It is “bullshit”

I like these guys.

Jane, here’s a TV script response:

PANNING SHOT:
Land Grant college campus, buildings, commons, students obviously engaged, active, positive

VOICEOVER:
It was the American taxpayer who gave America the most educated people. From the Head Start program through the biggest post-secondary educational system in the world, the US government used tax dollars to give millions the opportunity to get a college degree.

CUT TO:
Apollo launch, overhead Interstate pan, wilderness fronted by National Park entrance sign, a wi-fi café.

VOICEOVER:
It was the American taxpayer who put Americans on the moon, who made the Interstate highway network a reality, who preserved wilderness for future generations, who made the Internet possible.

CUT TO:
VA (or other) patient.

VOICEOVER:
And it was the American taxpayer who makes it possible for average Americans to have effective and affordable health care through the single payer systems under the Veterans Administration and Medicare. Government has proven it can provide what you need, and the American taxpayer deserves health care that works. Support single-payer . . .

CUT TO:
Loveable infant, child, etc.

VOICEOVER:
. . .for the ones you love.

CLOSING MONOLOGUE (delivered in rapid subdued monotone, like the pharmaceutical commercials):

Some pain might be experienced by teabaggers and those who complain about high taxes. Before partaking, check with your financial advisor about moving to Somalia. We elected a black man for President; get over it. Offer void in the 37 countries that have better health care outcomes than yours.

Maybe this will serve? MoveOn just sent out the latest “PSA” from Funny or Die. It’s great!

http://www.funnyordie.com/vide…..panies-psa

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Hamsher and the firepup Freedom Fighters:

Well, it appears that things are beginnin’ ta move on the healthcare front and I think that as things line up at the moment it will be tough for Rahm to stop this train. As long as everything has to be done in front of the cameras and public opinion holds, it appears that even Pelosi and Reid can’t stop it.

I am very worried, however, that the fascist General Staff is usin’ this political fight as cover to force Obama to commit more troops indefinately to Afghanistan…the hundreds of billions returned to the people through health care savings will go right down the rat-hole of the military.

Keep the heat on Sister Jane, I want to know that our money is hittin’ the bastards where they live.

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THE STRUGGLE GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Thanks Jane, as always. Just kicked in another $25 to FDL Action. Really appreciate Trumka’s support.

I am a S. Florida card-carrying, progressive liberal, geezer, living on a skinny $600. a month SS check (my fault)! However, the Rachel Maddow show has minutes ago, convinced me to find some way of showing my support and appreciation for the incredible work you have always done, and for the latest effort (Mike Ross & Blanche Lincoln Razorback ad), with which you expose the worst element of the Democratic Party! I’ve therefore decided to donate the $10.00 I would normally spend on coffee in my monthly budget, and put it in the hat to pay for the Arkansas Razorback ad.

I’d like to also remind all “public option” supporters, that it is useless unless everyone is included. All Americans must qualify for the public option choice, or it has no strength against the insurance industry! (I’m off to bum a cup of coffee from my neighbor) Toodles, cg

Jane this is my first time blogging on your post. Rachael’s report like the above poster convinced my wife and me to break out the last of our rainy day change (it’s been raining a lot around here over the past year). I am the sole support for my family and have been unemployed now for 8 months.

With that being said I sent you $25.00 for your add this weekend against Ross and Lincoln. I hope that rainy day change of ours helps to bring about real change for our country.

By leaving the main features of the current system intact while introducing a few improvements the Baucus plan is incoherent. And it contains no mechanism to lower premium costs.

The current insurance plans have managed to exclude roughly 40 million people from coverage. And those they exclude are the sickest and costliest. By insuring a relatively healthy group they are able to amass profits in the millions.

To cover these excluded people the easiest way is to provide them all with the option of choosing an affordable not for profit plan. The cost of their coverage comes from the premiums that are charged. Costs can be kept to a minimum by the ability to negotiate down drug prices and from the sheer number of people joining the plan and from considerable savings in costs.

Actual average private health premiums per person per year per is roughly $4K. Based on this to cover the 40 million currently uninsured would cost about $160 billion per year, if we were to cover them with a private plan. However private insurers use up to 40% of their income on marketing, profit and administration of the plan. A public plan will spend about 5% for administering the plan, so that its coverage premium would be 8 times less than that of a private plan, or about $20 billion /year. This cost however will be borne by wage earners between 18 and 64, who are roughly 60% of the 40 million or say 24 million. The wage earners under the public plan per year would spend less than $1K as opposed to the $4K they would spend under the private plan. .

Now for those uninsured who are employed, the employer may pay a portion of the premium or may not. Also of these uninsured some of their children under 18 may qualify for SCHIP. So there are further savings to be gotten.

However offsetting some of these gains is the fact that full reimbursement for health services needs to be made, something which current private insurers do not do, since not providing full reimbursement contributes to the increase in the cost of health services.

Now keep in mind that this group of 40 million includes those high cost people that the private insurers would not cover, so that as a group they are somewhat costlier to cover than those in the private plan. In spite of this disadvantage the public plan premiums are still less.