Comments on: Mike Stark Confronts Blue Dog Baron Hill

By: tk1200

tk1200 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:04:14 +0000

That’s by Blue Dog design. If you make the public option weak and limited then it will inevitably “fail” by the benchmarks you have imposed to measure success or failure and then it phases out and kicks health insurance back to the “free market” private health insurers.

If it isn’t designed properly, then the public option will fail. It’s likely that during their recess opponents of the public option will do their best to make sure that it is designed to fail in case they can’t defeat it outright. This is why the Blue Dogs are so critical to them. The GOP can’t defeat health care reform straight up, but the Blue Dogs can by jiggering the public option so that it fails. Then the Blue Dogs get to have it both ways. They claim credit for passing the public option while knowing it will not survive for more than a few years.

Health care costs are 17% of GDP and rising. Only universal single payer health care can ever change that ugly economic reality.

By: JamesJoyce

JamesJoyce — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:59:40 +0000

How many hospitals are tax exempt???? HMO’s tax exempt…….

An omission of fact is a lie? Discussion about corporate exempt tax status in the health services is conspicuously and conveniently….. absent??? I wonder why?? Yet with this subsidy by the taxpayer, cost still escalate? I wonder why?????????

If tax exempt corporations can hold billions of dollars in assets tax free I wonder how much money is squirreled away by for profit corporations to avoid tax liabilities??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Is there anybody out there capable of understanding how the house of cards has been stacked against the American people, for the benefit of corporations? Due process and gross profit for corporations……… while American die. Life, Liberty and pursuit of Happiness, dictated by corporate America……….. Real Charitable!! GO to hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: JamesJoyce

JamesJoyce — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 10:44:41 +0000

The blue dogs are in the pocket’s of corporate America, and corporate America is apolitical when seeking to influence policy with money to advance their agenda.

Jane, why are major insurers Like BCBS, Kaiser considered public charities with exempt tax status. Seems their lack of a tax liability insulated them from change?? What is the percentage of corporations operating tax exempt within healthcare??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

So lets use the tax code to compel the citizen to purchase a health insurance plan from a tax exempt health insurance corporations, lacking any effective cost control mechanism??? SERVITUDE BY DEFITINTION!!!

America is being played just as Dred Scott was played by the SJC to protect the business interests of the south’s plantations. Americans need healthcare and now the corporate bastards want a “life tax” levied against the people to protect their cash cows…. THEY CAN GO TO HELL!!!

By: wmd1961

wmd1961 — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:58:45 +0000

I’ve been asking Bloomington friends to call Hill and ask about the CBO estimated surplus. he’s heard from constituents that he can’t BS about deficits.

As for pork - I-69 extension is a long term pork project in his district.

By: PJEvans

PJEvans — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:57:15 +0000

I think you forgot the snark tags.

By: MarkH

MarkH — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:27:26 +0000

The rule has been that they can support or oppose the reform, but all efforts should be to improve the final product. If all they want to do is request special favors for their district, then they’re not legislating, they’re just wasting your time by placing their personal and district interests above the nation’s.

Remember, the president’s agenda isn’t about him or party, it’s about the national good.

By: lambertstrether

lambertstrether — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:14:05 +0000

How is public option going to control costs? Since it’s going to be “very small” and “limited” (John Geyman, M.D., FDL) will it really have the market power to control costs?

By: roxsteady

roxsteady — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:01:10 +0000

We need to pick up a few more seats so that we can put these blue dogs back in their place! The need to be reminded that they are in the majority because of Obama, not in spite of him.

By: roxsteady

roxsteady — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:59:30 +0000

CALL AND EMAIL THEM AND TELL THEM THAT A TRIGGER MEANS WE DON’T VOTE FOR ANYONE IN 2010 OR 2012. IF THEY WANT THE REPUBLICANS TO WIN BACK CONTROL BY HELPING THEM THEN, WE’LL BE HAPPY TO DO OUR PART BY NOT VOTING!

By: JamesJoyce

JamesJoyce — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:53:51 +0000

President Obama did allude to the “subsidized health services,” last night. Problem is people don’t realize the tax structure in healthcare has in effect shifted the cost of healthcare to the consumer taxpayer by virtue of corporate exempt tax status, for decades. Every tax dollar not collected from an exempt corporation as revenue is obtained from the “insured/taxpayer/citizen, ” hence subsidized. We have had socialized medicine for years, paid for by the taxpayer. Yet a “cost control mechanism” within the health services cannot be devised? Protect Americans and their families from corporate servitude……..