George Will vs Robert Reich the american people are dopes on healthcare.mov

[newdimensionfilms]

I hate it when people use this argument. Something is designed to be intentionally confusing or misleading (like your health care plan, your mortgage, your investments etc) and then when someone smart enough to see through the BS comes along and says we need a law to make sure people know what they're getting into, the ones benefitting from the deceit say LOOK, HE THINKS YOU'RE STUPID! It's a dirty tactic.

[newdimensionfilms]

I hate it when people use this argument. Something is designed to be intentionally confusing or misleading (like your health care plan, your mortgage, your investments etc) and then when someone smart enough to see through the BS comes along and says we need a law to make sure people know what they're getting into, the ones benefitting from the deceit say LOOK, HE THINKS YOUR STUPID! It's a dirty tactic.

[calebmallen]

Manhunter86 has no idea what he/she/it/they are talking about. No sense of business, no sense of economics, markets, supply & demand... nothing. Manhunter86 is a typical liberal academic ideolog with a radical utopian frame of reference - the government will provide everything, the government is the alpha & omega, the government is my sustenance, without the government, I cannot survive... that's Communism comrade.

[manhunter86]

@calebmallen Not only are you wrong the social democratic position on government (which is the one I'm advocating), you're decidely wrong about ME. Typical, and amusing.

[TheDillionMurphy]

Shut ya mouth cunt before I fuck ya wife and tape and put it on redtube for the world to see.

[calebmallen]

@manhunter86 Ahh ok, just wanted to establish whom I was addressing. Funny how the government spent less between those years than it does now. Obama will go down in history as the worst president in US history (congrats Jimmy Carter, you've be upgraded from the bottom). By the time Obama is done, he'll exacerbate this "crisis" to a new epic low, the likes of which we've never seen.

[manhunter86]

@calebmallen First of all, G. W. Bush is in the running for the worst president in history. He certainly ran up the deficit and drove us into the ditch. And this "crisis" is entirely the making of a bunch of knuckle-draggers in the GOP who have flunked Economics 101. If you understood anything, you'd know that. Oh yeah, in the years I mentioned the federal govt. spent more on the RIGHT things- people and infrastructure- and less on faraway wars (Vietnam being cheaper than Iraq).

[calebmallen]

@manhunter86 Nope, I don't alter my reality with chemical substances. Give me an example of a "better time" in human history; I'm curious to know what could be better than an "Obama America".

[manhunter86]

@calebmallen A better time would certainly be from 1948 to the late '70s when the middle class had a greater share of the nation's wealth and there was less income disparity and greater health care coverage and employer benefits. There was also greater membership in unions- funny how the 2 go together.

Obama is one of the things that's right with the current timeframe.

[TheJcreg]

Reich did a good job of proving that Liberal and other big gob't types think they must take care of us.  They know better. We can't even figure out what our insurance policies say. And they accuse the right of wanting to control peoples lives. Good grief!

[manhunter86]

@TheJcreg Man, you have NO idea what you're talking about. It's not a matter of "taking care of us". It's demonstratable that there's NO profit in actually providing as much health care as people need. Therefore, the ideal system would be not-for-profit. Kinda like the crazy one they have in Europe where everyone is covered and their health care costs are nearly 40% lower than ours. Just because you can't figure it out, don't get in the way of those of us that can.

[calebmallen]

We live in the greatest time in history; we have the omniscient demigods Robert "Third" Reich, and Cass "trate America" Sunstein to benevolently oversee and direct our society towards a perfect utopia! How lucky are we?!?

[manhunter86]

@calebmallen Greatest time in history?? What are you, on drugs?

[zg76]

And now look for "The Truth About Robert Reich "

[MrBorikito]

@ytdsgdjgfueyxn537 Absolutely not true. Competition in the market is the only true power that can protect the public good from such corporations. The fact that companies will go bankrupt (provided of course that the federal government doesn't bail them out) if they dishonestly conduct business is the single greatest incentive for companies to help the public good that exists. The central government that you claim is the great defender of the people were the ones who created the housing crisis.

[vonwolly2]

Robert Reisch is a genius.

[justgivemethetruth]

George Will has his health insurance paid for by the people who pay him to call the American people dopes.

