Il Douchey:
/Whereby our gov't overlords must agree to eat the same shiat they want to serve us.

So you want Congressmen to be subject to the same provisions they're subjecting everyone else to. Fair enough. I support that sentiment.

That would mean that Congressmen would have the right to choose from a public option, just as they're allowing everyone else to have the right to choose from a public option. Your link suggests that Congressmen should forego the insurance options they want to establish for everyone else and be made to enroll in the public option. Why would you consider that equal? The bill doesn't force anyone else to enroll in the public option, only to give them the choice of doing so. Which it does for Congressmen as well. It seems to me the bill as is meets your standards perfectly fine.

Also, the headline doesn't really make any sense at all. Reid's bill is very similar to the House bill. Why would he not greet its passage enthusiastically?

Il Douchey: It would be nice to know that when Malia Obama is old enough to get her forehead reduction surgery, she will go to the same public option doc as your kid would.

Which would make sense if your kid "had" to use the public option. Please point out the line in the bill that makes it mandatory.

Il Douchey: Insist on

HOUSE RESOLUTION 615 (new window)


/Whereby our gov't overlords must agree to eat the same shiat they want to serve us.

Yeah, go ahead and insist on it. Let us know how that works out.

mrshowrules:
Make the Public Option mandatory for Government? How do you make an option mandatory?

You don't. Read the link. It's a "sense of the House" resolution, not an actual amendment, that "urges" people who vote for the public option to forgo their right to the federal employees' insurance plan. Republicans asking nicely in a non-binding document. I guess that's what you do when you're in the minority.

mrshowrules: Or force them to smoke pot when we are talking about a bill related to medical marijuana usage.

That one might not be such a bad idea.

Colonoscopy?

Is someone looking for Rush?

I must say, I like the House version of the bill much better than the Senate HELP bill. A small difference in the language, but in the Senate version you are not allowed to use the public option if you are offered healthcare through your employer. Talk about a patheticly cheap ploy to hand over money to the insurance industry while masquerading about with a weak-ass public 'option' which isn't really an option for most people.

make me some tea: While Republicans celebrated gaining two governors, the Democrats quietly gained a clear House majority.

Check, and mate.

Um, they already had a clear House majority...

It doesn't matter though. Look at the makeup of the House right now -- there are 49 Democrats in the House that sit in districts that McCain won in 2008. There are other Democrats sitting in districts that only just went for Obama but normally vote Republican. All of those Democrats are worried about what happens in 2010 -- and if not, they're not paying attention.

Those House Democrats can do the math. The proposals for healthcare are not wildly popular. People are still deeply concerned about jobs and the economy. Why risk the political capital on an issue that's deeply divisive when the political winds are not looking good for Democrats?

There's a reason why Reid is implying that there won't be a bill this year -- the political winds are not blowing it its favor.

This may be a horrible idea in here...but can anyone point me in a direction of a Good source of info or some kind of FAQ on the healthcare reform plan?

Chulainn: This may be a horrible idea in here...but can anyone point me in a direction of a Good source of info or some kind of FAQ on the healthcare reform plan?

Hahahahaaaa....that's funny.

Chulainn: This may be a horrible idea in here...but can anyone point me in a direction of a Good source of info or some kind of FAQ on the healthcare reform plan?

2000 pages, $2.2 million per word, no one knows what the hell is in it.

The GOP proposal was under 200 pages.

The CBO looked at the 2000 page nonsense and just LOL'd.

godofusa.com: 2000 pages, $2.2 million per word, no one knows what the hell is in it.

Just because you're too lazy and intellectually deficient to read a bill doesn't mean the rest of us are. Stop projecting.

Shaggy_C: godofusa.com: 2000 pages, $2.2 million per word, no one knows what the hell is in it.

Just because you're too lazy and intellectually deficient to read a bill doesn't mean the rest of us are. Stop projecting.

You have not read it Shaggy and no one would believe you if you said so. Stick to the hot air talking points, it's safer.

