,” he says in an interview from his Senate office. “I feel very strongly about this.” How about a trigger, a mechanism for including a public option along with a provision saying it won’t be used unless private insurance plans aren’t spreading coverage far and fast enough? No again.

So that’s a no vote for any public option “compromise” as well. I’ve always said that I think if any public option passes it will be in the form of a trigger option, but if Lieberman isn’t on board the democrats are going to have a tough time getting the votes to get the bill through.

Meanwhile the democrats are in a catch-22 on health care. New polling shows that if they don’t pass health care reform they stand to lose the midterm elections, however if they do pass health care reform, well, they stand to lose the midterm elections.

Our newest national survey finds that Democrats lead 46-38 on the generic Congressional ballot. But asked how they would vote if no health care bill is passed respondents split 40-40 between saying they would vote Democratic or Republican in next year’s election.

In some sense the Democrats may be in a damned if you don’t or damned if you do position on health care. Asked how they would vote for Congress next year if a health care bill with a public option is passed respondents said they would go Democratic by a 46-41 margin, still more narrow than before any hypotheticals about health care outcomes were introduced into the questions.

I don’t think it’s the idea of health care reform that is souring voters, I think it’s how it’s been handled. We haven’t had televised discussions on the subject, despite Obama’s promise. The public has not had several days to review the bill before it went to a vote, like Pelosi promised. The House created a huge bill (well over a thousand pages) and then jammed in through on a vote before it was even possible for a member to read it (let alone the public).

The Senate is following suit, although they have rules that will at least provide for debate. Even then Harry Reid had the bill, at over 2,000 pages, and had a vote to open debate on it within a few days.

Meanwhile this whole process extends back to August. We know this is going to take time Congress, we’d rather you do it right than do it fast. That’s speaking for the country, personally I’d rather them not do it at all, but I think the independents, who are lukewarm on the idea, are turning against the health care plan because of how secretive and selective the whole process has been.

It’s funny, just over a year ago health care was the headlining issue for the DNC, it was the one issue that most people could back them on, now it looks like it will be the death of a few senators and congressmen.

–jb

What the Hell?

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The single biggest mistake that Obama and the democrats have made in the health care debate has been instilling confusion in every American.

A new Rasmussen poll shows that 54% of Americans oppose Obama and the democrats health care plan. But what is their health care plan? Currently there are five bills that need to be combined before either chamber of Congress can vote on reform. And just today the White House said that a public option isn’t necessary for a bill to be signed by the President.

Obama continues to support the concept of a government-sponsored insurance option, but “he is not demanding that it is in” the final legislation, Valerie Jarrett, a senior White House adviser, said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “He thinks it’s the best possible choice.”

He thinks it’s the “best possible choice” but isn’t going to demand it. Why not? If you honestly believe that a public option is the best way to reform health care, why wouldn’t you require it in the bill. You have a super majority, you have the democratic leaders in the House and Senate both siding with a public option. So why not make it mandatory?

What kind of health care reform do the democrats want? I honestly can’t answer that question. Some say a public option is a must, others say they would prefer the trigger option, some more conservative democrats don’t even want a public option. Meanwhile Americans are sitting at home watching their TVs and thinking, “what the hell is going on?”

As much as I would love to, I can’t take the Rasmussen poll seriously. There’s too much confusion out there about what health care reform the democrats and Obama want, there’s no way someone could honestly answer that question if they were on the fence.

It also doesn’t help that the majority of the health care meetings are behind closed doors. This is after Obama pledged multiple times on the campaign trail that meetings regarding health care would be broadcast on CSPAN.

If Obama and the democrats really want to sell the American people on massive health reform, they are going to have to figure out what they want first, and then articulate it bto Americans in normal terms, not in health care industry jargon that no one understands.

–jb

The Current #151

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The Current #151
Tuesday September 22, 2009
Hosts: Jacob Bodnar and Logan Sparrow

Segments – These are three select topics from our full 75 minute show. The full show is available at the bottom of this post.

Obamathon
It was a massive Obamathon on Sunday as the Barackstar hit up all of the Sunday morning talk shows (with the exception of Fox News). What did our President say? Well, not much. Only one anchor had the guts to ask him about ACORN and Obama ran away from the topic like a scared schoolgirl.

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It’s not just the Rich who Drink Soda
Obama said this week that the option of a “sin tax” on soda is not off the table. Wait a second, wasn’t Obama the one that promised no tax increases for anyone making under $250,000? Does the middle class not drink soda?

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Talking with Crazy People
The Obama administration made two major foreign policy shifts this week. The first was halting the missile defense shield, the second was showing willingness to talk with North Korea one on one. Why does the Obama administration think the six party talks can actually work?

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The Current #150

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The Current #150
Monday September 7, 2009
Hosts: Jacob Bodnar and Logan Sparrow

Segments – These are three select topics from our full 75 minute show. The full show is available at the bottom of this post.

Public Option Still Blurry
President Obama is set to give a speech to the joint sessions of Congress on Wednesday, and according to his aides he’s going to get specific about health care. One of the specifics is that he is no longer insisting that a public option be in the bill. But then on Sunday David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs said Obama wants it in the bill. What exactly does Obama want?

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Taxes are Hard, and Stuff
You know the tax code is too complicated and long when the guy in charge of writing it doesn’t even pay his taxes. Once again Charlie Rangel has cheated on his taxes, this time to the tune of $1 million. What did he do and why isn’t Pelosi removing him from the Ways and Means Committee?