[440wedge]

@justgivemethetruth Obviously you weren't paying attention. He said "....the premise of this legislation and the CORE OF TODAY'S LIBERALISM, the American people are such dopes....."

[MrBorikito]

@justgivemethetruth He didn't call them dopes, you moron. He said that *pay attention here* the premise at the core of today's liberalism is that the American people are such dopes that they can't buy their own insurance.

[manhunter86]

@MrBorikito Hey, YOU moron....that's NOT the premise of "today's liberalism". It's the obvious OBSERVATION that insurance companies have no interest in providing ACTUAL health insurance. They'll take your money when you're well, and then deny you coverage when you need it. THAT'S the point, you putz. Cripes, with people like you it's no wonder we can't a decent health care system in this country.

[MrBorikito]

@manhunter86 Do I really have to point out to you the obvious fact that if health insurance companies weren't out to make a profit, the healthcare industry wouldn't exist? That's the whole point of business. Now admittedly, there are greedy insurance companies, just as there have been greedy people involved in just about every human endeavor since the beginning of recorded history. In a free market society people are free to NOT choose such companies. To claim otherwise is extremely ignorant.

[manhunter86]

@MrBorikito First, you misunderstand something. Health INSURANCE vs. health care. Because it's demonstratable that health insurance companies do NOT make (enough) profits when they actually cover health care. Therefore their profitability is in direct opposistion to what we want as consumers. To claim that people can merely not "choose" said companies is extremely ignorant: no insurance company seeks the business of someone who really needs their service.

[manhunter86]

So, any "free market" argument in so far as consumer choice goes, as if we could all take our business to a better provider, is hogwash. A profit can not be made covering people with major health care needs, so no for-profit insurance company seeks to (or will) cover them. Using your logic- if there's no profit something will not exist- these people should either be rich or simply kill themselves.

[ranger1843]

@manhunter86 I respectfully disagree with this assertion. At some point the number of people covered is helpful to the bottom line regardless of their need. Even if the company makes no profit on a particular group of people, those people still provide revenue to offset overhead and other fixed costs. Also, they provide marketing ammunition to attain larger market shares in a competitive environment - which is the key...increased competition.

[manhunter86]

@ranger1843 What I'm speaking to, and what is well known by people who have studied the health care issue, is that something like 1-2% of the population generates the vast majority of health care costs. This would be people with serious ongoing health care needs-cancer patients, lingering diseases, serious accidents. Their health care can run up bills of $200,00 to $600,000 annually. NO premium can cover that.

[manhunter86]

@ranger1843 With that in mind, what profit-making entity is going to rush to sign up a "customer" that costs them even six figures while their premium is $10,000-$20,000? Even if it was $50,000, there certainly is no profit under those conditions. Hence, insurers will welcome millions of costumers with low premiums and even lower actual heath care costs (I think the US average is under $1000/year for the bottom 80%), but not those "few" that actually need it.

[ConservingStupid]

Reminder that the majority of Americans have favored single-payer since 2003.

[guyNbluejeans]

Racist midget. These pigs are all throughout the media and government. For all you Caucasians that have children, you need to spend lots of time explaining to them what's going on in this country concerning how the agenda for people in places of power and prestige is to denigrate, marginalize, ... and ultimately kill-off all Caucasians. THAT's what's going on -- destroy "whitey" in all ways possible on every level over the course of time!

Ted Koppel -- YOU started this shit and you know it!!

[justgivemethetruth]

George Will is such a f-ing clown, what a dolt. Robert Reich is totally correct. Also Will has to constantly interrupt and belittle and twist what others say. Will is Roger Ailes right-wing Frankenstein creation and I will they would lay him to rest with Dracula with a stake through where his heart should be.

[TyroneTasty]

@justgivemethetruth Couldn't agree more. I don't doubt he's a smart guy but he's so damn smug, it's revolting.

[truthslap]

George Will at 1:10, his stare after Robert Reich's ridiculous assertion that Americans can't be trusted to choose their own health insurance, is perfect.

[jumpoutatree]

@truthslap Too bad that's not what Reich said. He said that most Americans don't know all the details of their plan when they buy it, which is absolutely true. Do you know all the details of your plan?

