Obama’s solution is to pay the enemy

[Joanne98]

During his speech before a joint session of Congress, President Obama called for the creation of insurance exchanges, a system designed to allow consumers to see varying prices and programs so they can comparison shop. Obama only mentioned the P-word once, and even then the public option name drop was immediately followed by the caveats “We should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal,” and the public option is only a “means to an end.” Read: It’s a nice idea, but drop it.

Elsewhere, Obama recycled the usual reasons for why single-payer healthcare, the Progressives’ other favored solution, just isn’t possible right now (at the mere mention of single-payer sporadic cheers broke out in the audience.) “I believe it makes more sense to build on what works and fix what doesn’t, rather than try to build an entirely new system from scratch,” said the president. This dismisses Marcia Angell’s idea of a gradual expansion of Medicare, a slow transition that wouldn’t have violently jolted our beloved system of privatized healthcare.

But nevermind. Back to the insurance exchange idea. Obama means citizens will be required by law to purchase their coverage from private insurers. Similarly, Max Baucus’s disastrous recent proposal calls for mandates that will literally force individuals and families to purchase insurance from the enemy — and one of the great culprits of the entire reform debate — Big Insurers. Without a serious public option (and not the “I’m humoring them, have they shut up yet?” approach Obama seems to be suggesting,) the insurance industry has a captive market, the American people, who will be held hostage in a for-profit health insurance scheme.

Between Obama’s peddling of exchanges and Baucus’s mandate pimping, Americans are faced with the nightmarish bastard of corporate whoring and endless concessions: no public option, possible mandates, and healthcare exchanges. Seriously, if you had asked me at the start of this process what my worst case scenario would be — short of a meteor slamming into the Earth — this is it.

Continued>>>
http://trueslant.com/allisonkilkenny/2009/09/09/obamas-solution-is-to-pay-the-enemy/

[emulatorloo]

1. Obama said he believes public option is the best way to get insurance industry to act responsibly

1. He said if anybody had a better idea he would listen to it

2. In another part of the speech he said Republican leadership has not come up with any serious ideas, just delay and misinformation

3. In another part of the speech he said he will not listen to time waster ideas.

1 + 2 + 3 = I don't think he believes anybody is going to come up with a better idea than the public option.

In my opinion the author of the editorial is needlessly spinning the speech as negative.

[ixion]

2. Here's a better idea: Regulate the hell out of Big Med

that would solve the 'crisis' w/o burdening the citizenry with mandatory insurance.

[glitch]

3. Regulation only works until the next Republicon admin dismantles it. Think SEC and EPA. nt

[jgraz]

6. Here's an even better idea: fully nationalized healthcare

That's the ONLY way we'll truly reduce costs from predatory drug companies and medical providers.

Single Payer is the compromise.

Public Option is the capitulation.

Less than that is an unqualified victory for Republicans and their corporate masters.

[FiveGoodMen]

11. Hear! Hear!

[tiny elvis]

4. the author was looking for obama's positive argument

what did obama say his plan was?
she said that he called for insurance exchanges

[emulatorloo]

5. Public option was part of the insurance exchange. EOM

[Joanne98]

8. Do you have a link that explains the details of that cause I can't find one.

Please?

[debbierlus]

10. Mad as Hell Doctors requested a meeting for Single Payer

Physician, you know actual health care providers....

Obama refused them.

Seat at the table, if you are a healthcare lobbyist or big pharm executive.

[lib_wit_it]

7. Single Payer is still the correct answer! Phase it in. People will begin to choose it as their

private rates rise and service declines. If it's no good, it will not take over. The time will allow displaced workers to be retrained and reemployed in jobs that aren't immoral.

[some guy]

9. Obama means citizens will be required. . ."

This Administration isn't interested in citizens, only consumers.

There is a difference and the words should not be used interchangeably.

[bertman]

12. Any way you cut it, Allison Kilkenny was exactly right. Our President gave a magnificent

speech to camouflage the odious deal that is about to be struck between our so-called elected officials and their financial benefactors and overlords, the Medical/Pharmaceutical Complex.

Judging from his statement that he wanted to be the LAST President to deal with healthcare reform, I'd say he's going to fall waaayyy short of that goal.

Thanks for posting this, Joanne98.

Recommend.

[Hawkowl]

13. O uses his oratorical gift for evil

Instead of using his speeches to illuminate, educate and elevate, he uses his oratorical gifts to obfuscate, and supplicate the corporate powers to be. What I got from his speech is that the plan is for everyone to buy insurance. If you don't have the money, the government will give MORE MONEY to the financial industry on your behalf. Fascism is when government is indistinguishable from the corporations. You be the judge.

[bertman]

14. Yes, it was obvious that what was omitted from his beautifully-delivered speech were

some facts that might have shed some very bright light on the true state of our for-profit medical corporatocracy, namely that the 2007 Fortune 500 ranking of medical insurance and managed-care corporations showed that the top 13 corporations made almost $13 BILLION in profits. That $13 BILLION represented a 44% increase in profits over their 2005 profits. FORTY-FOUR PERCENT PROFIT INCREASE IN TWO YEARS.

Bear in mind that this is NET PROFIT we are discussing here. So, not included in that are the BILLIONS IN EXECUTIVE SALARIES, perks, and bonuses that the upper echelon corporate executives are given BEFORE the profit numbers are calculated.

Also, not included in those profit numbers are the BILLIONS that are spent by the administrative personnel who are handling the paperwork and making the decisions to deny or provide care.

Would that information have been helpful for giving the American taxpayers a bit of information about the poor insurance companies that our government is trying to drive out of business? Would those numbers help Americans to see the true perversity of the for-profit insurance bureaucracy?

You are correct Hawkowl, that we should be the judge.

[pauldg0]

15. Quick and...........

.....easy!!!!

[Vidar]

16. K&R

[elleng]

17. Sounds like crying WOLF, to me.

Its the sort of program govt. 'ees have, lengthy list of options among numerous insurance cos. and programs/options.