Aarontology: LOL!!! ITS FUNNY CAUSE BARNEY FRANK IS GAY LIKES OBJECTS INSERTED INTO HIS BUTT!!!

fixed it for whomever.

Shaggy_C: godofusa.com: 2000 pages, $2.2 million per word, no one knows what the hell is in it.

Just because you're too lazy and intellectually deficient to read a bill doesn't mean the rest of us are. Stop projecting.

so based on your reading of the bill and your non-lazyness and intellectual superiority, can you summarize it for us?

also the bill states (page 1) something to the effect of providing affordable healthcare to everyone and lowering costs. Can you please point out specifically how this bill will accomplish that?
thank you

WombatControl: make me some tea: While Republicans celebrated gaining two governors, the Democrats quietly gained a clear House majority.

Check, and mate.

Um, they already had a clear House majority...

It doesn't matter though. Look at the makeup of the House right now -- there are 49 Democrats in the House that sit in districts that McCain won in 2008. There are other Democrats sitting in districts that only just went for Obama but normally vote Republican. All of those Democrats are worried about what happens in 2010 -- and if not, they're not paying attention.

Those House Democrats can do the math. The proposals for healthcare are not wildly popular. People are still deeply concerned about jobs and the economy. Why risk the political capital on an issue that's deeply divisive when the political winds are not looking good for Democrats?

There's a reason why Reid is implying that there won't be a bill this year -- the political winds are not blowing it its favor.

We've spent nearly an entire year talking about health care. I appreciate the Democrats sticking with the policy debate - it is a discussion we need to have. But now its time to make a decision and vote.

Shaggy_C: godofusa.com: 2000 pages, $2.2 million per word, no one knows what the hell is in it.

Just because you're too lazy and intellectually deficient to read a bill doesn't mean the rest of us are. Stop projecting.

Haha, stop lying. You have not read all 2000 pages of the bill and even if you did you probably did not completely understand it.

THAT headline made it through? Straight up homophobic insults are de jour here? all class mods. all class.

quizzical: I appreciate the Democrats sticking with the policy debate - it is a discussion we need to have. But now its time to make a decision and vote.

On what? Something maybe 3 people in D.C. have read? Good plan. I like this plan.

The gerbil arm of the SPCA now has court-ordered colonoscopies.

Lt. Cheese Weasel: You have not read it Shaggy and no one would believe you if you said so. Stick to the hot air talking points, it's safer.

Obviously I have read the bill, given my objections to it residing in the specific language around the eligibility to participate in the healthcare 'exchange' which is the larger programme of which the 'public option' would be a part. I'll admit I skimmed over a bunch of the feel good BS about specific new rules for healthcare professionals, I was more concerned about the provisions that would actually affect me directly. But hey, believe what you want to.

tenpoundsofcheese: Can you please point out specifically how this bill will accomplish that?
thank you

You're leaving out the big part. Cheaper for who.

Lt. Cheese Weasel: quizzical: I appreciate the Democrats sticking with the policy debate - it is a discussion we need to have. But now its time to make a decision and vote.

On what? Something maybe 3 people in D.C. have read? Good plan. I like this plan.

The bill should have a patriotic name. Like the Prolonging Patriots Lives Act of 2009. Then it's ok if only 3 people in D.C. have read it right?

Aarontology: I like how nobody has read it, yet everybody knows it will bankrupt the country, have the government take over all health care, kill granny, and turn us into a Stalinist hellhole.

Then all you and the proponents of the bill have to do is READ it and explain it to the rest of the class, using little words and plenty of powerpoint foils. Because you know, we're stupid and paranoid. But when even the major writers of the bill publicly state they have not read it in toto, why do you question legitimate dissent?

Aarontology: I like how nobody has read it, yet everybody knows it will bankrupt the country, have the government take over all health care, kill granny, and turn us into a Stalinist hellhole.

It's because you only need to read a few pages to know that stuff.