[ObamaFTWdotcom]

@joshpnw It has nothing to do with "liberalism." That's just a catch phrase conservatives use to make an appeal to emotion instead of addressing the facts presented to them. Reich merely pointed out that most Americans aren't savvy enough to understand what they're getting. Contracts are written by lawyers. Most Americans aren't lawyers and likewise, most of them don't work in the medical or insurance industry. Reich was pointing out a fact and George Will hid behind the usual straw man...

[Brezable]

americans are fuckn dopes, dumb ass political tools.

[colorclocks]

Many Americans have proved that they are "dopes", as George Will so kindly puts it, about health care, by believing the Republican talking points (death panels, socialism, etc) on the subject.

[sheepman24]

Have fun feeling smug about people getting what's coming to them until it causes the entire economy to melt down

[sheepman24]

Yes everyone in the world will read a giant 40 page contract about their health benefits and understand every bit of it no problem.

Just like everyone read the fine print on adjustable rate mortgages.

[chinacat22]

It is not about people being able to think for themselves. It is about insurance companies manipulating the policies to disadvantage the people. Try to fight a legal battle with your insurance company about the terms of your policy. You will not stand a chance. We need UHC now!!

[chewbaca1989]

Fed can't afford it, fix what exist now, demagogues.

[S0meCommonSense]

lol the liberal mindset is exposed:

Obviously people are unable to think for themselves, which is why you need to let the government decide how to run every aspect of life, and why you need to pay higher taxes because the government clearly knows how to manage your money better than you do... *cough* trillions of debt *cough*

[fpm229]

The cost of universal healthcare in Iraq:

711+ Billion AMERICAN dollars.

4,330+ AMERICAN GI's killed.

110K Iraqis killed.

And George Will continues to whine against healtcare reform in AMERICA. Gimme a freakin break!

[fpm229]

Article 31 of the Iraqi Constitution, drafted by your right-wing Bushies in 2005 and ratified by the Iraqi people, includes state-guaranteed (single payer) healthcare for life for every Iraqi citizen.

[S0meCommonSense]

You are, in nicest terms, a fool to think of comparing Iraqi and American politics.

What if I argued that the Iraqi economy should have the same laws we have that regulate our own economy? Not a chance. Why? Because they're different. Not necessarily better or worse, just different.

[fpm229]

We have already sacrificed more GIs to wrest Iraq from "tyranny" than we lost on 9/11.

Bushites helped to write its constitution, which includes healthcare as a basic right for all Iraqis.

45K Americans die per year due to lack of health insurance. Those are the facts. And you call me a fool?

Whos Kool-Aid are you drinking, fool?

[S0meCommonSense]

Thanks for essentially saying the same thing again.

Iraq has a fraction of our population. Iraq does not have medical R & D, top of the line drugs, technology, and general health care (which are all quite expensive).

So once again, what works for Iraq does not work for the US.

And if you try to draw a more legitimate comparison to say somebody like Canada, well I don't want any of that kind of healthcare. You're of course free to disagree... move to Canada, try it out :)

[fpm229]

@S0meCommonSense

You're welcome, but Im not moving to Canada any time soon if only because my family is here. Its too easy to brag about R&D, top of the line drugs, technology, etc. You should know better than that. Reality is that in spite of all that we are still ranked 37th of all industrialized countries in over-all healthcare for our people. Our people. We are all Americans. Why should money be a factor regarding who lives or dies due to lack of insurance?

[S0meCommonSense]

I shouldn't have to mention such technology, but innovation is inherently expensive in the case of health care. Obviously we need to do something about being 37th, but Obamacare is not the right approach. Our healthcare does not need such a dramatic overhaul to solve our problems.

Of course giving health care as a basic right sounds nice, but the implications of such a guarentee, especially fiscally, are extremely problematic.

[S0meCommonSense]

And our Framers and Constitution do not and would not reserve health care as a right for all citizens. The idea of the government taking care of you in times of sickness is just one of many government involvements that wouldn't exist.

And we need to break from the mentality that not supporting direct involvement of the government means doing nothing at all for citizens. More gov. control is not the answer, and I shouldn't be demonized for saying so.

[fpm229]

Please stop with the our Framers and Constitution bullshit. This is 2010. Im fortunate that Im able to buy insurance. But Im not greedy. I feel for those less fortunate who lack insurance and cant afford doctor visits to catch and treat disease before it becomes deadly. These are the people that end up at hospitals, already too sick to cure. And our insurance rates are increased to cover the cost to keep them alive.