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Axelrod does D.C. and it’s Gangky!
As we normally do on our show we got off topic. We began discussing how to determine your porn star name, and then we realized that David Axelrod doesn’t just look like a former porn star, he’s got a really good porn star name as well.

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The Current #149

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The Current #149
Sunday August 21, 2009
Hosts: Jacob Bodnar and Logan Sparrow

Segments – These are three select topics from our full 75 minute show. The full show is available at the bottom of this post.

Flip Flop on the Public Option
We reported last episode that it appeared the Obama White House had given up on the public option. Unfortunately they didn’t, and they’re blaming the media for making it appear like they did. Plus another Obama supporter invokes the post office when referencing health care, can’t these people recognize gaffes?

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Flag Email Sleeping with the Fishes
Remember that email the White House setup for people to forward “fishy” emails about health care to? Well, it’s gone. Amid pressure for people who enjoy the first amendment, the White House shut it down. They also admitted to sending unwanted emails to people. And this is suppose to be the most “technologically savvy” president?

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Where’s Hillary?
Major foreign policy issue after major foreign policy issue Hillary Clinton has sat on the bench. Two separate hostage situations were taken care of by other people, and this week North Korean representatives will meet with…Bill Richardson. Why is Clinton not partaking in important foreign policy situations?

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The Bodcast #28…I think

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I’m not sure exactly what episode this is, but it’s an episode non-the-less.

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Obama stays with public option
Democrats see little chance for bargain with GOP
Obama job approval at a new low
Democrats approval falls as well
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Where’s the Trust?

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I’ve said several times before that the outrage and frustration displayed at health care town halls runs much deeper than just health care.

Sure Americans are disturbed and worried about the current health care legislation, but more than anything they’re fed up at the lies and distortions that both parties have pushed to get elected and get legislation passed.

People have complained about the shedding of private health insurance, the left has pushed this off as a scare tactic, but why should we trust them? Why should we trust any government official? They inherently have our trust when we vote for them, but it can be taken away quite easily. And over the past ten years both sides of the aisle have done a fabulous job of shedding the public’s trust.

Politicians are notorious for talking a big game and delivering nothing. We’ve seen it with the border (what ever happened to the fence and all of the fancy technological protection?). We’ve seen it with war (what happened to pulling our troops out of Iraq?). And now we’re seeing it with earmarks.

In 2006 democrats swept into majorities in the House and Senate. They won not only off the heels of the republicans empty promises, but also by promising more “transparency and efficiency.” Nancy Pelosi said in 2006, “There has to be transparency. I’d just as soon do away with all (earmarks), but that probably isn’t realistic.”

Boy, that’s some big talkin’. Doing away with all earmarks. Sounds good right? Most Americans agree that earmarks are unnecessary wasteful spending, especially when we are saddling $11 trillion in debt ($9 trillion at the time).

Unfortunately Pelosi didn’t keep good on her promise. The latest numbers show that earmarks have, once again, gone up.

Earmarks, which are inserted in appropriations bills by members in order to fund specific projects, added up to $19.9 billion in 2009, according to an analysis by the Taxpayers for Common Sense and Center for Responsive Politics. Earmarks in 2008 spending bills were worth $18.3 billion.

I guess that’s why Pelosi is seen as one of the worst politicians in Washington. Actually let me rephrase that, she’s one of the best politicians in Washington, she’s seen as one of the worst offenders of the public trust.

But it’s not just the left that ignores the public’s trust. After all, it was Bush 41 that said “no new taxes” only to create new taxes. In 2006 the republicans were swept out of power not just because Bush was widely unpopular, but because they promised a mountain and delivered a valley. It was actually the republicans who promised Pelosi’s transparent earmarks, they just didn’t deliver on it.

And how many president’s have said they would end our dependence on foreign oil? Everyone since Carter has made that promise, and that adds up to three democrats and three republicans.

But America now we face a problem. We’re playing party ping-pong. We’re going back and forth between two parties who could care less about the trust of the American people. We have to stop voting for parties and start voting for people.

If we punish the democrats for failure to listen, only by promoting a party that failed to listen four years ago, what good have we done? Don’t vote against your district’s democrat just because they’re a democrat, vote for the person who you trust more. If that person happens to be a republican than so be it. But if that person happens to be a democrat then fill in their bubble.

The cornerstone to a functioning democracy is trust. We elect leaders and trust that they’ll vote as we see fit. We trust that they’ll write good and understandable legislation. We trust that they’ll work for us and not special interest. At the end of the day it’s more beneficial to vote for someone you trust than someone who you align with ideologically.

The town hall protesters you see on TV are from the right and the left. They’re not angry at the democrats for creating a bureaucratic health care bill, they’re angry at all of Washington for not respecting their trust.

–jb

GOP Now More Trusted on Health Care

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A new Rasmussen poll shows that the GOP is now slightly more trusted on the issue of health care than democrats.

or the first time in over two years of polling, voters trust Republicans slightly more than Democrats on the handling of the issue of health care. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that voters favor the GOP on the issue 44% to 41%.

This wasn’t some small five point turn around, it was only two months ago that democrats had a 10 point advantage on the issue.

Democrats held a four-point lead on the issue last month and a 10-point lead in June. For most of the past two years, more than 50% of voters said they trusted Democrats on health care. The latest results mark the lowest level of support measured for the party on the now-contentious issue.

I guess that’s what you get for calling concerned Americans “fear mongers,” un-American,” and now “evil-mongers.”