To Rep. Ed Pastor, Sen. Jon Kyle, and Sen John McCain

[leftylemn]

Waah, cry me a river.. Because you didn't plan for your future let me get out my checkbook and pay for your lack of foresight. I hear Kavorkian is offering a new plan similar to Obamas. Call a Wambulance.

[HappyCabbie]

@leftylemn I just hope you never get sick or that your health insurance denies payment for your medical condition.

[drharris2020]

The real clue what this takeover is about is simple.

They will not simply write a bill to solve each issue.

Take care of tort reform, then portability, then caps, etc.

They will not do that because that is not what this is about.

Cap and trade is not about co2 or temp, it is about tax and power.

Soon "comprehensive amnesty' will be about votes at any cost.

I wish you the best, but sometimes we must do what is best for our country, not ourselves. freedom is not free.

[HappyCabbie]

Now that I am able to work again, I am planning on going back into truck driving. In December a ticket I got in 2005 will go off my record and then in January I should be able to go back. The health care plan my hopefully future employer will offer me will be one of those "Cadilac" Health Plans that will be taxed. Yet I support this idea because it will benifit the entire country not just myself. As a tax payer, I realize that taking care of the poor is a civic duty.

[drharris2020]

Every single country with government health care is a failure. This includes our medicare/caid. They are all going broke, every one of them. Why would we follow that example? France can't afford it with 72% income tax, and most have additional insurance paid out of pocket. Don't point to failing systems and say 'lets do that.'

Close examination of the uninsured shows the true cost of illegals. 147 hospitals closed in los angeles alone. France has 20% illegals. We need to cut the anchor loose.

[HappyCabbie]

Politicians have been telling us that Medicare/Medicaid has been going broke for as long as I have been alive. It is not going broke. It is a government funded social program and it will continue to be funded. Our government finances our deficit with the issuance of bonds.

As far as every government run health care is a failure can you cite any sources backing up your claim.

Have you taken the time to talk to people who live in these countries as I have.

[drharris2020]

I will take issue with the 'you are paying anyway' angle. About 1/2 of the uninsured are illegal. If you show up at emergency, uninsured for non critical, you should be sent away. The health care industry rips off the insurance and they rip us. The huge cost of emergency is unjustified. They both need restrictions, not replacement.

[HappyCabbie]

Correction. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation 79 percent of the uninsured are citizens of the united states. This includes born and naturalized citizens. Please cite your source for half of the uninsured being illegal.

[drharris2020]

I used estimates, so I will stick to facts only.

U.S. Census Bureau puts the number of uninsured citizens at 35.9 million.

There are 9.7 million uninsured illegals we know of, but since we don't know how many we have, it will be more, probably much more.

National Bureau of Economic Research found

8.4 mil make $50-75k

9.1 mil make over $75k

CBO analysis found that 36 million people would remain uninsured even if the $1.6 trillion health care bill.

Kaiser is a left propaganda farm.

[HappyCabbie]

Ok well my Census data puts it at 45 million but that is from 2006 you may have a newer survey.

It is correct that the current legislation will not cover everyone. Best estimates put coverage at 97 percent.

I don't dispute your NBER numbers but do remember that many with pre-existing conditions are not able to purchase insurance regardless of how much they make.

I am not a fan of the current legislation. I myself would prefer a system closer to Canada or England's system.

[drharris2020]

I tend to trust CBO numbers on coverage. As memory serves, aprox 1/3 for $1.3 trillion, what a deal.

Do not mis-understand me, I am all for insurance regulation. Just like many other industries. Where would we be without government oversight on water, electric, interest, food safety, etc, etc.

With intelligent regulation we don't need to follow other country's failing systems or tax and waste even more of the sweat of my brow.

[drharris2020]

Life is not fair. You failed to prepare for it. Do not take from me to compensate for your choices or just bad luck. This is a true test of freedom. Be responsible for your choices. We already pay for the programs that will take care of you. You will not starve on the street or be denied critical medical care. Do not take from me to pay for insurance for the lazy. Free health care is not a right.

[HappyCabbie]

Are you aware of how much the uninsured actually cost you? In a video I hope to have up next week I cite an article from the New York Times that states hospitals charge those with insurance on average 230 percent of the actuall cost to treat them. This is to compensate for the free care they give away. Think about it. The last time you were in an ER lobby, very few in there have actuall emergencies. They go there, because that is where they can be seen. See next comment.

[HappyCabbie]

Which is cheaper on the population at large. Treating the uninsured at a costly ER visit and leave the taxpayers and the insured to cover the cost which can be anywhere from 500-1000 dollars or even more. Or have the taxpayers pay 50 to 100 bucks for a doctor visit. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation 80 percent of the uninsured are employed. 70 percent of the uninsured work full time. See next comment

[HappyCabbie]

Furthermore the amount of employers who offer insurance to their employees is dropping. Now most of this comes from small business and especially new small businesses. However those who are keeping their insurance are changing their employees plans to have higher deductibles and price caps. You may have insurance now, but will you have insurance next year.

That is a question I think you need to consider.

[tharlia]

Hey negativecreap look where independence got you .....

Most hated nation of which half of you still think god made the world ...

woo hoo to be a yank!

[corthew]

You do know that you are paying more through taxes and higher insurance rates now to pay for people who cannot afford to go to the doctor and put it off until only emergency services will fix them, than you would be paying if everyone was required to have healthcare coverage.

[Waldheri]

1:50 - The singular of "data" is "anecdote" ;-)

[HappyCabbie]

Well I was taxed when I was able to work, and I will be taxed again when I get better and return to work. Also I have representation in the house and senate.

[Sho81]

Someone doesn't know how the Govt. works.

[HappyCabbie]

Yes I do know that, Should your tax dollars only go to programs that benifit you alone or society as a whole?

[Katfellow]

Cool vid

Good luck & get well soon HC.

[Willacetheclown]

I'm the only one in my family with out health insurince my mom dad gets it threw my dad's hospital & my sister gets medicare

[stefzula]

Cabbie, you've got the WORST luck in the world to be living in a state with John McCain as its senator! It's a shame that dumbass won't listen to people like you when he's got insurance companies lining his pockets.

[ismfofbiggestfan]

move to canada

[quakertownjackass]

second!