[S0meCommonSense]

I bring up such "bullshit" because you seem insistent on drawing parallels between Iraq and US that don't exist.

So you bring up the idea of preventive medicine to cut costs. An excellent idea. Is universal health care the answer to such an issue? Absolutely not.

At this point I don't think we'll be accomplsihing anything by arguing.

[fpm229]

@S0meCommonSense:

Cut the bullshit. I'm only pointing out that its ironic that my country (under Bush) was instrumental in developing the Iraqi Constitution that includes universal healthcare, and this same party fights tooth and nail to deny their own citizens equal rights. Im tired of being ripped off and lied to by these sick right wing corporate loving bastards.

[snuke37]

@fpm229

45K a year do NOT die due to lack of health insurance. THAT is a fact.

[beckpod1]

Yes George...we are dopes...because people like you continue to spread anything but the truth!

[thevirtueallliberal]

We are dopes when we can allow ourselves to be manipulated into believing "death panels for grandma" . Or this is about some empty word like "socialism" . The lobbyist were payed 3.9 billion to make the dopes afraid of health care reform .

[RuflessRecords]

1:20 George Will sums up liberalism very well

[ObamaFTWdotcom]

@RuflessRecords It has nothing to do with "liberalism." That's just a catch phrase conservatives use to make an appeal to emotion instead of addressing the facts presented to them. Reich merely pointed out that most Americans aren't savvy enough to understand what they're getting. Contracts are written by lawyers. Most Americans aren't lawyers and likewise, most of them don't work in the medical or insurance industry.

[RuflessRecords]

@ObamaFTWdotcom yes liberals believe most Americans are too stupid or incompetent to take care of themselves and need liberal programs to get by, in this instance the new fat bloated health care program.

We could use more information on what things cost like you say; that would help to drive down costs, if hospitals had to list the bandages they give you as costing $20, whereas you could it elsewhere for $15 or something. Right now, no one knows what costs what.

[jumpoutatree]

@RuflessRecords Wrong. I'm a liberal, and I don't believe that Americans are 'too stupid or incompetent'. Complete strawman argument.

[RuflessRecords]

@jumpoutatree but, you don't believe they're capable and competent enough to buy their own health insurance, hence you support socialized medicine, and you don't believe they're capable and competent enough to save for their own retirement, so you support Social Security, and you don't believe they're capable, competent and caring enough to help poor people so you support govt run welfare, food stamps etc; other than that and a few other things, you believe in Americans' brains/competence...

[jumpoutatree]

@RuflessRecords The reason it's a strawman argument is because it's an insidious mischaracterization used to put Democrats on the defensive. Before Social Security, poverty was a fact of life for the vast majority of people over 65. You can pander all you want, and talk about how Democrats "look down on people", but the facts are clear: without a social safety net, many millions of Americans will live broke, sick, and hungry. That's the history of our country before 1945.

[RuflessRecords]

@jumpoutatree no, poverty was a fact of life for many old people after the crash of 1929...please provide the news/history website stating that the "vast majority" of people over 65 were poor pre 1945 in the US.

We should have a social safety net, but not one run through the govt. All govt handout programs should be disbanded, the money refunded to the taxpayers, and we should again have the responsibility of taking care of people, and be in charge of our own charity giving.

[wildbrush81]

If they pass this plan, we still won't have Insurance benefits for 4 MORE YEARS, yet we have to start making the mandatory Insurance payments IMMEDIATELY! And they expect to take half a Trillion dollars out of Medicare, and cut Doctors pay, to help cover this rediculous plan?? Throw it all out and start over, it doesnt make any sence at all.

[disclaimer05]

@wildbrush81 What? Thats not in the bill. They are cutting some portions of medicare and social security, but doctors pay wont be affected. In fact, doctors will most likely be making more money. As far as benefits go, they come progressively over the next few years. However, by 2014 everyone will be required to have health insurance (like everyone will still be able to afford it, right?). It makes sense, but its going to cost more than they think and its still not universal.

[jumpoutatree]

@wildbrush81 The plan passed. I haven't made a single 'mandatory insurance payment'. No one has even asked me to make a payment. Ready to apologize for your fearmongering?