What happened to the "we're going to post bills on the web and allow the public to comment on them for 5 days" promise that Obama made?

ActionJoe: Haha, stop lying. You have not read all 2000 pages of the bill and even if you did you probably did not completely understand it.

I don't get this 2000 pages thing anyways. Here, look for yourself...Is this really that hard to digest? Link (new window)

I don't care if it's symbolic or not, I want health care with public option.

jjorsett: What happened to the "we're going to post bills on the web and allow the public to comment on them for 5 days" promise that Obama made?

HR3200 was put online months ago. As were the Senate HELP and Finance bills.

the_falling_duck: Lt. Cheese Weasel: quizzical: I appreciate the Democrats sticking with the policy debate - it is a discussion we need to have. But now its time to make a decision and vote.

On what? Something maybe 3 people in D.C. have read? Good plan. I like this plan.

The bill should have a patriotic name. Like the Prolonging Patriots Lives Act of 2009. Then it's ok if only 3 people in D.C. have read it right?

Well, your backhanded ad hominem assumption that no one read the Patriot Act carries no water, but whatever garrble floats your whar is fine.

Shaggy_C: Lt. Cheese Weasel: You have not read it Shaggy and no one would believe you if you said so. Stick to the hot air talking points, it's safer.

Obviously I have read the bill, given my objections to it residing in the specific language around the eligibility to participate in the healthcare 'exchange' which is the larger programme of which the 'public option' would be a part. I'll admit I skimmed over a bunch of the feel good BS about specific new rules for healthcare professionals, I was more concerned about the provisions that would actually affect me directly. But hey, believe what you want to.

tenpoundsofcheese: Can you please point out specifically how this bill will accomplish that?
thank you

You're leaving out the big part. Cheaper for who.

Well ok, you almost have me a believer, but as they say, devil is in the details. Don't know about you but I read all the technical specs of everything I buy, even toasters. Political dissent is patriotic.
This will blow you away, but I HOPE it's right, even if all the small print is scatty. But when you talk about a TRILLION dollars of something, I get very skeptical. The abuse of the dollars will be on a scale never seen before in this country. IS that so wrong?

Aarontology: Lt. Cheese Weasel: Aarontology: I like how nobody has read it, yet everybody knows it will bankrupt the country, have the government take over all health care, kill granny, and turn us into a Stalinist hellhole.

Then all you and the proponents of the bill have to do is READ it and explain it to the rest of the class, using little words and plenty of powerpoint foils. Because you know, we're stupid and paranoid. But when even the major writers of the bill publicly state they have not read it in toto, why do you question legitimate dissent?

Who said I was a proponent of the bill?

Your post leaves no other logical assumption to make without more snerk to alert the Illuminati that you see a duck that quacks but know it's a moose.

Lt. Cheese Weasel: The abuse of the dollars will be on a scale never seen before in this country. IS that so wrong?

What bothers me the most is the sheer number of 'studies' and 'task forces' proscribed in the bill. Half of the intended areas for improvement - such as creating an electronic records system - are only written in the bill such that the HHS will conduct a two-year study at the conclusion of which they present findings to the Congress. Then there's not even any legislated impetus for the Congress to use that study for anything. It will just be a "oh, well, that's nice" after spending untold millions just to do research. I guarantee someone has already done this work.

Shaggy_C: Lt. Cheese Weasel: The abuse of the dollars will be on a scale never seen before in this country. IS that so wrong?

What bothers me the most is the sheer number of 'studies' and 'task forces' proscribed in the bill. Half of the intended areas for improvement - such as creating an electronic records system - are only written in the bill such that the HHS will conduct a two-year study at the conclusion of which they present findings to the Congress. Then there's not even any legislated impetus for the Congress to use that study for anything. It will just be a "oh, well, that's nice" after spending untold millions just to do research. I guarantee someone has already done this work.

This.^^ Mayhaps I've misjudged you. Appa lolligies.