[Bolgernow]

NO you aren't. You are a GOP/Neo-con/Tea Bagging spam account here to spreads likes, hate, insults, & try to derail healthcare reform...

Look at the number & content of your posts.

It will pass, & there's not a single thing you can do about it clown...

[Bolgernow]

Back to name calling. Im not a "Socialist". I'm an informed American who understands how we got into this mess, & what is being done to get us out.

You said, "I am, as most, just an average hard working American who awoke to the shit our political class has put us in"

I find people like you who "awoke" after Obama was elected have overlooked the person/parties policies that got us into this mess. Big problem. "And if republicans get in our way, we will kick their ass too". No, you won't. Sad

[tarossi400]

George Will summed up liberalism perfectly.

[joyce1716]

@eelzen What 1st world nations are you talking about? Great Britian? Canada? Russia? The American people have never wanted cradle to grave coverage from the government and the majority still don't. If you listen closley, you will hear that health care reform is not about reform but control. There are many ways to cover 30 million uninsured without wrecking the entire health care mechanism for the other 300 million. This is about the control of a major portion of the economy.

[Bolgernow]

Thanks for proving my point. Insults, not addressing the logic problem & double standards.

The modern GOP is the party of insults while not dealing with the issue. Why? Because the issue exposes hypocrisy & ignorance. Youre claiming to hold an anti-government mantel, which you did not hold under Bush. You are also declaring war on the government that is the EXACT same government run programs under Bush. Why? The only that changed was a black Democrat was elected to office.

[tdarnold]

Take the insurance companies completely out of it and the price is still the same minus the 3% that the ins. companies make. Get a clue.

[ObamaFTWdotcom]

@tdarnold Not really. You'd also be taking out the overwhelming admin costs (especially underwriting). Also, if everyone was on a single payer system, the savings would be even more increased because the cost would be spread across more units.

[ObamaFTWdotcom]

@tdarnold Not really. You'd also be taking out the overwhelming admin costs (especially underwriting). Also, if everyone was on a single payer system, the savings would be even more increased because the cost would be spread across more units.

[limited1defined]

@tdarnold

By that logic take the car dealerships out of the car business and cars will be cheaper. After all car dealerships make profits. Take the grocery stores out of the grocery business. After all they make profits too. You are assuming that the profit motive doesn't play any role in the level of efficiency or quality of service the companies provide in the first place. That is an argument straight from Marx. If you happen to be a Marxist then fine. If your not make a new argument.

[tdarnold]

@limited1defined You missed my point. Taking insurance companies out of the picture will only change the price marginally. The real high cost is health care not health insurance. Insurance companies only reimburse. Oh and take alot of blame.

[limited1defined]

@tdarnold

Yeah I missed that im sorry. I just keep hearing that marxist argument over and over and over again and I just sort of go on autopilot.

[tdarnold]

@limited1defined I think you missed my point. Taking the ins. companies out of the picture only changes the price marginally. The real cost is health CARE, which hasnt been dealt with. Insurance companies only reimburse. Oh and take alot of blame.

[manhunter86]

@tdarnold 3%?? No, it's a hell a lot more than 3% with private, for-profit insurers. YOU need to get a clue.

[tdarnold]

@manhunter86 Google it's 3-5 %. Its common knowledge

[manhunter86]

@tdarnold  You haven't Googled this then: money.cnn.com/magazines/fortun­e/fortune500/2009/performers/i­ndustries/profits/equity.html

You're forgetting that 1) lobbying costs and executive pay push private insurance's overhead up to 30% of premiums, in contrast to Medicare's 3-4% and 2) any investment profits made from premiums are not included into their "profit."

[tdarnold]

@manhunter86 Are you kidding me? Its like you have no business experience whatsoever. Premiums and profits are two completely different things.

[czubspenx]

The government is totally inept of running anything.

[Bolgernow]

The main issues I have with your position are...

You scream "guberment is bad", then where were you under George W. Bush who expanded government spending 59%? Non-existent. NOWHERE. Problem

The other issue, I'm assuming you only use Fex Ex or UPS to mail EVERYTHING. You can't use the Post Office since it's "guberment run". You also don't use the CIA, FBI, BOE, federal highways, the Army, IRS, unemployment, SS, Medicare, etc?

ALL government run. You've become the party of insults not issues

[czubspenx]

The government is totally inept at running anything except printing money and blowing it like drunken sailors. Yes, the Post Office. Social Security, Medicare, preventing 9/11, and the list goes on and on and on, are valid reasons why big government is a total disaster. Invading Iraq without a declaration war, and now all the perpetual wars is a total joke. Yep, the guberment couldn't blow itself out of a wet paper bag if they tried to.

[Bolgernow]

Government insults w/o addressing the issue

I list common examples where the government works, not perfectly, but where Americans use it regularly & enjoy that service. Your response: "No it doesn't". You're not placed in reality then, so a rational conversation seem unlikely. So this "gubernment" that "couldn't blow itself out of a wet paper bag if they tried to" is suddenly bad? Where was ur outrage? It started on November 4th 2008 when a black Democrat was elected president. BIG problem

[czubspenx]

The government did not become "BAD" on a certain date. The situation is big government is bad. There is no incentive to do anything at a reasonable cost in a certain amount of time. Name one thing that the government had done that could be done for half the cost and a better result. All the government wants to do is take your money becasue they thing they know how to spend it better than you do. Look at the mess this country is in due to the federal government. There is the proof.

[Bolgernow]

You threaten violence like "You'll get your ass kicked", then speak as if the government was just invented suddenly unable to state a date of massive displeasure. It all started when Obama was ELECTED

The USPO, the DOT, SS, Medicare(need healthcare reform to lower costs), unemployment, CIA, FBI, Navy Seals, CBO, DOD, IRS, & many more that YOU USE EVERY DAY w/o a PEEP

WHERE WAS THIS ANGER UNDER BUSH? Non-existent! NOTHING! That's a problem in your "movement". You want power back. Nothing more

[czubspenx]

Apparently you didn't read my comment above. I said that we went to war against Iraq without a declaration of war. That was under the Bush administration. That invasion has just about bankrupted the country. I'm not a Democrat or Repulican. I'm an observer of how if anything can go wrong, the government will find a way. Furthermore, if you think the government's goal is to help the citizens of this country, think again, and again.

[Bolgernow]

Certainly did. You said "The government is totally inept at running anything except printing money and blowing it like drunken sailors"

I cited examples that you & use everyday that contradict your statement. You choose to ignore those. You most certainly are Republican. You words, views, & current Populist anti-government stance expose you as such. Good luck

[czubspenx]

Thank you for telling me what I am. bye bye

[Bolgernow]

The sad part, you told me when you hold specific views...

Dr. Ron Paul is a Republican. You hold his views. Check...

[czubspenx]

Whatever you say!

[Kapan60]

The goverment also invaded a soverign nation under the guise it had weapons of mass destruction and it didn't ethier...

It continues to wage the "War on Terror", infringe on individuals rights & privacy, and will soon force more taxes upon the citizenry to pay for it's overwhelming debt.

And yet the "left" wants to trust our healthcare to these idiots.

[Bolgernow]

Says the person who had a HUGE boner about occupying Iraq, & holds Neo-con/GOP/Tea Bagger view. You're FOX news person looking at your channel. Neat. Enjoy your tunnel of ignorance...

[Kapan60]

Hmm... maybe you should read that again instead of spouting of stupidity.

Whatever heatlhcare "reform" you want will eventually be run by some idiot that makes George Bush look like a rocket scientist.

[Bolgernow]

Maybe you can watch more FOX News to stun any rational hold of reality you might try...

The "left" is "rational Americans sick of fear & ignorance listening loud & clear to reality"

You are not. Suck it ace...

[Kapan60]

LOL, your an angry "leftie" aren't ya.

I got new for you. Right or left, it makes no difference. Both parties are screwing us over for lobbyist funds.

Obama and McCain both got the same donations from the same banks we bailed out during their campaigns.

Any "reform" will be no different.

[pieceomeat]

@Bolgernow You are not actually calling Social Security and Medicare success stories are you? SS that was pillaged and won't be there at all within 20 years? That one? Medicare which is going bankrupt and has been for a long time? The IRS? Yeah they are just known for being so sweeting and loving to the people they "serve". The CIA and FBI??? The Congessional budget office? You have to be kidding! You are the party guy, alot of us were mad under Bush...when Obama started spending twice as fast

[Bolgernow]

Fuck you clown, suck on Healthcare reform. When it passes, unemployment goes below 9% for March in April, & you don't have a leg to stand on...

No one will listen to you insane rantings of "Red Scare" or "Socialism", or "Obama wasn't born here, he's a Nazi"

Shut up, heard enough from you

[pieceomeat]

@Bolgernow What you certainly exposed yourself for what you are....an airhead. Guess what kiddo...you don't get to control speech and unfortunately for the rest of us...unless we can get our hands on you...we can stop you from making a fool out of yourself. I am sorry I took your little rediculous argument and stuffed it so far up your butt.....I would have thought you would be used to it. Check each one of those polls by the way dipshit....lol

[pieceomeat]

@Bolgernow Just curious Bolger....what will YOU do if the pathetic watered down Health Care Bill doesn't pass. By the way you are flipping out online...it sounds as though you might just soil yourself. lol

[pieceomeat]

@Bolgernow Well OFCOURSE you started hearing some screaming!! Polls all show that between 60 and 70 percent of Americans think were are heading in the wrong direction. It increased from when Bush was in office...so clearly people are even more upset now...it's the same crap only at twice the rate. You are so quick to call others partisan when Americans who are concerned about are debt are only acting LOGICALLY. We are in trouble man!

[Bolgernow]

Incorrect. Where do you get your polls?

I get mine from USA Survey, Gallop, USA Today, Rasmussen, & many more. What you are saying is a LIE!

You're basically Joesph McCarthy Jr, trying to divide, lie, insult, & incite. Weak man. Uber weak...

[Kapan60]

Polls are for idiots. Any idiot can phrase a question or make statisictal changes to make them state anything they want.

Hasn't Frank Luntz taught you anything about polling?

[Bolgernow]

Hasn't Frank Luntz lied, manipulated, & whored out American enough for FOX "news"?

Never for you FOX & Fucks morning crowd. Burn in hell douche salad. I've had enough of you...

[mjnr7777]

Another "school is out" moment by George....when will the Libs learn?

[wetweasel56]

The whole problem with US healthcare costs is profits.

The government should take over all hospitals yet allow doctors and staff to make money off of patients. Allow insurance companies to compete across state lines, tax people for being grossly overweight and stop providing HC to illegals.

HOSPITALS SHOULD BE OWNED BY GOV. JUST HOSPITALS, NOT STAFF.

[chessgame1960]

Doctors used to make house calls and were paid out of pocket then and there. Govt intrusion over the past 60 yrs has put the medical industry in the shape it is today. Lawyers were elected to office and enacted laws regulating not only how healthcare is delivered but the market as well. As designed by those scumbags, the enacted regulations financially benefited lawyers and their associates through lawsuits and graft. Insurance is a necessity only because of greedy lawyers and politicians.

[quizerry]

I'm tired of the race to the bottom excuse for allowing purchasing across state lines. Every State has consumer protection laws and if they were to lax the people would demand better. It is much easier to get State laws passed then Federal. Besides by our Constitution it is the States that should have the power NOT the Federal Government. The bigger our Federal Government has gotten the more it has become corrupt. I don't want them to have anymore power they cost us enough in taxes and freedoms.

[DillonX]

We must have THE PUBLIC OPTION.

[rileymayhem20]

"government causes more problems than it solves" - Lemmy

[nomosocialists]

The sad thing is that the Left and most of the people that voted for oblahblah are dopes who want the government to take care of everything for them and let someone else pay for it!

[TheShannon76]

George Will pwned Reich.

[bw01a]

Haha George Will rocks. Screw Obamacare and the Democratic Congress.

[MidNightRider2001]

Robert Reich is still a mentally ill liberal.

[whoo689]

In one of his textbooks, that is. Even though the quantity theory has been pretty much PROVEN by now. No economist with a brain is gonna argue that it's not real. Obviously inflation can occur if the gov't prints too much money.

[whoo689]

Fuck Robert Reich and Paul Krugman, perhaps the two worst economists ever. Reich is such a failure he took a stupid job running the Labor Dept. (ooh, real prestigious). Luckily for Krugman, he's still got his fancy ivory tower tenured position at Princeton, even though he never deserved it and is dumber than a bag of rocks. He shouldn't even be allowed near students at all.

One of the most dubious claims I've heard that Krugman makes is apparently he "debunks" the quantity theory of money.

[LLORT3]

Only a sucker easily fooled (basically lots of rednecks in rural areas) would believe that insurance companies are necessary.

[whoo689]

Lol! The market and competition are worse than a gov't monopoly? That cracks me up!

Hey look, guys. We got a real liberal comedian here who doesn't know a damn thing about economics and believes in conspiratorial bullshit about insurance companies and executives.

[LLORT3]

Good strawman.

[LLORT3]

I don't know a single rightist in my region who thinks insurance companies are necessary.

[whoo689]

Well, what is your alternative? I assume by pointing out my "strawman" (I had but to assume you meant single-payer as the alternative since there's really no other choices in hc coverage besides insurance or some form of gov't coverage for those who have trouble affording care), you're a conservative but against insurance?

What do you propose then? How are insurance companies not necessary? Are you referring merely to HC insurance or overall? B/c overall insurance is pretty useful.

[LLORT3]

My alternative is indeed UHC.

[whoo689]

It helps smooth consumption in case of an unforeseen emergency, preventing people from having to go into debt or spend all their savings on said catastrophe.

[LLORT3]

I think private insurance has failed because it does not cover all people.

I believe a country that can wage war overseas should first focus on its own subjects.

Yes, my opinion is offensive, but so what? Everyone should be covered...

[whoo689]

I never said your opinion was offensive. And I am actually a libertarian, so I agree with you on the war issue. But Republican priorities do seem a little misplaced, to say the least, when they consider useless wars in the Middle East more worthy of spending than simply expanding healthcare.

[quizerry]

Of the 45 million w/o insurance. 10% would qualify for a Gov. program but don't sign up, 11% can afford it but choose not to buy, 10% are not citizens. That leaves about 15 million. A study found just allowing purchasing across State lines would give 17 million or more access to affordable care. Also it would create real competition and stop the monopolies per State and City. Some major cities have only 2 or 3 Insurance carriers to choose from.

[LLORT3]

I like those ideas, but I still think a better idea is UHC, like we have here in Israel.

That way everyone is covered, especially the poor and immigrant community who tend to get sick more often.

[KCUAC]

i would like to see a bird SH*& on Roberts head right now

[whoo689]

Unless you live in a state with less regulation on "minimum coverage", you're basically fucked. You have to pick at least this huge plan that's expensive as hell that state gov't wants you to buy. Insurers can't offer anything less in those regulated areas. But consumers in LESS regulated areas, esp. very deregulated areas, can actually BE consumers here. They can say "well I don't need much coverage and don't wanna pay much, so I'll take a very minimum amt. of coverage"

[whoo689]

Race to the bottom?? Lol.  What "Race to the bottom"? Was there a race to the bottom before McCarran-Ferguson? NO!

These are the two dumbest arguments from people in politics: race to the bottom and slippery slope. They NEVER happen. Reich honestly thinks competition among insurers, which will force them to become better for consumers, will somehow mean they'll screw us all over? oh, come now. It just means consumers will finally be able to BEHAVE as consumers in the insurance market.

[Aeschylus]

Tort reform!

[vllmer]

people supposedly don't know what insurance co. are doing with policies-but then liberals jump in and try to ram through 2,000+ page bills with exemptions of same in exchange for votes and smears for people who ask questions about what it means.

DC cannot run their own lives, stop trying to run ours.

[TheLastBrainLeft]

Pwned, the very definition. Reich should go back to academia, where the intellectual level of his potential opponents is lower.

[HollywoodWags]

Riech must be on the take. Either that, or he is incredibly stupid. Perhaps he just gets a vicarious thrill out of being a liar and ruining people's lives. I've met enough leftie libs to know that is definitely a valid stereotype.

He's one of the dumbest economists I've ever seen in my life.

[mitchblatt1dot1com]

Haven't you seen these teabaggin rednecks at tea parties? They're so stupid. They don't even know what teabaggin means, because they aren't as culturally and socially advanced as graduates of Cornell's University of Agriculture gay studies program.

[BeantownJim]

screw socialism and a one world govt'

[bucs2921]

Reich got OWNED..

I would never wanna debate George Will lol.